Lightning’s fortunes fade

Bryce Alderton

If a baseball game was decided by how many innings a team held the

lead, Sage Hill School would have edged visiting Academy League foe

Capistrano Valley Christian Friday afternoon.

The Eagles held the lead after only one inning, but it was the one

that mattered most.

Capo Valley Christian finally got to Sage Hill senior starter

David Packard, who had a no-hitter through five innings, with three

runs in the sixth followed by two in the seventh and held on for a

5-3 victory over the Lightning.

Senior Tim Mitchell retired the final seven Lightning hitters and

struck out nine in tossing a five-hitter.

Sage (3-9, 0-4 in league) held a 3-0 lead entering the top of the

sixth.

Packard, who retired the side in order in the fifth on three

pitches, walked leadoff hitter Brandon Hagopian to open the sixth

before senior Jordan Thomas broke up the no-hit bid with a sharp

grounder that glanced off the glove of third baseman Braden Ross.

Hagopian and Thomas each advanced a base on a wild pitch, but a

strikeout and fly out to the next two batters had the Lightning on

the brink of escaping with no runs allowed.

The Eagles (6-5, 2-3) had other thoughts as consecutive singles by

Ryan Pickell and Jordyn Japec -- the latter brought in two runs --

evened the contest.

Capo started the seventh with a walk and single to help set the

stage for an RBI groundout by Thomas and scoring fly ball by Nick

Hanten.

Mitchell, who seemingly got stronger as the game progressed,

needed just nine pitches to retire the side in order in the seventh,

alternating primarily between fastballs and curveballs.

“I got mad when [the Lightning] scored runs off me,” said

Mitchell, a four-year varsity player, as a teammate dropped a handful

of ice cubes down his jersey. “We just needed to get that first hit

to get us going.”

Mitchell, who fanned nine, earned praise of Sage Coach Bert

Emerson.

“He threw strikes, got his curveball working and stayed after it,”

Emerson said. “The whole team went at it for seven innings. Give them

credit.”

Emerson was also pleased with his team’s effort throughout and

said the goal with each game is to improve.

Packard, who went 5 2/3 innings and didn’t get a decision, along

with junior reliever Chris Mazzo, limited the Eagles to four hits,

all in the final two innings and received help from a defense that

didn’t commit an error.

Ross doubled in Doug McAfee, who finished 2 for 4, in the first,

giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The Lightning added two runs in the fourth. Bryan Kornswiet

doubled in Ross and Danny Hurst received a gift RBI on an overthrow

to first, allowing Kornswiet, who finished 2 for 3, to score.

The Lightning loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but

Mitchell induced a groundout to end the threat.

Academy League

Capo Valley Christian 5,

Sage Hill 3

Score by Innings

*--*

CVC 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 - 5 4 1

Sage 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 3 5 0

*--*

Mitchell and Thomas; Packard, Mazzo (6) and Kornswiet. W --

Mitchell, 2-1. L -- Mazzo, 1-1. 2B -- Ross (SH), Kornswiet (SH).