Mira Costa Can't Quite Get It Together in Baseball

Despite committing five errors, Redondo still managed to defeat Mira Costa 6-5 after losing to the Mustangs 4-0 on Wednesday.  

Fortunately for the Sea Hawks, who were playing at home, they shook off their shabby fielding and rallied from a three-run deficit behind the pitching and hitting of Drew Kozain.

“It was kind of an ugly game all around,” said first-year Mira Costa coach Cassidy Olson, who spent last season as head coach at Redondo after several seasons as a Mustangs assistant. “We just made way too many mistakes. They gave us opportunities, but give them and Kozain credit, he made pitches when he needed to.”

The loss put a dent in the Mustangs’ bid for a playoff berth heading into the final week of the regular season. Mira Costa fell into fourth place, a game behind the Sea Hawks, with two games remaining next week against Palos Verdes, which is also fighting for a shot at the postseason.

Mira Costa hosts the Sea Kings on Tuesday before closing the regular season at Palos Verdes on Friday. Both games are scheduled for 3:15 p.m.

Against Redondo, Mira Costa jumped to a 4-1 lead with two runs in the first and a run each in the second and third innings. Ryan Franklin, who drove in three of the team’s runs, drilled an RBI double to right-center in the first, scoring Sean Isaac and Derek Largent with two outs in the first.

Brian Afzali’s double with two outs in the second scored Ryan Erickson, then David Odle’s groundout in the third scored Largent. But Kozain, who only gave up one earned run and struck out seven on four hits, clamped down from there, holding the Mustangs hitless during the final four innings.

“Early on, I thought we were going to break it wide open,” Olson said. “But then Kozain found his curveball and our guys weren’t doing a real good job of sitting back and hitting the curve the other way. The momentum kind of flipped flopped back and forth.”

After scoring a run in the first, Redondo (13-15, 4-4) tied the score at 4 in the third. Kozain, who went two for four with a pair of RBIs and a run scored, doubled home first baseman Dylan Hatch and rightfielder Travis Fischvogt. Then pinch-hitter Alfredo Camacho drove in Kozain with a ground-rule double to right with two outs.

Redondo grabbed the lead with two more runs in the fifth on a sacrifice by leadoff hitter Richard Atherton and a single by designated hitter Cameron Bennett for a 6-4 advantage.

Mira Costa (16-13, 3-5) cut the deficit to one in the seventh when Afzali scored on Largent’s groundout to first. But the Mustangs failed to score again, leaving the game-tying run at third.

“We control our own destiny," said Olson, "I think, as far as getting into the playoffs,” Olson said. “We just have to stop making young mistakes and maybe we can sneak our way in.”

Despite the loss, Olson was pleased with his club’s effort.

“We battled. Our guys didn’t quit at all,” he said. “We’ve got some guys who are inexperienced who are playing their hearts out. I can’t fault our effort at all. We just have to stop making those inexperienced mistakes.”