Peterson saves his own win

Bryce Alderton

Senior pitcher Justin Peterson didn’t know his coach would need him

to return to the mound to get the final two outs of a game he

started. Peterson didn’t even know he could return to the hill.

The circumstances, however, forced Costa Mesa High baseball coach

Doug Deats to call on the left-hander to stop a furious rally by

visiting Calvary Chapel that came up just short. The visiting Eagles

scored five runs in the top of the seventh, but came the Mustangs

held on for a 6-5 victory -- their first of the season -- in the

third game of pool play in the Newport Elks tournament Tuesday.

Peterson (1-1), who turned 18 Tuesday, scattered four hits through

six scoreless innings as Mesa (1-2) built a 6-0 lead heading into the

top of the seventh.

He returned to the mound with Mesa leading, 6-4, and runners on

first and second, then retired David Stout, gave up an RBI single and

coaxed Bryce Wilson, who singled and scored earlier in the inning,

into a game-ending groundout to first baseman Andrew Sanford.

“I couldn’t believe it was slipping away. I wanted to get that

first win,” said Peterson, who struck out five and walked no one in 6

2/3 innings.

Deats hoped to save Peterson for relief later in the week, but

needed his arm to bail out a shaky bullpen in the final inning. High

school rules permit a staring pitcher to come on in relief as long as

he hasn’t been removed from the game.

“I didn’t try to steal the shutout from [Peterson],” Deats said.

“I was hoping to save him to come back Saturday in relief. I hoped

one of two guys could shut the door with a six-run lead. [Peterson]

pitched a fine game. I hated to [take him out].”

The Eagles (0-3), who hadn’t scored a run in their prior two

games, took advantage of Mesa’s bullpen, including leadoff hitter

Nick Bermel’s bases-clearing hit that nearly turned into an

inside-the-park home run. Mesa’s center fielder booted the sharply

hit ball and it rolled to the fence.

But Bermel was cut down attempting to score when Mesa third

baseman Jeff Waldron took the relay throw and raced down the

third-base line to tag the runner about five feet from the plate for

the inning’s first out.

Walks to the next two batters brought first baseman Stout to the

plate and he promptly ripped a first-pitch line drive that sent right

fielder Daniel Cooper retreating slightly to catch the ball despite

battling a harsh sun.

“I didn’t see it until it was halfway out there,” Cooper said. “He

was pulling the ball all game so I was playing him [toward the

right-field line].”

“Cooper made a great catch in that situation,” Deats said. “We got

lucky the guy was not tagging.”

Vinnie Valdez singled just under the glove of Waldron to bring in

Calvary’s fifth run before Peterson got the aforementioned groundout.

The Mustangs scored two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings

to pad their lead. Leadoff hitter Alex Pisarski’s double to right

field brought in two runs in the sixth.

Pisarski was one of four Mustangs to tally two hits, going 2 for 4

with a run scored. Peterson singled twice, scored a run and knocked

in a run while cleanup hitter Gary Gonzalez doubled and singled.

Waldron went 2 for 4 with a run scored and RBI while catcher Kyle

Benson had two hits and scored a run. Ryan Szwast and Sanford each

scored once.

The Mustangs wrap up tournament play with games Thursday and

Saturday.

*--*

Newport Elks tournament

Pool play

Costa Mesa 6, Calvary Chapel 5

Score by Innings

Calvary 000 000 5 -- 5 10 3

Mesa 011 022 x -- 6 10 4

Duhaime, Wishmyer (5) and Wilson;

Peterson, Gonzalez (7), Szwast (7),

Peterson (7) and Benson. W --

Peterson, 1-1. L -- Duhaime. Sv --

Peterson. 2B -- Pisarski (CM),

Gonzalez (CM).

*--*