CdM posts fourth straight shutout
Another baseball game, another Corona del Mar High shutout.
For the second time this week and for the fourth straight game, CdM’s baseball team shut out University with another commanding performance from its starting pitcher as the Sea Kings took Thursday’s Pacific Coast League game, 2-0, on their home diamond.
Some Trojan offensive frustration might be understandable but they shouldn’t feel too bad. CdM hasn’t allowed a run in 30 straight innings after completing its fourth straight shutout.
Senior right-hander Evan Larsen continued to do what he’s done all season; start, finish, and win. The Cal State Fullerton-bound Larsen tossed his fourth complete game, a two-hit shutout, in running his record to a perfect 4-0.
The Sea Kings are also undefeated at 8-0, 3-0 in league.
“I wasn’t feeling that great, felt like I had a few control issues with the first couple batters,” Larsen admitted. “Then I was able to bounce back with a couple strikeouts. After that I was able to settle down, throw my pitches for strikes and get my strikeout pitches in.”
Larsen struck out seven to help send the Trojans to 4-6, 0-3.
“It’s pretty fantastic. If they don’t score, it makes it a lot easier to win ballgames,” said CdM Coach John Emme. “There’s always room for improvement but it’s pretty nice being 8-0 and 3-0.”
The Sea Kings broke the ice with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third off Trojans right-hander Jacob Collins. Alex Shadid ripped a hard grounder inside the third base line and hustled out a double. Collins struggled through the next two hitters, walking Nick Premer and Robby Hurst to load the bases.
Brenden Heuston then chopped a two-strike slow roller to the left side. Uni third baseman Ben Hansen’s only play was to second base but the throw was too late to get Hurst running hard from first. Shadid scored to put CdM on the board.
The scoreless innings streak would not be intact without an exceptional double play triggered by Heuston in the top of the fifth. Hansen doubled off Larsen to start the inning and was on third base with one out after a Kahi Rodriguez sacrifice bunt.
John Rizzo then belted a medium deep fly ball to center that Heuston mentally prepared for with the potential tying run tagging from third.
“He came up firing, it was a beautiful thing,” Emme said of Heuston’s cut-off-man-be-damned throw to the plate that beat Hansen’s head-first slide. “That ball wasn’t real shallow so that was a nice throw.”
“At first I thought I might’ve thrown it a little over,” said Heuston, “but then as the ball sailed in I got more and more happy and when [catcher Donato DiFerdinando] finally tagged him out I felt pretty good.”
The Sea Kings added an insurance run after Heuston singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and moved up on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Chazz Martinez then drove him home with an RBI double off Collins, who tossed a six-inning complete game, scattering six hits and striking out three.
With the victory CdM rides the momentum into next week’s key PCL showdown with Beckman.
“We expect them to be 3-0 too,” Emme said. “It will be quite a battle.”