Grays Harbor Again Silences Vigilantes

MISSION VIEJO — The Vigilantes had to lower the volume on the public address system Thursday because of a play being performed in the nearby Saddleback College campus theater.

The team’s offense also did its part to comply, getting only five hits and losing to the visiting Grays Harbor Gulls, 6-0, in a Western Baseball League game in front of an announced crowd of 1,939.

As frustrating as the loss was, it is something the Vigilantes (8-8) have come to expect against Grays Harbor, which has won seven of the nine meetings between the teams this season.

“I don’t know why,” Grays Harbor Manager Charlie Kerfeld said. “I guess I’ve got too many dudes from Southern California that want to show off for their homies.”

Chris Kotes, a right-hander, kept the Vigilantes in check for the first seven innings. He gave up only three hits, walked five and struck out six. He is 3-2.

Still, the Vigilantes, who were shut out for the sixth time this season, had some prime chances to score.

Alan Burke led off the second with a walk and took third when Sam Taylor doubled off the top of the center-field fence. But Carl Nichols struck out before Mat Reese walked. Sean Drinkwater hit a shallow fly to right for the second out and Dustin Martin flew to right to end the inning.

Burke singled and took third when Nichols doubled one out later in the fourth. But Reese flew to shallow left and Drinkwater struck out to end the inning.

Mission Viejo got a pair of two-out walks in the sixth but Reese took a called third strike to end the inning.

Grays Harbor’s first five runs came as a result of home runs, all off starter Scott Singleton, who has given up a team-high 14 this season. Singleton is 5-7.

Mark Kingston hit the first pitch of the second inning for a home run over the fence in right center. It was his sixth. Joel Nations doubled and scored on Al Mealing’s sixth home run in the third. Nations, the No. 9 hitter, hit his second homer in the seventh. The blast came after David Sanchez’s one out single and gave Grays Harbor a 5-0 lead.

Notes

Mike Boucher, a right-handed pitcher from Mission Viejo High and Cal State Fullerton, has signed with the Vigilantes. He made his first appearance, walking two, but giving up no runs in the ninth. Boucher took the place of Mark Draeger (3-2, 5.63 earned-run average) who suffered a season-ending abdominal injury.