Sharks 14, Santa Clara 2

Just three days after failing to get a runner past second base against Harvard Westlake, the Sharks pounded out thirteen hits in the course of a 14-2 win over the Santa Clara Saints. Brooks Fitch (3-2) pitched a complete game, his fourth of the season, allowing only one earned run while striking out twelve.

After Fitch got out of a 28-pitch first inning unscathed, Malibu turned four walks, a sacrifice fly, and a base hit into two runs in the bottom of the first. After Brett Weinstock and Geoff Roth walked, Daniel Williams was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jamie Van Soelen followed with a fly to right that scored Weinstock and sent Roth to third. Phil Johnson walked and, after Jason Puklus struck out, Fitch hit a one-hopper off the glove of the third baseman. Roth scored on the play but Williams was gunned down at the plate by the Santa Clara shortstop.

In the second inning, Stephen Williams walked with one out. Weinstock followed with a double deep to left that scored Williams. After Roth popped out, Daniel Williams drove an 0-1 pitch into left field to make the score 4-0.

Daniel Williams

The Sharks batted around and added three more runs in the third inning. Puklus led off with an infield hit and moved to second on Fitch’s second hit of the day. Michael Gwyn knocked in Puklus with a single to left. After Stephen Williams flied out to left, Weinstock was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Roth then singled to drive in Fitch and Gwyn to make the score 7-0.

Santa Clara’s Chris Hernandez shut out the Sharks in the fourth and fifth innings, but Fitch continued to dominate the Saints hitters. Santa Clara finally scored in top of the sixth when Fitch hit a batter with one out and then committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first. With the Saints runner on third, Fitch struck out the next two hitters, but the second strikeout victim end up on first and a run scored as Fitch’s two-strike curveball in the dirt eluded Gwyn.

Phil Johnson (3B), Brett Weinstock (2B), and Geoff Roth (RF)

Malibu sent thirteen hitters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson led off with a fly out to deep center. Puklus then drove the ball to the fence in center for a double. Fitch walked and was replaced on first by George Azzi. Gwyn’s single drove in Puklus. After Stephen Williams walked to load the bases, Weinstock grounded into a fielder’s choice that erased Azzi at the plate. Roth’s single to left center drove in two runs. Daniel Williams was then hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Van Soelen walked to force in Weinstock. Johnson singled to center to drive in two more runs. Puklus walked and then Azzi singled to drive in Van Soelen with the seventh run of the inning before Duncan Daw, hitting for Gwyn, struck out.

In the top of the seventh, Santa Clara turned a single, two stolen bases, and an infield groundout into their second run making the final score 14-2.

Jason Puklus

For Malibu, Geoff Roth was 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Jason Puklus, Daniel Williams, and Brooks Fitch were all 2-for-3. Michael Gwyn was 2-for-4 and George Azzi was 1-for-1.