Lambo silences SVHS bats
Newbury Park lefty throws complete game
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers SO CLOSE- Simi Valley's Chance Cross swings at a pitch Wednesday afternoon against Newbury Park. SVHS lost 6-2.

In a clash between two of the Marmonte League's most highprofile senior pitchers, Newbury Park High left-hander Andrew Lambo out-dueled Simi Valley ace Nick Barnese Wednesday afternoon at NPHS.

Before a sea of scouts and pointed radar guns, Lambo tossed a complete game, striking out 10 Pioneer batters and allowing five hits as Newbury Park prevailed 6-2.

"Lambo threw the ball very well," Simi Valley head coach Matt La Belle said. "He threw the ball for strikes and kept us off balance. There's no doubt about it, he dominated us."

The loss dropped the Pioneers' record to 6-2-1 overall and 1-1-1 in league. Last week, Simi Valley tied Thousand Oaks when the game was called because of darkness after 11 innings.

Newbury Park is 7-1 and 3-0 in the Marmonte.

Barnese pitched five innings, allowing six runs on five hits. He walked five Panther batters and hit another.

"My motion wasn't as fluid as I wanted it to be," Barnese said. "I just got the ball up. It was probably because of my balance."

After breezing through the first two innings, Barnese ran into trouble when he walked the first two batters he faced to begin the bottom of the third.

With a pair of runners on base, Lambo singled to left field to score Jake Schumacher. Following an intentional walk to load the bases, Barnese hit Newbury Park catcher Mike Schwartz on the back with a breaking ball. The Panthers were ahead 2-0.

Lambo scored on a doubleplay groundout by Joseph Sharrar to put NPHS in front 30. The inning ended when Jack Marder tried to score on a wild pitch and was tagged out at home plate by Barnese. Barnese hurt his elbow on the play but remained in the game.

Newbury Park added three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by a twoRBI single by Marder.

Simi Valley's offense finally came to life in the top of the sixth.

Matt Orloff and Eric Bernstein opened the inning with a pair of singles. Jeff Forgerson followed with a single to right that scored Orloff. On the play, both Forgerson and Bernstein advanced to second and third base respectively when Newbury Park's right fielder misplayed the ball.

Jonathan Meyer added a sacrifice fly that plated Bernstein and brought the Pioneers to within 6-2. Simi Valley would get no closer, as Lambo threw well over 100 pitches to get the win.

"Without a question or a doubt he's the best kid we're going to face all year," La Belle said. "That performance today was unbelievable."

SVHS is back in action today at 3:30 p.m. at Westlake High.

Hale not with team

Simi Valley senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Brett Hale did not play against Newbury Park. According to La Belle, Hale will miss at least one more game after being suspended from school.

"He won't be playing for the rest of the week, for sure," La Belle said.