For the second time this season, Cabrillo baseball led Lakewood headed into the 5th inning. The Jaguars had jumped up on the Lancers after consecutive doubles, and led 2-1 after four. After that Lakewood took advantage of one jumpy inning from the Jaguars to put up four runs, and went on to win 8-2.
“They’re a lot better, they’ve got some pitching and they can play, they don’t back down,” said Lakewood coach Spud O’Neill. “Credit to them–our league is better for it with Cabrillo and Jordan playing the way they are this year. We’re all down in Division 2 or 3 and we all want to be back up in Division 1–and we all have to get better to make it happen.”
For Cabrillo coach Pedro Torres, this year is really about building the program. Only five members of his 15-man roster are seniors, and he started a pair of freshmen on Wednesday. Ace pitcher Dylan Gambino, who beat Poly on the mound last year, is only a junior.
“We’re young, we’re trying to get them used to Blair Field,” said Torres. “Both games this year we’re up on Lakewood, now it’s about getting past that bad inning or two and playing a complete game. Just getting those jitters out–we’re not satisfied with just playing teams close.”
That said, the Jaguars have been playing teams close. In addition to the two games against Lakewood they only lost to Poly 1-0 earlier this year.
Lakewood was able to get through thanks to a two-RBI triple from Devon Semper and a sac fly from Ricky Tiedemann in the fifth inning.
