Sharks 17, Santa Paula 4

The Sharks, powered by Daniel Williams’s five hits and Jamie Van Soelen’s third homerun of the season, took over sole possession of first place in the Frontier League with a 17-4 win over Santa Paula today at Malibu High. The win was Malibu’s ninth in a row.

Malibu started strong with Williams leading off with a single to center and moving to third on Brett Weinstock’s base hit up the middle. Phil Johnson followed with a ground-rule double that bounced over the right field fence to score Williams and move Weinstock to third. Brooks Fitch followed with the first of his three sacrifice flies on the day to knock in Weinstock with the Sharks’ second run.

In the bottom of the second, Jared Weinstock led off with a walk. After Geoff Roth popped out, Colbie Bell grounded sharply to second. Weinstock and Bell were both safe as the toss from the Cardinals’ second baseman pulled the shortstop off the bag. Williams then loaded the bases with a line-drive single to left. Brett Weinstock and Phil Johnson followed with RBI walks and Fitch drove in the third run of the inning with his second sacrifice fly.

Rudy Gamez, who came on in relief of Santa Paula starter Anthony Bavero in the second inning, retired the Sharks in order in the third, but Malibu added five more runs in the fourth inning. With one out, Williams doubled down the left field line. After Weinstock fouled out, Johnson and Fitch walked to load the bases. Jason Puklus followed with a single to center that drove in Williams and Johnson. Fitch also came around to score when the Santa Paula center fielder misplayed the ball. Two pitches later, Van Soelen drove a fastball from Gamez over the fence in left to cap the rally.

Stephen Williams, pinch-hitting for Bell, led off the fifth inning with a single to center. Daniel Williams followed with his fourth hit of the day, a bloop single down the right field line. Weinstock bunted to move the Williams brothers to second and third. Phil Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases setting the stage for Fitch’s third sacrifice fly of the game, a drive to left that scored Stephen Williams.

In the bottom of the sixth, Michael Gwyn and Geoff Roth both singled with one out. Colbie Bell followed with a two-run double to the gap in right center. Daniel Williams singled to right and Brett Weinstock followed with a double that knocked in Bell. Phil Johnson walked to load the bases. After Fitch popped out to second, Jason Puklus drove in Williams with a base hit. Van Soelen followed with a walk that drove in Weinstock. Gwyn’s second hit of the day scored Johnson with the sixth run of the inning and the seventeenth of the game for the Sharks.

Brooks Fitch turned in a strong performance on the mound with a complete-game, six-strikeout performance to run his record to 3-1 on the season. He surrendered single runs in the third and seventh innings along with two unearned runs in the fourth.

For Santa Paula, Michael Cortez and Anthony Lopez each had two hits. Cortez also drove in two runs for the Cardinals.

The Sharks and Cardinals meet again on Friday in Santa Paula.