Camarillo Unbowed By Break

Camarillo High awoke from a 10-day layoff, took a little time to stretch and got right to work, scoring four first-inning runs and pounding Thousand Oaks, 10-2, on Wednesday in a nonleague baseballgame.

The Scorpions apparently enjoy an all-or-nothing mentality. The idle period followed a 10-day stretch that included eight games--all victories.

The midst of a long winning streak might seem an odd time to close shop, but there were no ill effects. Kevin Brown hit the game’s first pitch for a home run, Jimmy Alstot turned in a strong pitching performance and Camarillo (16-4) continued to pad its lead.

Not that the Scorpions needed insurance. They were in good hands with Alstot.

The junior right-hander allowed only three singles through five innings, by which time Camarillo led, 9-0.

Thousand Oaks (14-5) opened the sixth with a double by Adam Leavitt, an infield single by Chris Cordeiro and a walk by Ryan Donahue, but Mike Lopez replaced Alstot and retired three batters in a row, although two ground outs drove in runs.

Alstot (6-0) is in his first varsity season. He was 17-0 the last two seasons on the freshman and junior varsity teams, making him 23-0 at Camarillo.

“He had good velocity and changed speeds very well,” Coach Scott Cline said. “Thousand Oaks hit him hard during American Legion last summer, and for him to come back to this same park and pitch well was awesome.”

Thousand Oaks appeared to still be suffering the effects of a 1-0 loss to Marmonte League rival Westlake on Friday. The Lancers committed five errors, made baserunning mistakes and failed to hit with runners in scoring position.

They also were without Coach Bill Sizemore, who was suspended by school officials for comments he made immediately following the loss to Westlake. The length of the suspension “has not yet been resolved,” Athletic Director Lou Lichtl said.

Sizemore believed Westlake Coach Chuck Berrington was making obscene gestures to the Thousand Oaks bench while giving signs, and he confronted Berrington while the teams shook hands.

Camarillo had its own problems, not that anyone would have noticed by the team’s performance.

Justin Peterson, who is batting .452, and Jacob Medina, who is batting .406, were benched for breaking a team rule. Cline wouldn’t say when they will be back.

The Scorpions had plenty of weapons. Geoff Buchanan hit a two-run home run in the second inning, Spencer Wyman drove in runs with a first-inning single and fifth-inning double, Delmon Young hit a two-run double and Brown drove in a run with a single as well as belting his leadoff home run.

“We’re a good team and we are getting better,” Cline said. “I like this team.”

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Cline gave the Scorpions last week off and practice Monday was rained out. Together for the first time in nine days Tuesday, they practiced for four hours.

“The rest was very much appreciated,” said Wyman, a senior catcher. “It’s good to see we didn’t lose anything.”

Including the winning streak.