Gomez Loses Control as Strategy Backfires

Westside pitcher Andre Gomez sought an unusual strategy Thursday to deal with a powerful Westlake Royal-Oak offense that began the Area 6 American Legion playoffs batting .351 and averaging more than 12 runs.

Gomez decided to throw the ball where Westlake Royal-Oak couldn’t hit it.

The plan didn’t work. Of the 17 pitches thrown by Gomez, 15 were balls. Westlake Royal-Oak scored nine runs in the first inning and cruised to a 16-6 eight-inning victory over the District 24 champions in a first-round game at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Westlake Royal-Oak will play Newhall-Saugus today at 6 p.m.

Gomez was lifted after giving up a leadoff single to Brent Egan then throwing 13 consecutive balls. He walked in a run and left with a 1-0 count on Kevin Mellinger.

Keith Ramsey didn’t fare much better, walking two batters and hitting another. He also watched his defense commit three errors as Westlake Royal-Oak, the District 16 champion, jumped to the huge lead with only three hits.

“Our offense has been working all year,” said outfielder Matt Riordan, who reached base twice in the first inning. “We wanted to get some runs and they gave us more than we expected.”

Just as important for Westlake Royal-Oak (26-3-1) was getting a complete game from pitcher Tony Evans (3-0). He scattered 10 hits, and the team’s lead wasn’t endangered.

“We were just hoping to get three or four good innings out of him,” Westlake Royal-Oak Coach Mike McClure said. “That’s all we were asking.”

After Westlake Royal-Oak added a run in the second, Westside chipped away at the lead, cutting the margin to 10-5 before Riordan scored on a sacrifice fly by Mellinger in the bottom of the sixth.

Westside scored once in the top of the seventh, then Westlake Royal-Oak added three in the seventh and two in the eighth. The game was stopped because of the 10-run rule.

Westside pitcher Gary Hayes and pitching coach Andy Diver were ejected in the eighth after Hayes threw a pitch at the knees of Troy Soukop.

Westlake Royal-Oak’s only problem came before the game, when Westside challenged the eligibility of several Westlake Royal-Oak players from Oak Park High.

American Legion officials allowed the players to participate pending a decision from the state office.

“We’ve had our roster challenged three or four times in the past few years,” McClure said. “This will work itself out.”

Valley North 10, Pomona Kings 4--Joe Tillmon had four hits and drove in four runs, and Tim Weigand had three hits and reached base five times for Valley North (24-8).

Frank Dipoma had a two-run single in a five-run eighth inning that broke open a tight game.

Stuart Sellz (7-1) pitched a complete game, scattering 12 hits and walking one with three strikeouts.

Valley North will play Charter Cove (18-6) at 2 p.m. today.

Newhall-Saugus 7, Charter Cove 3--Right fielder Brian Baron threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate to end the seventh inning, then hit a two-run single to break a 2-2 tie.

Newhall-Saugus, the District 20 champion, scored four runs in the eighth with only one hit.

Chris Baker (5-2) pitched a complete game, allowing six hits with five strikeouts for Newhall-Saugus (27-6).