Mesa sweeps Estancia

COSTA MESA — Weird. Funky. Odd.

No, these weren’t words to describe the weather Friday. Rather, the adjectives fit the bill for a bizarre play that proved crucial at a baseball game at Estancia High.

Nick Pederson’s bat smacked the ball a mere two feet in front of home plate, and the ball spun wildly, like one of those ground bloom fireworks. It was too hot too handle and Pederson made it safely to first, loading the bases for Costa Mesa.

The Mustangs pounced on the opportunity to break open a tight game and remained undefeated and first in the Orange Coast League with a 4-0 win against the Eagles.

With the bases loaded and one out, Costa Mesa (14-5, 8-0 in league) scored four runs, two coming from Ryan Boulger’s double to left.

But it was Pederson’s “hit” that left scorekeepers puzzled at Estancia’s diamond. The Eagles scored it an error, the Mustangs called it a hit. For the record, the Daily Pilot marked it as an error.

“I have no clue what it was,” Pederson said. “I was just running. They told me it was a hit. ‘Way to get there. Way to get the base hit.’ ”

Said Estancia starting pitcher Gavin Montague, “Stuff like that, you can’t do anything about that.”

Montague also said, save from Boulger’s double, he thought he pitched a great game. Estancia Coach Matt Sorenson agreed, calling it one of Montague’s best all-around performances.

Montague (2-4) struck out four, walked none and scattered five hits.

The senior, who plans to walk on at Oregon next year, must’ve been motivated, pitching in his last game against his rivals.

Though Tyler Peterson is a junior for Costa Mesa, his stuff was just as intense.

He improved to 6-1 after his two-hit shutout, the Mustangs’ second straight blank job against their rivals. He tied a season-high for strikeouts in a game with five and had no walks.

The Eagles (5-14, 1-5) had scoring opportunities in the fourth, sixth and seventh, but each time Peterson stepped up and turned Estancia away.

Junior Ryan Boselo’s one-out single in the fourth didn’t seem to rattle Peterson. Neither did junior Ryan Cherney, who reached on an error. Peterson ended the inning, inducing a groundball that the Mustangs turned into 4-6-3 double play. Catcher Brodie Pearce, one of four freshman who start for Estancia, reached on an error that got him to second in the sixth. He went to third after a groundout, but was left stranded after the Eagles had a fly-ball out and another groundout.

Sophomore Tyler De La Pena doubled in the seventh, but stayed there after a foul out to Costa Mesa catcher Garrett Hirsch.

Costa Mesa produced four hits in the sixth, including singles by senior Mikey Molina and junior Brian Waldron and a bunt by junior Justin Miller.

After the game, the Mustangs were presented the Paul Troxel trophy for winning the Battle for the Bell series and becoming the city champion. Orange Coast League

Costa Mesa 4, Estancia 0

SCORE BY INNINGS

Peterson and Hirsch; Montague and Pearce. W – Peterson, 6-1. L – Montague, 2-4. 2B – De La Pena (E); Boulger (CM).