Friday, March 04, 2005

Vasquez 7, Sharks 1


Pitcher Geoff Roth and Catcher Stephen Williams react to a foul ball in the seventh inning of a7-1 loss to Vasquez.

China McCarney pitched a complete-game victory over the Sharks on Opening Day in Malibu. Topping 90 MPH on the radar gun from start to finish, McCarney struck 14, walked two, and hit a batter in the course of a 107-pitch outing. Brooks Fitch, whose single to right center with two out in the bottom of the first inning scored Brett Weinstock, had one of only two hits off McCarney for the Sharks.

After Malibu went ahead 1-0 in the first, Vasquez scored two runs in the top of the second. J.C. Urso singled to left. After Joseph Perez flied to center, Nick Lance walked. Fitch then struck out Eric Mendoza, but with two outs and a full count on Eric Darling, Fitch let one get away, hitting Darling. McCarney then followed with a single to center scoring Urso and Lance.

Vasquez added two runs in the fourth courtesy of two Malibu errors. Another unearned run in the fifth made it 5-1. Vasquez completed the scoring in the sixth by stringing together three walks, a sacrifice fly, and a run-scoring groundout.

Malibu's only scoring threat after the first inning came in the third when, with two outs, Daniel Williams reached on an infield single. After Williams stole second, Jason Puklus walked, but the inning ended one batter later when Fitch struck out. In the final four innings, McCarney allowed only one baserunner (Fitch, HBP in the sixth), striking out eight of the last thirteen hitters he faced.

The Sharks take on South Gate tomorrow starting at 11:00 a.m.

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