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Sports

Mira Costa Shuts Out West Torrance in Bay League Opener

Robert Parucha and Anthony Lombardo have a big day as the Mustangs round into form at the right time, winning 12-0.

Baseball is a game of timing and with Bay League action beginning Wednesday, the Mustangs picked a good time to play their most complete game, a 12-0 victory over West Torrance.

Robert Parucha pitched five scoreless innings and received plenty of run support as the Mustangs collected 14 hits including two Anthony Lombardo home runs. The offense finally gained some momentum after a victory in the second game of an April 11 doubleheader against Loyola in which it produced nine runs.

"This season has been a bumpy road but this was the first time we really pitched, hit and played good defense, and it was a good time to do it," coach Cassidy Olson said.

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Jackson Morrow, who was hitting cleanup, got the Mustangs on the scoreboard in the first inning with a two-run home run to left-center field. Lucas Whitehill then walked and Lombardo followed that with the first of his home runs, a towering shot to right field that gave the Mustangs a 4-0 lead.

"It was my first two-home-run game, " Lombardo said. "I'm just focusing on keeping my hands in and driving the ball. I wasn't looking to hit home runs, they just felt good." Lombardo drove in five of the Mustangs' runs.

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''That's the best the bats have been, but we have the potential to score 12 runs in any game," Olson said. "Anthony's home run was impressive. This isn't an easy park for left handers; you don't see a lot of home runs to right field by lefties."

Parucha, meanwhile, was tough on Warrior hitters in the first inning and struck out the side in the second, artfully mixing speeds. The senior right-hander would allow only four hits in his five innings while striking out four. Junior Derek Largent preserved the shutout for the Mustangs with two scoreless innings of relief and striking out four batters.

 "The hitters gave me a lot of support early and that made it easy for me to just throw strikes and stay ahead of hitters," Parucha said.

The Mustangs, who had seven seniors in their lineup, had balance up and down the order. Jake Jelmini was 3 for 3, driving in a run with a single in the second inning. Danny Rojas, Bret Collins, Kris Cayton, Morrow and Lombardo all had two hits.

The Mustangs would blow the game open in the fourth with a seven-run inning, keyed by a Whitehill double that accounted for two runs and gave him a team-high 17 RBIs. Lombardo then came to the plate and kept the runs coming as he went deep for the second time, bringing home Morrow and Whitehill. 

"We have potential to do good things if we play unselfishly and improve on defense," Olson said.  "The bats are coming around and we always expect to pitch well." The Mustangs will head to West Torrance on Friday.

 In addition to the veterans, Lombardo has been a mainstay in the lineup and continues to produce. Before the season, he was not expected to be a big contributor.

"The team is coming together, and we're excited for the rest of the season.  The past is the past, we're looking forward now," Lombardo said.

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