After bouncing back from a 3-8 start to win an outright Channel League title and a playoff game, the Dos Pueblos baseball team ran out of gas Tuesday at Damien High School in La Verne, falling 20-3 in the second round of the Division II playoffs.
UC Irvine-bound Spartans starter Matt Whitehouse and his upper-80s fastball gave the Chargers a tough time at the plate, while a tight strike zone hampered DP starter Bradley Tirador early on, according to coach Nate Mendoza.
“In the beginning he was getting squeezed, and he had to throw it down the middle despite not having overpowering stuff,” said the first-year coach. “They just started hitting the ball really well.”
The Spartans (21-8) scored five runs in the bottom of the first after Whitehouse struck out the DP side in order to open the game. The Chargers (16-12) scored a pair of runs in the second after loading the bases with no outs.
“We missed an opportunity to really get it close. We were hitting (Whitehouse), but we just kept chasing runs,” said Mendoza.
Michael Spiritosanto was 2-for-3 with a double and Dane Limosnero had a pair of singles in his three at-bats.
“The bottom line is I’m proud of these kids. This was my first year as a varsity head coach and I’ll never forget this team. They had so much character and had a lot of fun while still maganing to keep up the intensity,” said Mendoza. “It was very difficult to have them keep their heads up after this game, but I think they realized what a successful season it was.”
The Chargers graduate Cal State Northridge-bound shortstop Robert Vickers as well as pitcher/slugger Ryan Ventura and a host of others, but Mendoza said a solid core of returners should help the team contend for a Channel league title once again.
DAMIEN 20, DOS PUEBLOS 3
Dos Pueblos…021 000 0 — 3 7 1
Damien…535 214 X — 20 22 0
Tirador, McGaughey (3), Ventura (4) and Richardson; Whitehouse, N/A (5) and GOrtega.
2B — DP: Spiritosanto. D: Garcia, ROrtega, GOrtega (2), Amrhiem. 3B — D: Herrera.
