Thousand Oaks Takes Care of No. 1

It was a well-earned moment of triumph for Chris Cordeiro, who leaped off the mound, clenched his fist and basked in the glow of a pitching masterpiece.

The junior right-hander from Thousand Oaks High struck out 12, walked none and scattered 11 hits to help the Lancers upset Notre Dame, ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, 4-3, in a Southern Section Division I first-round playoff game Friday at Thousand Oaks.

“He’s the best, the best,” shortstop Billy Lockin said of Cordeiro, who struck out Matt Cunningham with the tying run at first to end the game.

This wasn’t just any team Cordeiro (7-1) beat with his sweeping curveball, wicked slider and precision fastball. He inflicted the first defeat on Phillip Polanco (10-1) of Notre Dame and avenged an eight-inning loss to the Knights (22-5) in March.

Cordeiro hit a home run off Polanco and added a run-scoring single as the Lancers (19-5) advanced to play Long Beach Wilson in a second-round game on Tuesday.

“He’s a gamer,” Coach Bill Sizemore of Thousand Oaks said. “Nothing bothers him. He loves this [pressure]. He thrives on it.”

There was immense pressure on both teams. Everyone knew runs would be hard to come by with pitchers the caliber of Cordeiro and Polanco.

The advantage belonged to Notre Dame after the Knights put together five consecutive hits in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead.

Chris Dickerson’s double, bunt singles by James Rivero and Jon Horwitz, an RBI single by Alec Moss and Brendan Ryan’s two-run double, one of his three hits, offered a severe challenge to Cordeiro.

Cordeiro escaped the inning by stranding runners at second and third with a pop up, strikeout and groundout.

After that, the Knights couldn’t score. Oh, they put runners on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but Cordeiro grew tougher and more determined.

“It was pretty intense,” he said. “We just beat the best team in the region and Polanco had just a great season. We knew we had to give it our all to win.”

The decisive hit of the game was delivered by Lockin, Thousand Oaks’ best clutch hitter. He was jammed by Polanco’s fastball with the bases loaded in the fourth inning but hit the ball to left field for a two-out, two-run double, giving the Lancers the lead for good.

Ryan Donahue, the No. 9 hitter, fell behind, 1-2, but drew a walk to allow Lockin a chance to hit. The last pitch to Donahue was was so close, Polanco started to walk off the mound.

“It was a little inside and a tough pitch to take, but you have to find a way to get on anyway you can,” Donahue said.

Polanco walked five batters in the third and fourth innings. The one to Donahue could not be overcome.

Cordeiro refused to walk anyone.

“It’s pretty much a Cardinal sin,” he said. “Every time you walk a guy, they usually score. Walks kill you.

“It was pure adrenaline that last inning. It was a great feeling.”

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SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

First Round

Division I

* Bell Gardens: 10

* Palmdale: 3

* Thousand Oaks: 4

* Notre Dame: 3

* San Clemente: 7

* Crespi: 3

* Long Beach Millikan: 7

* Camarillo: 1

* Highland: 21

* Warren: 3

* Downey: 2

* Crescenta Valley: 1

Division II

* Righetti: 7

* Ventura: 1

* Santa Barbara: 6

* Rio Mesa: 1

* Hart: 13

* Arroyo: 3

Division III

* Calabasas: 11

* Westlake: 4

Division IV

* La Canada: 12

* Bishop: 3

* Chaminade: 13

* Monrovia: 5

* Nordhoff: 10

* Fillmore: 6

* Lompoc: 10

* Oak Park: 8

* Paraclete: 6

* South Pasadena: 2

Division V

* Calvary Chapel: 13

* Flintridge Prep: 0

* Kilpatrick: 10

* Windward: 3

* St. Bonaventure: 13

* Cate: 2

* L.A. Baptist: 12

* Viewpoint: 0

* Crossroads: 13

* Thacher: 1

* Desert Christian: 7

* Aquinas: 6