Coyotes have high hopes despite defeat
By Wayne Harrison
Acorn Sports Writer

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn GOING, GOING, GONE-Llie Kramar of Calabasas tries in vain to get make catch in Monday's loss vs. Agoura in a game at CHS.

Last year when the Calabasas baseball team had close games, it usually came out the winner. The Coyotes, coached by Rick Nathanson, won all but two one-run games last season. Thus, when Calabasas lost, 4-3, vs. Cleveland last Thursday, it was a disappointment.

"This is the kind of game we won last year," Nathanson said. "We won eight out of 10 one run games (in 2001) and in our park we are doubly tough. It’s tough to come in here and beat us."

Byron Grubman, a senior right-hander, struck out 11 Coyotes and after Cleveland scored two in the top of the first, Calabasas could never even things up.

"I’ve got to take my hat off to them," Nathanson said. "Cleveland’s a dang good club. There’s a reason why they’re ranked. Their pitcher battled and we let him get confidence and establish pitching patterns."

Grubman had some breathing room after Cleveland jumped on top of Calabasas right-hander John Henry Jacobs, a junior, early on when Robert Marcial, a senior shortstop, led off the game with a double that sliced down the right-field foul line and scored on a single by senior second baseman Mando Contreras.

A second first-inning run was scored when Adam McLeod, a senior left fielder, doubled over Calabasas center fielder Ilie Kramer, a junior, for a ground-rule double and a 2-0 Cleveland lead.

Calabasas came right back. Kramer walked to lead off the bottom of the first, then Aaron Lowenstein, the Coyotes’ junior catcher, doubled to left-center field. With one out, sophomore first baseman Drew Saberhagen drew an intentional walk to load the bases.

But when senior left fielder Matt Green doubled on a line over the Cleveland center fielder Trevor Arroyo, a freshman, an indication of how close—but not close enough—Calabasas would come this day, occurred when Lowenstein, who had held up to tag up with one out at second base, was caught at the plate on perfect relays from Arroyo to Marcial to Cleveland catcher Billy Spottiswood, a junior.

That opportunity to tie the game was as good a chance to even the game as Calabasas would get.

Cleveland scored two more in the top of the third, making it 4-1, and again the Coyotes played catch up, something they did well last season, scoring one in the sixth and one more in the bottom of the seventh.

Green said the Coyotes have a penchant for battling back. "Usually we come back, that’s what we’re known for," he said.

Jacobs agreed. "Last year we won a lot of one-run games and I think this team has the experience to win. Unfortunately, we didn’t come back today, but we have the capability of doing that," Jacobs said.

Cleveland’s two runs in the top of the third came on a two-run bases loaded single by Adam Olbrychowski, a sophomore right fielder.

Although Calabasas came back to within one, Grubman fought successfully to keep his team ahead.

Saberhagen had lined out back to Grubman with two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the third, a sparkling catch by the Cleveland pitcher to help his own cause and save a run.

But in the bottom of the sixth, Saberhagen lined one past the first baseman, senior Matt Jordan, for a hit to lead off the inning, then after advancing to second with two outs, he stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher, Spottiswood.

Down 4-2, Calabasas tried to rally in the seventh. Justin Segal, a senior shortstop, doubled with one out and scored on a clutch two-out single by Lowenstein, but Grubman held tight thereafter.

Jacobs credited Grubman for hanging tough late in the game, and knew the Coyotes had lost to a good team. "He hit his spots well," Jacobs said. "This is probably one of the better teams that we’re going to face."

Green said the Coyotes would need to stay aggressive offensively. "We need to pick up our hitting and stop taking so many strikes," he said. "We have a lot of potential. It’s in these types of games that you learn stuff you need to know."

Nathanson said the loss vs. Cleveland was only a temporary setback.

"We’re not where we wanted to be, but we have to come back and try to go 3-2 in the tournament," he said. And the Coyotes did beat Verdugo Hills, 9-0, to end the Daily News Tournament 3-2 heading into Monday’s clash vs. Agoura (see story by Steve Ames).

"That (Agoura) will be another major battle," Nathanson said. "And then we open the Frontier League with Santa Paula the following Friday. So we’ve got to just put this behind us and come back and practice hard tomorrow and play hard on Saturday."

In the win over Verdugo Hills, Calabasas got three runs batted in from both Jacobs and Lowenstein and left-hander Saberhagen, who struck out five, got the win.

Nathanson said the loss vs. Cleveland wasn’t something his players would dwell on. And he looked forward to the return from injury of No. 2 starter Brad Schultz, a senior right-hander.

"These guys have too much heart, too much character," Nathanson said. "And they know they’re good enough. So it’s our job as coaches to get them ready for every game. We have the talent and I’m still looking for us to win more games than last year and go farther in the playoffs.

"We’ll be there in the end," Nathanson predicted. "We have a terrific club."

Calabasas is set to host Santa Paula at 3:15 p.m. tomorrow, March 15, at home to begin the league season, as the Coyotes hope to repeat as Frontier League champs and to win their sixth title in seven years after winning from 1996-’99 before falling short in 2000.