Along with his top five hitters each batting .350 or above, Torrey Pines High coach Matt Chess is also enjoying ever-increasing production from the rest of his lineup.
The Falcons used some top-line hitting from the bottom part of their order to support the shutout pitching of Eric Hillenbrand yesterday as they opened the San Diego Section Division I baseball playoffs with a 4-0 victory over visiting La Costa Canyon.
Jerrud Sabourin and Kevin Vance each had two hits in the lower part of the lineup to help fuel the attack for the top-seeded Falcons (27-4), who opened the scoring with an RBI single by Kevin Silvett in the fifth inning and added three runs in the sixth.
“I'm a big believer in the bottom half of my order,” said Chess, whose last four batters accounted for six of the Falcons' nine hits. “We don't let up much. The numbers aren't big, but it seems most of their hits have been significant.”
Torrey Pines, which avenged a 3-2 loss to the Mavericks in their previous meeting, advanced into a winners bracket game of the double-elimination tournament tomorrow at home against fourth-seeded Vista.
“It feels good, but we aren't getting cocky,” Hillenbrand said. “We know other teams have had good seasons. So we're just going to play our own game and see how it goes.”
Hillenbrand, who entered the game with a 1.47 ERA, pitched a four-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks for his first shutout of the season despite not having his best fastball.
“In the beginning, I didn't have my pop (on the fastball),” said Hillenbrand, who struck out six and walked none. “So I realized I had to hit my spots, use my curve and change-up and mix in my fastball. And that's what I did.”
Silvett, who earlier doubled in the first, delivered a two-out single off Tyler Wells to break the scoreless tie in the fifth. Then the floodgates opened the next inning, starting with consecutive one-out singles by Sabourin, Nick Rodes and Vance.
“Those guys are improving and helping a lot,” Silvett said. “If you get through the top of the order, you still have to deal with them.”
Pinch runner Michael Dearborn provided another boost when he advanced two bases on a passed ball and later scored the first run in the sixth.
The loss for the Mavericks (16-14) came a day after they prevailed over Rancho Buena Vista 7-6 in a play-in game.
Brian Martutartus led LCC with a double and single.
