Toad hitters: 'Revenge is sweet'
By Jesse Phelps

The No. 1-ranked Thacher Toad baseball team faced one of its stiffest challenges of the year on Thursday when Grace Brethren visited town in a rematch of last year's CIF Division VI playoff final. This time the Toads, who lost that game, 3-1, turned the tables and shut out the Lancers, 3-0.

Graham Douds was the man for the Toads, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out eight for the win. Douds also came up with the big hit, a two-run, first-inning single off freshman Lancer hurler Grady Ihnat.

"Redemption," said Douds, after the game. "I wanted this one more. I was thinking about this all summer. I have to give credit to my catcher and my seniors on my team. I couldn't do it without them."

For a while, it looked like he'd have to. Three Thacher players showed up as the game was about to begin, having been delayed by AP tests, scheduled mere hours before the first pitch.

But Owili Eison was there in time to lead off the order, collect a single, steal a base and score the first run. Charlie Munzig was there in time to bat third, collect a single, steal a base and score the second run. And Douds was there to make sure he drove them home.

It was a fortunate thing for the Toads that they got to Ihnat early. By the end of the first, the freshman's curve started working and the rest of the afternoon, it was tough for the Thacher batters to make contact. Ihnat, whose team has moved up a division since Thacher and the Lancers met last year, matched Douds with eight strikeouts, recording at least one each inning. It wasn't enough for the Lancers (5-12-1, 0-4-1), who lost seven starters from last year's club and couldn't generate any offense against the Thacher ace.

Like Ihnat, Douds gave up only three hits on the afternoon. The difference was defense. In the first inning, Ihnat watched as the Toads stole four bases, and he contributed to his own downfall with two wild pitches. Thus, despite striking out twice in the inning, the Toads put together three runs on three singles and two walks, all of it started by Eison.

"Coach says when I get that I'm scoring every time and that's the kind of mentality that I have," Eison said. "I can get big jumps and use my feet to my advantage. My teammates, they're picking up the signs and helping me stay on base, not get picked off. I give it all to them today. Revenge from last year, it's sweet."

With the win, the Toads moved to 11-0 on the year. Perhaps still riding that high, in the ensuing game at Malibu, they took their first loss of the season.

The Sharks won 14-6, notching 15 hits to Thacher's eight and committing three errors to Thacher's four. Charlie Munzig (3-1) took his first loss of the year, but stayed on the mound for all seven innings.

Dillon Valadez went four for four with three RBIs on the day, providing what Thacher coach Rich Mazzola called "our most powerful offensive punch" against a "great team."
"Not a lot went our way," said Mazzola. "We made four errors out there, which didn't help."

Still, despite the loss, Mazzola said he designed the end of the schedule extra tough for a reason. "Stiff competition," he said. "That's what we need in preparation for the playoffs."

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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