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University players including Luke Weston (No. 22) and Austen Barnett head to the dugout Tuesday. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Talented pitchers Cooper Berger of University and Zach Ireland of Beckman were solid on the mound Tuesday for their teams in a Pacific Coast League game at Beckman.
University provided a little more offensive support for Berger and celebrated a 2-1 victory. Berger, a junior, struck out 11, did not walk any batters and allowed just three hits in hurling his second complete game. Berger (2-0) did not allow a hit or a run in the final five innings after Beckman (8-4-1, 6-3-1) tied the game in the second inning.
“Two really good arms going at it and that’s the way a pitching duel has got to go, that kid is really quality and so is our guy, now we’re back in the hunt after stubbing our toe a couple games last week, we just got to keep it rolling,” said University Coach Wesley Shaw. “We just got to stay healthy, that’s our big thing.”
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University (6-4, 4-3) lost two of three games to Portola last week. Coach Kevin Lavalle’s Beckman team, which won eight in a row to start the season and was ranked high in the CIF Division 3 rankings, has lost four in a row and also had a 0-0 tie with Northwood in 11 innings before the losing streak started.
Ireland, a senior, did all he could do to help the Patriots snap the losing streak. He allowed just four hits and struck out seven.
Beckman took the early lead in the second inning. Ireland reached on a bunt single and went to second on an error. He stole third and scored on an RBI single by Gabe Yoon.
In the third inning, University’s Blaine Anderson reached on a bunt single and went to second on an error. Rivin Ruhunage then also reached on a bunt single and Anderson scored on the overthrow at first to tie game 1-1.
The Trojans then scored a run in the fifth inning. Jameson Lobianco and Anderson singled and the two runners advance on a passed ball. The Trojans were unable to execute a safety squeeze but Austen Barnett delivered a sacrifice fly to put Uni ahead 2-1.
Berger then finished the game strong, retiring the last 11 Beckman hitters. Trojan fans held their breaths when Ireland hit a deep fly to left field but Ruhunage went almost to the fence to haul in the out.
“It felt really good coming off a tough series loss to Portola,” Berger said. “We were running kind of cold but offense did what they did behind me, I appreciate them, I thankful for them scratching a few across and letting me be confident out there. Once the offense got that second run across and we took that lead, I settled in a lot more and I was a lot more confident. It was nice to get it done on a low pitch count and I’ll be ready to go next week.”
Shaw, the coach, was pleased his team could respond with a win on the road.
“The first game of any series is important,” he said. “When you win on the road, it’s a little bit tougher, this is a good win for University, it really is, especially when you have two elite pitchers going. I would expect nothing less. Zach Ireland is everything they made him out to be, but I wouldn’t trade Cooper Berger for nobody.”
The teams play again Wednesday at University and return to Beckman on Friday to wrap up the PCL series.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
