Sidearm lefty no longer a novelty

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High pitcher Ryan Costelloe is, apparently,

more than a novelty mound act after all.

The senior sidearming left-hander, whose previous 13 2/3 innings this

season had been spread over 11 appearances, made his first varsity start

Monday with impressive results.

Costelloe surrendered just three hits and one unearned run in 5 2/3

innings to key a 2-1 baseball victory over visiting Santa Ana in the

consolation quarterfinals of the Pride of the Coast Tournament.

Senior Carlos Franco got the final four outs for his third save of the

season, preserving Costelloe’s third victory in as many decisions.

“I’ve been looking forward to this start,” said Costelloe, who faced

the minimum in four innings and would have done the same in the first,

had it not been for a two-out error.

“(Costelloe has) pitched well all year,” said Mesa Coach Kirk

Bauermeister, who has tried to spot Costelloe in relief, to give hitters

a different look.

“He’s very competitive out there, he’s tough on left-handers and he

can run the ball in on right-handers. Our theory has been, we think he’s

less effective the second or third time through the lineup. He was

effective today, but I’m not real surprised.”

Costelloe came in with 14 strikeouts, though his ERA (6.66) was skewed

by one disastrous inning against Mater Dei.

“It feels good to contribute in this role,” said Costelloe, who noted

he made no adjustments to his relief mentality during the six-strikeout

performance. “I just tried to throw strikes and hit my spots. I didn’t

want any more Mater Dei (debacles).”

Costelloe’s 73 pitches included 46 strikes, 15 first-pitch strikes.

The aforementioned two-out error, followed by a walk and an RBI double

by John Madrid, put Costelloe and the Mustangs in an early 1-0 hole.

But that didn’t last long.

With Costelloe settling in for one-two-three frames in the second,

third and fourth, the Mustangs scored single runs in the second and third

to halt a two-game losing skid.

The Mustangs (10-6-1), who had also lost five of their last six, got

their second-inning spark from a one-out single by junior Billy

Halverson.

Brent Stevens followed with a hit-and-run single into right field,

putting runners at the corners. After Santa Ana starter Manuel Gomez

struck out the next hitter, Evan McGuire singled up the middle to tie the

game.

Michael McGuire sparked the hosts in the third, reaching second with

one out when his fly ball was dropped in right field for a two-base

error.

Franco drove the next pitch over the right fielder’s head for an RBI

single, though he was thrown out at second trying to stretch.

The Mustangs managed just three singles the rest of the way to finish

with eight hits. But it was all they would need with Costelloe and the

hard-throwing Franco handling things.

Franco stranded two runners in the sixth by striking out the first

hitter he faced to retire the side.

He walked two in the seventh, but left them on, as well, getting the

final out on three called strikes.

“This one was good for us,” said Franco, whose white pinstriped

uniform was blanketed with dirt, a concession to his superstition never

to wash it after a loss (Saturday). “Now, I can wash my uniform.”

Halverson and Stevens were both 2 for 3, while Mike Carrasco and

Michael McGuire also added singles.

Costa Mesa advances to today’s 11 a.m. consolation semifinal against

visiting Santa Ana Valley (3-14). The Falcons topped Newport Harbor, 8-4,

Monday.

PRIDE OF THE COAST TOURNAMENT

Consolation quarterfinal

Costa Mesa 2, Santa Ana 1

Santa Ana 100 000 0 - 1 3 1

Costa Mesa 011 000 0 - 2 8 1

Gomez and Lopez; Costelloe, Franco (6) and Carrasco. W - Costelloe,

3-0. L - Gomez, 1-6. Sv - Franco (3). 2B - Madrid (SA).