Nick Stathopoulos struck out 10 and pitched a one-hitter on Tuesday as the San Marcos baseball team clinched at least second place in the Channel League with a 2-1 win on a windy, cold day at Ventura High School.
The two teams play again and the Royals also play Dos Pueblos on Wednesday, but the worst San Marcos can do is finish in a tie with Buena at 6-6 in league play. The Royals would win that tiebreaker, having swept the Bulldogs. San Marcos can also share the league title with Santa Barbara if the Dons lose their final game against Buena and the Royals win out.
Regardless, coach Rob Crawford is relieved and excited that his Royals have responded to a 1-4 start in the conference with five consecutive wins.
“It’s really interesting to think that we started out 1-4 and now we’ve clinched second place with two games to go,” he said.
The game got interesting in the bottom of the seventh, when the Cougars (4-7 Channel League) had the tying run 90 feet away at third base before Stathopoulos ended the threat with a strikeout. He walked just two batters in the outing, giving up just a single. All three of the game’s runs were unearned.
San Marcos (13-9, 6-4) scored both of its runs in the third. Anthony Patolo led off with a single before Ventura’s pitcher took the ensuing bunt and committed a throwing error, putting Royals at the corners. A passed ball scored the first run, and Riley Moore had a single to drive in the second.
Jimmy Brakka and David Kim both had doubles for the Royals.
SAN MARCOS 2, VENTURA 1
San Marcos…002 000 0 — 2 5 3
Ventura…000 001 0 — 1 1 3
Stathopoulos and RMoore. Griffith and Castro.
2B — SM: Brakka, Kim.
Where is the photo gallery I used to see associated with the articles?
Unfortunately we can’t shoot all the games, particularly the ones on the road as we have to stay in town and cover other events. Someday we’ll get there!
Where is the photo gallery I used to see associated with the articles?