Prep baseball: Mustangs win ugly, 11-7

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - If it was true that neither team deserved to lose the

first Pacific Coast League baseball meeting between University High and

Costa Mesa, which ended in a 4-4 tie after eight innings, perhaps the

opposite could be said of Tuesday night’s rematch at TeWinkle Park.

But, diamond purity aside, the Mustangs (9-4-1, 4-3-1 in league)

should fully appreciate their 11-7 triumph, which pulled them into a tie

for second place with the visiting Trojans (8-6-1, 4-3-1).

The game started 15 minutes late when one umpire didn’t show and the

first three innings took nearly 100 minutes to complete.

The Trojans opened a 3-0 lead in the second, but Mesa scored a

second-inning run of its own, then used an eight-run windfall in the

third to take command.

The big inning featured four walks, three hit batters, and a bad-hop

single that appeared to be a tailor-made double play ball near the

second-base bag.

Nick Cabico picked up two RBIs on the aforementioned fortuitous

bounce, while Steven Shores and Michael McGuire also singled in runs in

the rally.

Two Uni errors and an RBI triple by Cabico added insurance runs for

the Mustangs in the fifth and sixth, but Uni made the hosts sweat with

four runs in the final two frames.

Mesa lefty Ryan Costelloe (2-0) allowed just two hits and one run in

three innings of sterling relief to earn his biggest varsity mound

victory.

Cabico led the nine-hit attack by going 2 for 5 with three RBIs.

Daniel Hunter singled twice, walked and reached on a fielder’s choice,

while Carlos Franco walked three times and scored a pair of runs.

Antony Grubisich walked, was hit by a pitch to drive in a run, and

singled, while Josh Feldman, who also tripled, and Mike Armstrong, each

added RBIs when they were hit by a pitch.

The two teams go at it again Thursday at 3:15 at Uni.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Costa Mesa 11, University 7 University 030 001 3 - 7 7 2

Costa Mesa 018 101 x - 11 9 1 Sherwood, Horner (3), Nobe (3), Gomez (7) and Edmonds; Cabico,

Costelloe (3), Haubrick (6) and Hunter. W - Costeloe, 2-0. L - Sherwood.

2B - Sherwood (U), Edmonds (E), Stone (U). 3B - Feldman (CM), Cabico

(CM).