Cap falls in pitchers’ duel

“That’s the second game in a row where we out-hit the other team,” said Capuchino manager Matt Wilson. “We’re just not getting those timely hits.”

No one was getting timely hits against either Estrella or Trotter and they dominated in contrasting styles. Both lefties, Estrella would be classified as more of a “crafty lefty,” changing speeds, location and sight lines to keep King’s off balance and held the Knights to just three hits as he worked into the fifth inning

Trotter was on the other end of the spectrum, dominating the Mustang hitters with overpowering stuff as Trotter would work six innings, scattering six hits while striking out 10.

Trotter was especially strong in the early innings. He struck out at least two batters in each of the first four innings — and struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth to keep the momentum in King’s dugout.

“He’s a good pitcher. He commanded the outside of the plate,” Wilson said of Trotter. “But Jordan pitched great, too. We made mistakes and it cost us.”

Neither team had a runner reach even second base through the opening four innings, as all the hits were singles and no one could follow it up. Justin Cho had a one-out single in the top of the first for King’s (1-0 PAL Bay, 5-2 overall), but Estrella got a couple of exciting flyouts to Will Hafer in left field to end the threat.

King’s then got a leadoff single from Trotter in the second, but he was erased on a groundout as Estrella got the next three batters. Cho added his second single in the top of third and he was stranded, again.

Capuchino (0-1, 5-4), meanwhile, struggled early against Trotter. He threw 10 pitches in the first inning and struck out two. He had two more strikeout on just 14 pitches in the second, although Hafer managed to keep any no-hitter chatter in check with a one-out single to center. The Mustangs struck out two more times in the third, although Cameron Chin hit an opposite field single to left.

In the fifth, a Capuchino error opened the door to a four-run King’s rally that proved more than enough offense for Trotter and the Knights. With one out, AJ Kong hit a routine grounder to shortstop that was thrown away at first base. That was followed by back-to-back walks — the only two of game for Estrella — and King’s was in business.

Wilson went to Dominic Fanara to get out of a bases-loaded jam, but Cho wasted little time in picking up his third hit of the day — jumping on Fanara’s first offering and lacing a two-run single to left for a 2-0 Knights’ lead.

An unintentional intentional walk was issued to Nate Plata, the reigning Bay Division Player of the Year, to re-load the bases and bring up Ethan Johnson, who drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, with the fourth run of the inning scoring on the second error of the frame and the Knights enjoyed a 4-0 lead.

Trotter got his 10th strikeout to end the bottom of the fifth, but he was starting to tire and the Mustangs started getting off better swings. Capuchino finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Lucas Zayac led off with a single and courtesy runner Gavin Sekioka stole second. The Mustangs then had runners on the corners following an Anakin Manuel single.

But the rally was quickly extinguished on a double play. Sekioka scored from third, but with two outs and the bases empty, Trotter got out of the inning without any further damage.

Capuchino finally got to the King’s bullpen in the seventh and the Mustangs did manage to bring the tying run to the plate after singles from Yulio Ceron and Bryce Brooks.

But Taiyo Peterson locked down the save for the Knights.

“They’re not giving up,” Wilson said of his team. “It’s pretty frustrating, but at this time of year, you can’t let it get to you — yet.”