WESTMINSTER – Segerstrom wreaked havoc Friday with a simple but effective attack.
The Jaguars banged out 17 hits – 16 of them were singles – in a 14-1 pounding of Westminster in a Golden West League baseball game at Westminster.
Marco Tovias knocked in five runs, and Javier Rosales had a pair of hits and two RBI. Ruben Medina, Lorenzo Sanchez and Anthony Martinez also had multi-hit games for the Jaguars (10-7, 5-2).
“Our approach was to hit the ball hard on the ground and force them to make plays,” Jaguars coach Erasmo Ramirez said, noting that the ball does not carry in the air at Westminster.
The lone extra-base hit for Segerstrom came from Kevin Cruz, who lined a double into the gap in right-center field.
The Jaguars entered the game tied with Orange for second in the Golden West League. Segerstrom will play league-leading Loara in a two-game series next week.
Segerstrom swept this week’s two-game series with Westminster (5-12, 2-5).
“To be able to take two out of three from each team, that will put us in a position to get one of those playoff spots,” Ramirez said. “That’s been the No. 1 focus. We need to win every series.”
Segerstrom starting pitcher Joseph Najera (2-2) allowed three hits and one run in five innings.
The Jaguars batted around twice in the first three innings. Segerstrom led, 4-0, after the first and 6-0 after the second.
Five Jaguars reached base without a ball leaving the infield to start the third, knocking Lions starter Zach Maciel out of the game. Felix DeSantiago came on in relief, but Segerstrom stretched its lead to 11-0 at the end of the third.
Gino Zarrella pitched the last two innings for Westminster, striking out five.
Hector Tepayotl had an RBI single in the fifth inning for Westminster. Josh Peterson, Daniel White and Maciel also had hits for Westminster.
The Lions will play Orange in a home-and-home series next week.
