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Pacifica players pose for a picture with some of their young fans after Tuesday’s game. (Photos: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).
Pacifica High School’s baseball team is on a roll.
After recording a late inning dramatic victory on Saturday over Fullerton, the Mariners won for the ninth time in the last 11 games defeating Tustin 4-2 in an Empire League game Tuesday afternoon at Pacifica.
Senior hurler Ayden Valdez struck out a career-high 11 batters earning his fifth win of the year. Valdez gave up five hits, walked two and threw his first complete game of the season.
“We were down by a run in the fifth and I felt like I had to help pick up the team and close it out,” said Valdez, who helped his own cause by picking off four Tustin baserunners. “I was throwing strikes and I felt my location was good. We kept to the plan and my teammates really had my back.”
At one point midway through the game, Valdez struck out seven of nine Tustin hitters.
“Ayden had really good location and his curveball had them off balance,” said Valdez’s battery mate, Jayson Juarez. “They were trying to jump on his fast ball but weren’t having any luck and he was getting them out one by one.”
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Mariners struck for three runs to take the lead.
Juarez got the rally started with a single to right. Joshua Pearman drew a walk and Christian Tharsena reached on an infield error to load the bases.
Victor Cardona reached on a fielder’s choice as Juarez scored on the play to tie the game at 1-1. Spencer Groff then laid down a perfect bunt single that scored a run giving the Mariners a 2-1 lead. One out later, Jacob Zanaboni added a two-out RBI single to give Pacifica a 3-1 lead.
“We felt it was a must win game and once we scored our first run our energy increased,” said Zanaboni, who aside from an RBI had two hits, a stolen base and a run scored. “This win gives us momentum going forward.”
The Mariners (15-6) remained undefeated (5-0) in league play and will travel to Tustin on Wednesday for another game with the Tillers.
Pearman smacked a RBI single in the sixth, scoring Nolan Caira, to give Pacifica an insurance run and a 4-1 lead.
The Tillers added a run in the seventh on a RBI single by Nyte Teeter, but Valdez picked Teeter off at second for the final out of the game.
Mariners Coach Mike Caira praised Valdez for his work ethic.
“Ayden has really developed and he’s been one of our most consistent pitchers” said Caira. “He got into the weight room and he has really developed his arm and he’s helped us through a lot of “dog” fight games this season. Today, he kept them off balanced and they had a few hits but not a lot of solid contact.”
Tustin Coach Ben Owens said his team can still reach the CIF playoffs.
“We didn’t execute today and they did, but we still hold our own destiny and if we continue to win we will reach the playoffs,” said Owens, whose team fell to 2-3 in league. “We made mistakes today and they took advantage of them.”
Tillers starting pitcher Nathan Walraven was cruising along retiring the first 10 batters he faced. Zanaboni’s one out single in the fourth inning was the Mariners first hit of the game. Walraven pitched into the sixth inning, struck out four and walked only two batters.
Jackson Key had two hits for the Tillers and Daniel Benally gave Tustin a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single.
For best view, click on the photo:
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—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
