Baseball: Mesa gives it away, again

COSTA MESA - For the second time in this year’s Pacific Coast

League baseball campaign, Costa Mesa High’s Mustangs were one strike away

from victory, but lost in extra innings.

University scored two runs in the seventh inning Friday to tie the

game, 5-5, then added four in the eighth for a 9-5 win over the host

Mustangs (8-8, 3-4 in the PCL).

“We were lucky,” said University Coach Chris Conlin, whose squad

(8-10, 5-2) was down to its final strike, before Matt Nobe doubled to

spark the Trojans’ late rally. Uni received two walks with the bases

loaded in the seventh to tie the game.

In the eighth, a Costa Mesa throwing error on an infield grounder

allowed Uni to score the go-ahead run, then Uni catcher Jeff Sagud hit a

three-run home run to pad the lead.

Daniel Cooper pitched well for Mesa, while Nick Cabico collected three

hits for the losers.

Earlier, Costa Mesa was one strike away from beating host Laguna

Beach, but lost in the eighth inning.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 9, Costa Mesa 5

University 002 010 24 - 9 9 1

Costa Mesa 100 202 00 - 5 10 2

Brown, Warner (4), Gomez (4) and Sagud; Cooper, Vargas (7), Jorgenson

(8) and Carrasco. W - Gomez, 2-2. L - Vargas. 2B - Bitler (CM), Cabico

(CM), Nobe (U). HR - Sagud (U).