CdM gets strong pitching effort in season opening victory over Fullerton

Winning pitcher Stevie Jones (left) and catcher Dillon Lane following CdM’s win over Fullerton. (Photo: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).

Left-handed sophomore pitcher Stevie Jones hurled six strong innings to lead Corona del Mar to a 4-2 win over Fullerton in the opening game for both teams of the 2024 high school baseball season. 

Jones gave up two runs, five hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter while throwing 90 pitches to earn the win.

“I felt good and we had the lead and I wanted to pitch the seventh inning but the coach made the call,” said Jones, who also had a hit, scored a run and was on base three times for the Sea Kings. “I felt like all of my pitches were working well, especially my changeup.”

Jones’ battery mate, Dillon Lane, agreed.

“Stevie’s only a sophomore and he was awesome for his first start of the season,” said Lane. “He was getting ahead on a lot of the Fullerton batters and his changeup had them off balance.”

After a rocky first inning, Jones settled down and retired 15 of the next 17 batters he faced. Fullerton did not have a runner reach third base after the first inning. Sea Kings relief pitcher, Brady Andrews, set Fullerton down in order in the seventh inning to close out the win for CdM.

“Stevie competed today and he has a bright future ahead of him,” said CdM Coach Kevin McCaffrey. “I’m looking forward to having him here for the next three years. We took advantage of their mistakes and capitalized on them.” 

Fullerton broke on top in the bottom of the first inning by pushing two runs across following an infield error and a sun-aided double. CdM countered in the top of the fifth inning by scoring three runs against three Indians relievers to take the lead.

The Sea Kings only produced one hit in the inning but took advantage of two batters hit-by-pitches, an intentional walk and another base on balls. Lane had an RBI single in the inning and Jack McDonald and Chris Shelton added RBI in the frame as the Sea Kings took a 3-2 lead. CdM added another run in the sixth inning on a RBI double by Brady Gadol.

“They only had three hits, but when you give up 11 free passes (four batters hit-by-pitch, an intentional walk and six base on balls) you can’t beat a good team like CdM,” said Fullerton Coach Shaun Hill.

Declan Fitzgerald started for the Indians and held the Sea Kings scoreless over the first four innings. He allowed one hit, struck out five and walked two before leaving with the lead.   

—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone