Seaside overcomes Munoz's pitching

Watsonville High’s Ryan Munoz pitches to a Seaside batter during the second inning Wednesday at Spartan Stadium in Seaside. Munoz allowed two hits in five innings. (Glenn Cravens/Register-Pajaronian)

SEASIDE — Ryan Munoz, the youngest player on Watsonville High’s baseball team, looked like a crafty veteran pitcher, keeping Seaside off balance for five innings.

Unfortunately for the Wildcatz, a bloop single eventually did them in.

Seaside only managed two hits in its 2-1 victory over Watsonville, but that ended up being two more than Watsonville managed the whole game.

Matt Lualemana and Ethan Bledsoe combined to throw a no-hitter as the Spartans allowed only one run in a game for the first time this season.

The Spartans have been shut out five times this season. The way Munoz was pitching, a sixth time was likely.

Munoz allowed just three base runners through the first three innings. In the fourth, a late-swinging Anthony Martin found the right-field corner and got an opposite-field double, but he couldn’t get home.

Munoz didn’t throw at a blazing speed. Instead, he mixed up speeds. The early result was Seaside swinging early or late with buckling knees.

The first three Seaside batters who hit into outs all smacked the ball to left field, perhaps a sign that they figured out Munoz immediately. However, Eli Meyers caught all three fly balls.

During the game, one umpire said Munoz was fooling batters as if he was Greg Maddux.

“I pitched for outs, and I think I did that well,” Munoz said. “I wasn’t trying to overpower anyone. I was trying to mix it up and throw strikes and get outs.”

Seaside finally figured out Munoz in the fifth.



For the complete article see the 04-19-2012 issue.

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