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Sports

Mustangs Avenge Losses to El Segundo and Win 4th Game in a Row

Anthony Lombardo delivers game-winning sacrifice fly for Mira Costa.

Anthony Lombardo stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday with the type of poise and confidence that is quickly spreading among the Mira Costa High baseball team.

Then the sophomore drove the first pitch that he saw from El Segundo reliever Eric Batty into right field for a game-winning sacrifice fly that capped a victory indicative of how far the Mustangs have come in recent weeks.

Mira Costa's 2-1 victory over visiting El Segundo in a Redondo Tournament game was the Mustangs' fourth in a row after starting the season 4-11. El Segundo provided two of those earlier losses, sweeping a lopsided doubleheader last month.

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"We came together as a team recently," Lombardo said. "We're confident and we don't pay attention to what happened in the past. We've just jelled."

Lombardo drove in both runs against the Eagles (10-9). After Jake Jelmini doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the fourth inning, Lombardo doubled him in for a 1-0 lead.

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The first three innings had been a pitching duel between Mira Costa senior right-hander Lucas Whitehill and El Segundo starter Nigel Nootbaar. Whitehill recorded six of his seven strikeouts in the first three innings and held the Eagles to two hits through the first six innings. Nootbaar limited the Mustangs to two base runners in three innings, but was removed after that as part of the team's predetermined plan.

Whitehill was chased in the seventh after a throwing error and a single by Michael Bundy put two on for the Eagles. Two batters later, James Quinones singled in the tying run.

But in the bottom of the seventh, Mira Costa went to work to break the tie by having the Mustangs' first four batters reach base, one of whom was erased trying to advance on a wild pitch. Jake Jelmini and Whitehill were both intentionally walked with one out to set up a force play with Lombardo coming to bat. Lombaro hit a fly to right, deep enough to score Kyle Demarco, who slid home as the throw to the plate was a few feet off target.

"I wasn't nervous," Lombardo said. "I like it."

And the Mustangs like having him in the clutch.

"I trust everyone in our lineup right now," Mira Costa coach Cassidy Olson said. "In the beginning of the season we weren't coming through in the key situations, but now they're all hitting. But he hits No. 5 for a reason. He's young, but I didn't have any doubts about him in that situation."

Lombardo, Bret Collins, and Jackson Morrow each finished with two hits. Reliever Robert Parucha was credited with the win.

"We executed better today than we have all year," Olson said. "We got bunts down, made the defensive plays ... It was a great team win today."

Olson can sense the momentum building.

"It was a great start again by Lucas," Olson said. "That's three quality starts for us in three games this week. This is going to get us ready for playoffs and ready for (Bay League rival) Palos Verdes. We need games like this. We're finally putting it all together."

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