Baseball: Mesa salvages a tie with Corona-Santiago

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High’s baseball team likes to walk on the

wild side, much to the dismay of Coach Kirk Bauermeister.

“I told the players afterward that we seemed to come alive when the sixth

and seventh innings come around,” Bauermeister said following Thursday’s

7-7 tie with Corona-based Santiago in the Costa Mesa Tournament.

Considering the fact that the Mustangs (1-1-1) allowed 11 hits and 12

walks, a 7-7 tie isn’t too shabby.

“Any time you give up that many base runners, you’re supposed to lose,”

Bauermeister said. “Both teams went back and forth and when we finally

shut them down in the seventh, we were able to tie it up.”

Nick Cabico went 5 for 5 with a run scored and four RBIs for the

Mustangs, including a two RBI single with two out in the bottom of the

seventh, scoring Brent Stevens and Billy Halverson and tying the score.

The Sharks (2-2-1) missed numerous opportunities to blow the game open

early, stranding 14 runners on base, including 12 in the first five

innings.

“We managed to hang in there,” Bauermeister said. “We came up with a big

pitch, or a big defensive play when we needed it most.”

After Cabico tied the game with his single, neither team could score in

the eighth inning and the game was called due to darkness.

Chris Franco went 3 for 5 with a run scored, while Halverson wen 2 for 4

with a run scored.

The Mustangs used a pitching staff by committee, throwing six hurlers out

there against the Sharks.

“It’s just gonna depend on how people are feeling,” Bauermeister said.

“We’re just gonna have to keep running guys out there until we find

someone with good stuff that game.”

Tim Snow led the Sharks’ attack with four hits, two runs scored and an

RBI, while Kurt Paddock added a hit, two walks and two RBIs.

Trailing, 7-3, the Mustangs turned a couple of Santiago defensive miscues

into two runs with two outs. Evan McGuire scored from third when a throw

to second base on a stolen base attempt by Cabico was kicked away. After

a passed ball moved Cabico to third, Franco’s infield single scored the

sophomore second baseman, cutting the lead to, 7-5.

After Steven Shores came in to shut down Santiago in the top of the

seventh, the Mustangs managed to tie the game.

The Mustangs shot themselves in the foot for most of the game. Each

inning they would score, the Sharks managed to answer with a run or two

of their own.

Mike Hart threw six innings for the Sharks, allowing only two runs on

five hits in the first four innings before Mesa started to find the open

holes.

Santiago had a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning with runners

on second and third with only one out. Successful in the sixth inning,

the Sharks tried to pull their second suicide squeeze of the game, but a

diving snag of the popped-up bunt by Stevens turned the play into an

inning-ending double play.

The Mustangs will continue their tournament play on Saturday with an

opponent and time to be announced.

COSTA MESA TOURNAMENT

Pool Play

Costa Mesa 7, Santiago 7

(eight innings, darkness)

Santiago 202 111 00 - 7 11 3

Costa Mesa 010 112 20 - 7 12 2

Hart, Snow (7) and Reisdorf; Cabico, Little (3), Casarubias (3), Stevens

(5), Shores (7), Franco (8) and Fajardo. 2B - Franco (CM), Fajardo (CM).