Bulldogs lack bite in 10-5 loss

"This year's team is eager, they're enthusiastic and sometimes that leads to mental errors," Bulldogs assistant head coach Ron Lavezzo said. "Today was a struggle, but it's early. Right now you're trying to mesh and stabilize the team. You'll see them do a lot better this Sunday (in a doubleheader against Gilroy). This is such a cohesive team that it won't take long to get things together."

Walnut Creek (1-4) entered Friday's contest winless in four tries, having lost by a combined five runs. But the Fightin' Squirrels looked more like an undefeated team than a flawed one - they pounded San Mateo pitching with 11 hits and led 5-0 after two innings.

Bulldogs starter Yo Miyamoto went three innings and allowed five hits and three earned runs. Reliever Will Cowell didn't fare much better, tossing 1 and 1/3 innings and yielding three hits and three earned runs while walking four and committing three wild pitches.

San Mateo scored a run in the third off Brandon Barron's single and another run in the fourth off Romtin Saidi's double to the leftfield fence. But that was it against Walnut Creek starter Garrett Borges, who pitched six solid innings and allowed just five hits. The Bulldogs did most of their damage off Fightin' Squirrels reliever Peter Vestal.

Saidi led off the seventh with a walk and Donny Lavezzo reached on an error, allowing Saidi to score to make it 10-3. Noel Alexandre followed with a walk and after Justin Lopez's fielder's choice, Colin Sabean smacked an RBI double. Giorgio Lavezzo produced San Mateo's final run with a sacrifice-fly. Steve Kalush led the Bulldogs with two hits.

Giorgio Lavezzo also came on to pitch with one out in the fifth and went the rest of the way, going 2 and 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four. Not bad for someone who hadn't pitched in over two years.

"Every game we're just working out the kinks," he said. "We've only played four games. Once we get the wheels rolling, the mistakes should stop."

Lavezzo, who just completed his junior year at Serra, used an effective, big hooking curve ball to keep the Walnut Creek hitters off-balance. He said his stint on the mound brought back some old memories.

"Whenever I pitched before I just threw it and prayed the ball wouldn't get crushed," Lavezzo said. "I broke my hand in my freshman year, which is part of the reason why I haven't pitched in so long. But it was fun out there today. Some days you're good and some days you're bad. We'll get back to winning because everyone plays together. That's the most important thing."