Breakers win in the end

Snake-bitten six times this year, where the opposition scored in its last at-bat to win, the Laguna Beach High baseball team found itself in a similar situation Tuesday at University.

Up by a run over the host Trojans heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Breakers didn’t buckle. Instead, they held firm behind the pitching of Nathan Pickett, and scored a 3-2 victory.

The win was the 10th of the year for Laguna, which is now 10-10 overall. The win also pushed the Breakers past the .500 mark in league play at 5-4.

With four regular season games left on the schedule, the Breakers are three games shy of tying the school single-season record for victories (13).

“This was a big win for us,” Laguna Beach Coach Dave Dopf said. “Number one, the fact that we were able to win a one-run ball game, is big. This time, the other team allowed us to score the winning run in our final at-bat.”

Laguna never held more than a one-run lead in the contest, and University never held the lead.

The Breakers led, 1-0, and 2-1. but the Trojans scored in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score one final time.

In the top of the seventh, Trevor Pierce drew a lead-off walk and Ryan Landry reached base on an infield error. One out later, Dominick Robusto was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

University inserted its No. 1 pitcher, Thomas Solowynsky, into the line-up, and he got an immediate strikeout for the second out of the inning. With two-out and Garrett Rauch facing a full-count, all three Laguna runners began moving on what they thought was going to be a pitch by Solowynsky, but he stepped off the mound and caught Pierce between third base and home plate.

“Even I was caught off-guard by that,” Dopf said. “It was quick, and a great move.”

But the Trojans couldn’t get that final out and force extra innings. As Pierce headed for home, he crossed the plate safely on a throwing error, scoring not only the go-ahead run, but what turned out to be the winning run.

Laguna headed into the bottom of the seventh clinging to the lead, and Dopf approached Pickett before he took the mound.

“I told him to be tough,” Dopf asked of the junior. “We’ve been lacking someone who can finish the job, and Nathan did something that we hadn’t been able to do. He did a heck of a job.”

Pickett faced down the Trojans, striking out the side to cap the victory.

He went the distance, giving up two runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out 11 along the way in running his record to 5-1.

Laguna scored its first run in the second inning. Kevin Kelly doubled and a bloop single by Dalton Sype scored Kelly.

University got even by scoring once in the third, but Laguna went in front again in the fifth on a sacrifice fly RBI by Calvin Mead.

Pierce hit a lead-off single and Landry followed with another single, setting up Mead at the plate.

In its last nine games, the Laguna pitching staff has an ERA of just under 2.0, Dopf said.

“Our pitching has been right there. It’s just a matter of us pushing more runs across on offense,” he said.

Laguna will attempt to complete a season series sweep of University today, when they host the Trojans at 3:15 p.m.

A victory keeps the Breakers in the hunt for the league title.

“Mathematically, we’re still in the race,” Dopf said. “We have University and two games with Tesoro left in league, but we’re taking it one game at a time. Our league has been tough this year, with everybody beating up on each other. We have to be ready for every upcoming came.”

Dopf said that Kelly, a senior right-hander, will get the start today against University.