Westlake Disappears in the Wind, 4-3

The wind at Westlake High blew banners off fences, hats off of spectators’ heads and fly balls every which way. But Servite’s one-run lead didn’t go anywhere once relief pitcher Andy Croghan grabbed hold.

Croghan pitched 4 innings of near-flawless relief Tuesday, making Servite’s 4-3 lead stand up and eliminating Westlake in a second-round game of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs at Westlake.

“We were starting to hit their other guy pretty good,” Westlake Coach Dennis Judd said. “Replacing him turned out to be the right move for them.”

Servite starting pitcher Craig Barkley was 6-0 going into the game and was given the cushion of a four-run lead in the third inning. But when Westlake scored three runs in the bottom of the third and had the tying run at second base, Servite Coach Mike McNary replaced Barkley with Croghan.

“We have one of the deepest pitching staffs around,” McNary said. “Our pitchers know that we’re going to go to the bullpen at the first sign of any trouble.”

Croghan got John Rowedder to ground out and then retired 13 of the last 15 Westlake batters, striking out three and walking none.

“He’s done a really good job for us on several occasions,” McNary said.

Said Croghan, who notched his fourth save: “I just had to come in and do what was needed to be done.”

Servite (21-5-1) scored four runs after Westlake pitcher John Chiaramonte (7-3) gave up successive walks to Tom Szymanski and Mike Robertson.

Chris Ulmer followed with a run-scoring double and designated-hitter Mike Petko doubled to drive in two more. Petko later scored what turned out to be the decisive run on a fielding error by Westlake second baseman Chuck Foster. Foster, who replaced an injured Mike Lieberthal, was making his first varsity appearance.

Westlake (14-11-1), which finished second in the Marmonte League, scored its runs on an RBI double by Greg Struhl and a two-run home run by Matt Franco. Franco, who was 3 for 3, later doubled off Croghan in the fifth when the wind carried a towering fly ball away from left fielder Corey Wentz.

“The wind blows here all year long,” Franco said. “All day, every day. It’s always tough.”

Franco was stranded at second base when Jim Henderson launched a high pop fly that third baseman Andy Roschman finally caught after staggering toward home plate.

“I was hoping that thing would drop,” Judd said. “We had one last week against Santa Monica just like it, and the kid missed it.”

Roschman later dropped a seventh-inning pop foul off the bat of Mike Campbell. But Croghan struck out Campbell and retired the side in order.

“Those fly balls were making me nervous,” Croghan said. “I usually give up a lot of ground balls.”

Franco was stranded again--in the on-deck circle--as Croghan retired Mike Suarez on a fly ball to right field to end the game.

“That’s happened to me five or six times this year,” said Franco, who hit seven home runs this season. “It’s pretty frustrating, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Said Judd: “We had ourselves in the position to deliver, but we didn’t. They’re among the best teams we’ve faced.”