Tustin uses strong pitching to defeat Woodbridge in Ryan Lemmon Invitational

Tustin and Woodbridge players meet after Monday’s game at the Great Park Stadium. (PHOTO: TIm Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Tustin’s baseball team used some solid pitching and timely hitting to defeat Woodbridge 5-1 Monday morning in the Ryan Lemmon Invitational at the Great Park Stadium.

Tustin pitchers Nyte Teter, Jacob Policare and Nathan Saltzer limited Woodbridge (7-9) to seven hits to record the Tillers first win in the tournament. Policare also had a hit and a walk and scored two runs.

“We put together a strong couple innings from all of our pitchers,” said Tustin’s first year coach Curtis Cassise. “They came together and did really well as a team, both on the mound and hitting. Our base-runnning was outstanding today and I think that was the game-changer for us, putting pressure on offensively.

“We had three guys out there {pitching} and they really did their job today.”

Teeter pitched the first three innings, allowing one run. Then, Policare pitched in the fourth and fifth innings and Saltzer come on in the sixth for the final two frames.

“It was an all-staff day and they all did well,” the coach said.

“I think it was just a team effort,” added Tustin first baseman Adam Whyte, who had a walk and a double and scored a run. “We lost our game on Saturday but we were able to bounce back and get some energy today against a good Woodbridge team. I give a lot of credit to our pitchers, they were able to throw strikes when we needed to get outs throughout the game.

“Hopefully we’re going to scratch out a few more wins and head back into league and hopefully win a league championship.”

Woodbridge continued to struggle offensively. The Warriors, who lost their fourth in a row, have been held to one in two games in the tournament. Woodbridge lost to Linfield Christian 10-0 on Saturday in the tournament opener.

“Credit Tustin, they put the ball in play, they just beat us, we’re really struggling offensively these last four games, we just can’t seem to get anything going,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker. “Until we can kind of figure that part out, it’s going to be tough for us.

“I thought Ian {Chen} competed well, he was in the strike zone. They made the most of their opportunities and obviously we didn’t, it’s the way it goes, we can’t hang our heads, we got a game tomorrow against I think is a pretty good Chico team and we got to try and get better and get back in the right mind frame for league.”

Woodbridge stranded nine batters and left the bases loaded in the fourth inning without scoring.

Tustin scored a run in the first inning off Chen. Whyte and Teeter walked and Saltzer singled. TK Nogoa then drove in the run on a groundout.

Woodbridge countered in the bottom of the inning with a run to tie the game. Caden Camacho and Henry Uhrik singled and Camacho scored on a wild pitch.

In the second inning, Policare walked and scored on a groundout by leadoff hitter Grant Menges.

Tustin added three more runs in the fourth inning. Dylan Benally doubled, Policare reached on an infield single, Eli Robinson had an RBI single, Menges drove in a run on a groundout and Policare scored when he and Robinson executed a double steal.

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