El Toro ‘heroes' help capture South Coast title

LAS FLORES – Before his team took the field Thursday at Tesoro, El Toro baseball coach Mike Gonzales told his players he needed a hero to step up and to help them win a game that would decide who took home the South Coast League title.

Instead of one hero, Gonzales got two stellar efforts, and the fourth-ranked Chargers defeated the No. 8 Titans, 4-1, to secure the championship.

The Chargers (24-7 overall), who were in the Sea View League last year, finished league play with a 9-3 record, while Tesoro (18-13 overall) and Dana Hills tied for second with 7-5 marks.

"I told them yesterday," Gonzales said, " ... it's going to come down to Thursday and somebody's got to be a hero ... either for us or for them (Tesoro).

"Today it was Ryan Joyce and Garrett Mundell."

Joyce, a senior center fielder, provided the heroics at the plate and on the base paths, while senior pitcher Mundell kept the Titans (18-13, 7-5) in check from the mound.

The 6-foot-6 Mundell power-pitched his way through the Titans lineup, relying heavily on his fastball. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out two over seven innings.

"My fastball was there today," Mundell said. "He (Gonzales) told me to stop trying to locate it and just throw it hard, and it ended up working out pretty well."

With the game scoreless in the top of the fourth, Joyce got on base with a leadoff walk and reached second on an error by the Titans. He then stole third and scored on Logan Roberts' single to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.

Joyce was not finished with his offensive assault. In the fifth, he slugged a three-run home run that put the Chargers ahead, 4-1.

"When it went over, I was speechless," Joyce said. "I still am. I'm stoked."