Prep Baseball: Mustangs come up huge

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High’s big week in Pacific Coast League

baseball began with a huge win over visiting Laguna Beach Tuesday.

The Mustangs (8-1-1, 3-0-1 in league) responded to their

near-effortless win over Northwood Friday, with an obvious display of

desire. Mesa overcame two Laguna Beach leads, scored three runs in the

sixth and junior Nick Cabico earned his first save of the season, to

claim a 6-4 win.

“They were upset and embarrassed with the way they played (Friday),”

Mesa Coach Kirk Bauermeister said. “The main thing was that we came out

and we played hard and competed for seven innings. If our kids can do

that, we’re always going to be OK.”

Down, 4-3, to begin the sixth, Mesa’s seniors became heroes. Carlos

Franco, who relieved Ryan Costelloe in the fifth, retired the side in

order in the sixth. Then, with runners on first and second and two outs,

Franco grounded an 0-2 pitch just inside third base. Cabico scored for

the lead and a Laguna Beach wild throw to first brought in junior Michael

McGuire.

Mesa senior catcher Daniel Hunter scored senior Evan McGuire with a

sacrifice fly. Evan McGuire and Cabico started the rally, chopping

grounders to the Artists’ shortstop, who dropped each one, allowing Mesa

runners to beat the throw to first.

“I don’t really preach that much about the score of the game and

wins,” Bauermeister said. “It’s more of playing hard and competing. The

main thing is that at the end of the day, you need to feel good about

your effort. You need to play hard and we did that today.”

Said Franco, “(Monday) was probably our best practice. That Northwood

game went so bad for us, we had to go into practice and turn it up a

notch.”

The Mustangs lifted that notch after Laguna (4-6, 1-3) built a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

Mesa answered in the bottom of the inning, when junior Billy Halverson

used a third-strike passed ball to get on base and designated hitter

Kevin DeSandro brought him in with his high chopper over the second

baseman.

With two outs, Michael McGuire grounded to the pitcher, who made a

wild throw past first, scoring DeSandro and Cabico, who walked.

The second game of the Mustangs’ big week has Corona del Mar visiting

Mesa, Friday at 3:15 p.m. That will determine first place in the PCL.

“It’s going to be a battle,” Franco said. “Both teams know each other.

Hopefully, we can come out on top.”