Segerstrom gets going after slow start and powers past Godinez in league opener

Segerstrom’s Bryan Cortez slides into home Tuesday with a run in the third inning. (Photos: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt).

Segerstrom’s baseball team took a while to get untracked offensively Tuesday in the Golden West League opener against Godinez.

But the Jaguars broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the fourth and seven more in the fifth inning on their way to a 15-1 victory over the Grizzlies at Segerstrom.

Segerstrom (4-9, 1-0) pounded out 15 hits and Jaguar pitchers Bruno Banuelos, Kenny Cabada and Jose Lozano combined to strike out 17 and allow just one unearned run. Godinez was held to three hits.

Banuelos, the winning pitcher, struck out 12, striking out the side twice and allowed just one hit in five innings. At the plate, he also had three hits, including two doubles and drove in three runs.

“I thought we threw the ball pretty good,” said Segerstrom Coach Erasmo Ramirez. “I just didn’t like the way we weren’t able to make an adjustment the first few innings off of their starting pitcher.

“It’s a good example, if you can change speeds and throw it over the plate and be under the hitting speed to some degree, you’re going to catch hitters out in front and keep them off balance and that kid (Godinez starter Jesse Magallon) did a good job the first few innings. We did what we had to do in the later innings, we made the adjustment and were able to get some kids to barrel up some baseballs and able put some runs on the board.”

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Godinez (3-7, 0-1) scored a run in the first inning. Jacob Carlos reached on a batter’s interference, Christopher Dominguez walked and Juan Plascencia doubled to drive in a run.

But Banuelos took charge after that.

“He’s our guy on the hill, he didn’t come out sharp for the first two hitters of the game, but he settled down and was able to throw that fastball for strikes,” Ramirez said.

Magallon pitched two shutout innings before Segerstrom got going.

“We only travelled with 11 guys today and pitching-wise we were pretty thin,” said Godinez Coach Luke MacLennan. “It’s pretty tough, but the guys are battling and trying to throw strikes …. but eventually you run into a buzz-saw and we kind of lost control of that fifth inning and the sixth inning did us in as well. But hats off to Segerstrom, their starter was pumping and made it really difficult for us with 12 strikeout in the first five innings and we didn’t put the ball in play.”

MacLennan said the Grizzlies are short-handed due to injuries and transfers and lost nine seniors from last year’s team.

Godinez led 1-0 through two innings, but Banuelos had an RBI single to drive in Bryan Cortez in the third inning to tie the game. Then, the Jaguars moved ahead with three runs in the fourth inning. Cabada had a two-run infield single and stole two bases and the Jaguars and took advantage of a balk, an error and two walks.

Segerstrom broke the game open with seven runs in the fifth inning. James Gonzalez and Derek Higareda had RBI doubles and Cortez had an RBI single. Banuelos had two doubles in the inning, the second one driving in two runs.

Segerstrom, using pinch-hitters, took advantage of two walks in the sixth to score three more runs.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com