Eagles get wings clipped

Roger Carlson

COSTA MESA - Estancia High’s Eagles were left feeling pretty

unfulfilled Monday afternoon as visiting University High’s Trojans swept

to their 11th straight Pacific Coast League baseball victory without a

defeat.

But they are not without company.

Coach Chris Conlin’s Blue Bombers have done what they did on Monday to a

lot, and when they produce like Conlin describes as “A good plan,”

there’s not a lot anyone in the PCL can do about it.

“It happens,” said Estancia Coach Doug Deats, looking for some sort of

silver lining from the day’s work.

There wasn’t a lot to be found.

Third baseman Casey Gates had a flare single to very short right in the

second inning and a grounder which went into left field in the fifth

inning for a base hit, and C.K. Green walked in the first inning.

But that’s the extent of damage the Eagles could muster against 6-foot-3

senior Matt Gamble (9-0), who struck out struck out five in the

five-inning stint.

While Gamble was just about untouchable, the Trojans unleashed a

Murderers’ Row which racked up 15 hits, including six doubles (three by

sophomore Matt Stone) and a pair of two-run homers by junior Kevin

Conlin.

Stone (4 for 4) raised his batting average to .455, and cleanup hitter

Jay Nichols was 2 for 3 to up his numbers to .580.

For Conlin, his four-baggers raised his count to seven for the year. The

first was to deep center, about 400 feet. The second was a tailing flare

over the right-field corner.

The CIF Playoffs-bound Trojans (20-4 overall) have one game left before

the eliminations, Wednesday, with a home game against these same Eagles,

9-13, 2-9.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 11, Estancia 0

University 112 25 - 11 15 0

Estancia 000 00 - 0 2 1

Gamble and Wood; Ortiz and Davis. W - Gamble, 9-0. L - Ortiz, .... 2B -

Nichols (U), Ledesma (U), Stone (U) 3, Sherwood (U). HR - Conlin (U) 2.