Segal Shows Nordhoff Finishing Touch

Justin Segal of Calabasas High wasn’t around to pitch the seventh inning the first time he faced Nordhoff.

This time, Segal was determined to finish what he started.

Segal pitched a five-hitter and struck out 10 in a 1-0 victory Friday that increased the Coyotes’ Frontier League lead to two games over the Rangers.

Segal (6-1) beat Nordhoff, 10-4, two weeks ago. He allowed four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Three of the runs came after Segal suffered a leg cramp in the sixth inning.

“I wanted to finish the last game, but it was tough to come out,” Segal said. “This time, I wanted to show what I could do.”

Segal threw only 88 pitches--63 for strikes--and pitched around Shaun Lowry’s leadoff double in the seventh inning, getting a strikeout and two ground balls against the bottom of the order.

“A little of the luster went off the first victory because he couldn’t close it out,” said Coach Rick Nathanson of Calabasas (14-5, 7-0 in league play. “He wanted to come out [Friday] and finish what he started.”

Segal out-pitched sophomore David Valencia (2-1), who got the start in place of ace Travis Flowers of Nordhoff (8-6-1, 5-3), who defeated Santa Paula, 3-2, earlier in the week.

Valencia allowed one unearned run in 5 1/3 innings, but defense and inexperience hurt him in the third.

Grant Stuppel reached first base on third baseman Ian LeClere’s error and advanced to second on Valencia’s balk.

Stuppel reached third on Ilie Kramer’s ground ball and scored on Mike Benford’s sacrifice fly.

“They manufactured that run, but we made two mistakes,” Nordhoff Coach Rob Duran said. “We’re a young team. Maybe a little nervous early with the way [Segal] was throwing.”

Segal kept the ball down, got eight groundouts, and pitched around LeClere’s leadoff single in the fifth.

He lowered his earned-run average to 1.33 and has 56 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings.

“[Segal] wanted to deliver the message [Friday],” Nathanson said. “With him on the hill, we can make one run stand up.”

Nordhoff, which won its first league championship in 90 years last season, has only two senior starters. The Rangers made three errors.

Flowers, a junior right-hander who has emerged as the ace with four shutouts this season, entered the game in relief in the sixth inning and Segal on third base.

He struck out Evan Tuchman and Glen Anderson to end the inning.

“The way we lost was tough,” Nordhoff catcher Trevor Weedon said.

“[Segal] threw a good ballgame, but for us, it stinks to lose to Calabasas in a first-place game.”