Cougar Encore Continues

Capistrano Valley’s postseason run continues to go according to the script--last year’s script, that is.

The Cougars struck for four first-inning runs and rode the pitching of starter Frank McLaughlin to a trouble-free 6-1 victory over Fountain Valley in a Southern Section Division I baseball quarterfinal Friday at Capistrano Valley High.

Capistrano Valley has won 10 consecutive games heading into the semifinals, just as it did last season, when the Cougars went on to win the championship. Capistrano Valley (21-8) will play Fontana Miller (22-7), a 5-1 winner over second-seeded Esperanza, in a semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Blair Field in Long Beach.

With Friday’s victory, the Cougars continued their impressive late-season success. In the 2000 and 2001 seasons after spring break, they are a combined 22-0.

“It’s spooky,” Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Zamora said. “I don’t have any answers.”

McLaughlin and Brad Davis provided all the answers the Cougars needed Friday. McLaughlin pitched a seven-hitter and Davis doubled twice, tripled and drove in two runs.

McLaughlin (8-2) has thrown 13 postseason innings without surrendering a walk. Every time he starts and doesn’t give up a walk, Zamora buys him $5 worth of food at a local burger joint. If he keeps up the good work, he might need a cholesterol check by the end of the playoffs.

“When I don’t walk anyone, I’m at my best,” said McLaughlin, who has signed with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. “My fastball was working today, and I got looser as the game went on.”

McLaughlin looked a little tight in the first inning as Fountain Valley (18-10) hit two singles, but he escaped without any damage.

Baron starting pitcher Josh Bartusick, who picked up a complete-game victory over third-seeded Camarillo Tuesday, took the mound again for Fountain Valley Friday but didn’t fare as well this time. He gave up four hits in the first and was the victim of two Baron errors as the Cougars surged ahead, 4-0. Bartusick did settle down afterward and left the game after three innings.

“It’s quite a tough situation asking him to come back after throwing 120 pitches Tuesday,” Fountain Valley Coach Ron LaRuffa said. “[Capistrano Valley] came out hitting, we missed some cutoff throws and definitely got beat in all phases of the game.”

Fountain Valley had seven hits but couldn’t bunch more than two in an inning. The Barons’ run came in the sixth on Bartusick’s home run, which landed on the roof of a house atop a steep hill behind the right-field fence.

In another quarterfinal game:

Fontana Miller 5, Esperanza 1--David Nicholson hit a home run in the first inning for the host Aztecs’ only run. Miller opened the sixth with three consecutive hits and scored three runs--two on Esperanza errors--to pull away. Esperanza finished 23-6.