Fountain Valley Sweeps Brea Olinda

The Brea Olinda baseball team held auditions Saturday for the No. 2 spot in its pitching rotation. Visiting Fountain Valley, however, proved most uncooperative in the Wildcats’ search process.

The Barons scored 15 runs in the first two innings off two Brea pitchers and cruised to a 15-5 five-inning mercy rule victory in the first game of a doubleheader.

Fountain Valley (6-1) sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and 13 in the second, knocking out starting pitcher Justin Rigsby with no outs in the second inning. The score was 8-0.

Left-hander Blake Vasquez provided no relief for the Wildcats after inheriting a bases-loaded situation from Rigsby. Those three runners scored and four more crossed the plate before center fielder Nick Stagnaro’s running catch at the fence finally bailed Brea out of the inning.

Vasquez settled down after the second to pitch two perfect innings.

The Wildcats (3-4) have one of the county’s best starting pitchers, Mike Davern, but have not yet found a solid second starter.

“Today is a day when we are throwing everybody we have out there to find out who our No. 2 is,” Brea Olinda Coach Steve Hiskey said. “We need to find somebody else who is going to be consistent.”

Consistency has not been a problem for the Fountain Valley offense. The Barons are averaging more than 10 runs a game in their past five.

Josh Bartusick was three-for-three, driving in three runs with two doubles and a single, and Casey Janssen homered and drove in four for the Barons.

Matt Clanton (2-0) earned the victory, pitching three innings and giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and striking out three.

Stagnaro drove in four runs with a triple and a double and also stole home for the Wildcats.

In the second game, Fountain Valley again dominated Brea Olinda in a 10-3 victory.

Brendan Cotter had two hits, including a two-run home run in the top of the third inning, and three RBIs for the Barons.