Prep baseball: Mustangs trample Estancia, 16-0

COSTA MESA - After suffering two losses in games where they led,

the Costa Mesa High Mustangs took advantage of some fortunate bounces to

score a 16-0 Pacific Coast League victory over visiting crosstown rival

Estancia Thursday.

“I guess the baseball gods were with us because we’ve been working so

hard,” Costa Mesa Coach Kirk Bauermeister said. “The luck turned around

for us. We just preach to our kids to play catch and today everything

went our way.”

The Mustangs (6-6, 2-3 in the PCL) broke open a scoreless game with 10

runs in the fourth inning, which included four bunt singles and a

sacrifice bunt.

A.J. Perkins, Dan Bitler and Adam Jorgenson laid bunts before senior

Nick Cabico came up and cranked out a two-run double, giving the Mustangs

momentum.

“(Estancia) didn’t kick around the bunts,” Bauermeister said. “(The

Mustangs) put (the bunts) in places no one can get to. And, Nicky’s

double kind of broke their backs.”

Cabico went 4 for 4, and also broke down the Eagles (1-9-1, 1-4) with his pitching. He improved to 3-2, as he struck out nine, walked two and

gave up four singles in his first complete-game shutout of the season.

Mustang senior Mike Carrasco, who pounded out a home run, finished 2

for 4 with six RBIs, while junior Nathan Hunter went 3 for 4.

“It didn’t seem like any different game,” Bauermeister said of his

Mustangs’ approach. “I didn’t sense it was that much of a rivalry game.

It was more of: Let’s go take care of business.”

For the Eagles, senior J.B. Goff went 2 for 3, while seniors Jermaine

Snell and Mitch Valdes produced one hit each.

“I was surprised; we were playing a hard game until the fourth

inning,” said Estancia Coach C.K. Green, who noted he did not appreciate

Mesa’s offensive moves in the fifth.

With Mesa leading, 10-0, in the fifth, a Mustangs’ runner laid down a

bunt and later attempted to steal second, Green said.

“That shows no class,” Green said. “We’re frustrated. I give it to

them, though, in how they got up 10 runs. They made some nice bunts and

had key hits. But to come back with bunting and a stolen base, it’s just

ridiculous.”

Green also said he heard laughter from the Mesa dugout when an

Estancia second baseman went down with an injury.

“I hate to go to that school because of their fans,” said Green, a

former Estancia baseball player. “Kirk is great. I never had a problem

with him. But, some of those people were just laughing at us.”

The Eagles return to action Monday, hosting a doubleheader with Los

Amigos, that begins at 10 a.m. Meanwhile, Costa Mesa opens the Pride of

the Coast Tournament, hosting Mountain View Saturday at 2 p.m.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Costa Mesa 16, Estancia 0

Estancia 000 000 0 - 0 4 3

Costa Mesa 000 1006 x - 16 17 1

(10 runs in the fourth and six in the fifth)

Gates, Crom (5), Lund (6) and Lund, Crom (6); Cabico and Carrasco. W -

Cabico, 3-2. L - Gates. 2B - Cabico (CM). HR - Carrasco.