Sports
Mira Costa Rallies Fizzle in 7-2 Loss to Santa Monica
Mustangs leave bases loaded in final two innings.
Shut down for the most part early on, the Mira Costa Mustangs failed to capitalize on prime scoring opportunities late in Wednesday's baseball game against Santa Monica. After leaving the bases loaded in the final two innings, the team lost 7-2 at Carl Osterhaus Memorial Field.
"That's been kind of the M.O. so far, you know?" said Mira Costa Coach Cassidy Olson after the game. "I think we have four home runs, and they've all been in the first inning or with nobody on and not when it matters."
"Our guys just haven't learned to control their emotions and have the same at-bats when it's important as they do when they're loose and it's early in the game," he continued. "In practice that's been our focus—we've been trying to put them in pressure situations so that they learn how to control those emotions and be loose."
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Loose or not, the Mustangs (2-4) did not do much against Santa Monica starter Alonso Gonzalez. The left-hander, pounding the inside of the strike zone, held Mira Costa to three hits through five innings, one a solo home run by Kris Cayton.
"He was spottng his fastball and our batters just didn't adjust early enough, but we had rallies near the end, which I like," Olson said. "I like that they battled, but it was too little too late. We should never have put ourselves in that hole."
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It was in the sixth that the Mustangs made a first run at the Vikings (2-4). Mira Costa loaded the bases with no outs on a walk to Garrett Fedor, a single by Jackson Morrow and another walk to Lucas Whitehill, chasing Gonzalez. But the Mustangs could push only one run across the plate against reliever Andrew Montanari. Derek Largent drove in that run with a single to right field.
The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and failed to score. Montanari struck out Whitehill and retired Cayton on a ground ball to second to end the game.
"We'll get there," Olson said. "I like the fight in them and I like the attitude. I'd rather struggle and end up strong and deep in the playoffs than be strong early and lose in the first round. We'll be all right."
