Closer provides CdM win with bat

CORONA DEL MAR — In Danny Moskovits’ new pitching role at Corona del Mar High, he doesn’t have much room for error.

Starting a baseball game is a lot different than closing one.

“As a starter, you kind of get to feel out the game, see what they’re going to swing at,” he said. “You give up a couple of runs and it’s like no big deal.”

Moskovits on Tuesday learned allowing runs as a closer isn’t good. It makes people nervous.

The Sea Kings helped him out after he ran into trouble in the sixth inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Moskovits bailed himself out.

Moskovits delivered a walk-off hit, driving in the game-winning run to beat visiting La Quinta, 5-4, in a Foothill Bracket pool-play game at the Newport Elks Tournament.

The senior, who will play for Harvard in college, showed he’s back with a healthy right arm. After two innings in relief, he picked up his first victory since his sophomore season.

Moskovits, a two-time Daily Pilot Dream Team selection, missed action on the mound last season due to right shoulder and elbow issues.

Taking the ball with a one-run lead in the sixth, things got a little wild against La Quinta.

A bloop single fell between three players in left field. A batter struck out and still reached first on a passed ball.

Another passed ball allowed the Aztecs to tie the game.

Twice with two outs, La Quinta singled in runs, taking a two-run lead.

Moskovits’ approach of coming right after batters in his first inning oddly backfired. The strategy worked for CdM starter Andrew McCormack through four scoreless innings.

McCormack pitched the way Moskovits did as one of CdM’s top starters two years ago. He got batters out without having to throw much, 42 pitches in all.

McCormack allowed three hits, all singles. His only mistake was he hit a batter. Not bad for a freshman making his first varsity start.

“[McCormack] went out and pitched like a senior,” CdM Coach John Emme said. “Hopefully he showed all of our pitchers what happens when you believe in the pitch and throw strikes.

“That did not look like a freshman.”

McCormack refrained from putting too much pressure on himself.

A day before the game, Emme told McCormack the ball was his. The right-hander’s preparation was simple.

“I didn’t really prepare,” said McCormack, adding he wasn’t really nervous from making the transition from junior varsity to varsity.

“What happens, happens. I’m a freshman. If I mess up, it’s no big deal. I have another three years.”

The immediate future looks promising for McCormack and the Sea Kings.

They’re 2-1 in the tournament. Emme was not sure who the Sea Kings play Thursday. One thing he’s certain about is he has a talented and resilient team this year.

The Sea Kings battled back after taking a 2-0 lead, thanks to a second-inning solo home run by Beau Attyah.

The Aztecs, who are 1-2 in the tournament, cut the deficit to one in the fifth, and eventually went ahead, 4-2, an inning later.

Starter Ben Vo went into the bottom of the sixth with his first lead. After getting the first batter to fly out, a throwing error on a grounder created problems. Attyah advanced to second on the error.

La Quinta Coach Mel Baty thought about pulling his junior. He kept Vo in, trying to give him confidence after his previous outing.

“The idea was to get him right back on that horse and have some success,” Baty said. “In retrospective, [we] probably left him out one inning too long.”

Matt Morris’ sacrifice fly to right field moved Attyah to third base. Parker Werline drove him home on a single.

Steven Manning singled right after. Brian Ford brought Werline around to tie the game at, 4-4.

Moskovits returned for the seventh. If he shut down the Aztecs, the Sea Kings had a chance to win it in their last at-bat.

Moskovits induced three groundouts, one in which third baseman Mitch Gardner made a nice play on a slow roller. The other, Bloom took care of it at first base by gloving a hard grounder and stepping on the bag for the third out.

Moskovits stood on deck, waiting for his chance to hit when John Doering led off. Doering reached on an error. When Moskovits stepped into the batter’s box, he figured what was coming.

“I knew he was going to throw me a first pitch, off-speed pitch,” said Moskovits of reliever Mike Stewart, “because they threw me curveballs every first pitch. He threw that and missed. I knew the changeup was coming. He just hung it.”

Moskovits knew what to do with the pitch. His role as a pitcher has changed, but Emme can still count on him to swing the bat well.

Newport Elks Tournament

Foothill Bracket Pool play

Corona del Mar 5, La Quinta 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

Vo, Stewart (7) and D. Hill; McCormack, Doering (5), Moskovits (6). W – Moskovits, 1-0. L – Stewart. 2B – Johnson (LQ), Doering (CdM). HR – Attyah (CdM).

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].