Mixed signal leads to season-ending loss for Newbury Park
Despite early playoff exit, Panther players say it was a successful year
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

UNBEARABLE- An unidentified NPHS player is unable to look on as the season comes to an end.

Although Andrew Lambo was brilliant in his last game as a Panther, Newbury Park High couldn't squeeze by Hart of Newhall in the opening round of the CIFSouthern Section Division I baseball playoffs.

Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, NPHS senior Anthony Montenegro led off the inning with a single to right field. Senior Jason Andersen then placed a sacrifice bunt down to advance Montenegro to second with one out.

That's when things got interesting.

Newbury Park head coach Scott Drootin decided to replace experience with speed, pinch running for Montenegro with junior Ryan Frank at second base.

Senior Nick Nardoni then hit a chopper to third base which was misplayed by Hart sophomore Trevor Brown. Although the play was in front of him, Frank made a mad scramble for third, avoiding the tag of Brown.

The Panthers' good fortune put runners on first and third with one out and junior Ian Long pinch hitting.

Drootin then called a trick play the team had worked on all year- a fake squeeze. The fake part of the play never happened though.

SAY WHAT?- Left, Ben Cohen, Andrew Lambo and Mike Schwartz react to comments from the Hart bench after Lambo hit a home run in the sixth inning of the Panthers' 2-1 playoff loss.

With Nardoni taking off for second and Long showing bunt, Frank broke toward home plate. When no contact was made by Long, Frank was a sitting duck for the second out. Long then struck out, ending the game and the season for the Panthers.

"No, it wasn't a squeeze play," Drootin said. "It was a call for a fake squeeze. If you noticed we even had our dugout yelling 'squeeze!' It would have worked, too, and we would have had runners on second and third with only one out. We had a lack of experience on the base paths, and it came back to bite us in the (backside)."

Although the loss was tough for NPHS, the team tried its best to hold their heads high in defeat.

"This was a big game, but the way it panned out we didn't deserve to win," senior catcher Mike Schwartz said. "We were never really in the game until the end. Their pitcher threw a hell of a game. He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and was able to get ahead of a lot of our hitters."

Lambo agreed with his battery mate, saying that although the loss was tough to take, he was proud of Newbury Park's season.

"We can't blame anyone in our lineup for this loss," Lambo said. "It was a tough inning for us, and we can't sit back and dwell on it. It was good while it lasted, and I enjoyed being a part of this team."

In what would turn out to be his last game wearing the gold and black, Lambo allowed just two runs on five hits in seven innings.

The lefty struck out the last two batters he faced in the seventh, finishing with eight strikeouts on the day. Lambo also left with a bang by hitting a home run in his final plate appearance leading off the sixth inning.

After touching home plate, Lambo glared toward the Hart dugout, upset from comments used by one of the team's assistant coaches.

"There were some things said that I thought were questionable and not appropriate," Lambo said. "It wasn't anything huge, but we're trying to keep the game pure, and I thought there was no need for it. But, I was also trying to get my team pumped up to score some more runs that inning."

Lambo's home run turned out to be the only run given up by Hart sophomore Trevor Bauer in six innings of work. Bauer surrendered just five hits while striking out six.

After the game, Panther seniors reflected on their time spent playing baseball at NPHS.

"The atmosphere we brought to the team and the area this year was great," Schwartz said. "It was the most fun I've ever had on a baseball team.

"I'll miss catching (Lambo). He was the best pitcher I've ever caught. It felt like I wasn't doing any work behind the plate when I caught him since he was so good."

Lambo repaid the complements to his catcher, a friend he's known since he was 12. The teammates ranked first and second in the league in RBI, with Schwartz taking the title with 31 on the year.

"I've known Mikey awhile now, and he's been my favorite catcher," Lambo said. "That's not knocking any of our other catchers, but it seems I've worked 24/ 7 with him in the bullpen. He has a lot of wisdom and understands how to call pitches very well."

Although Lambo has a scholarship for Arizona State, the senior should be a high-round pick in the upcoming draft.

Drootin said he'll miss being around the guys.

"I feel terrible for all the seniors," Drootin said. "They all played hard for me while they were here, and it stinks I won't get to coach them anymore. I especially feel bad for Andrew. It feels like he has gotten to be one of my relatives while he's been here."

Panther seniors who played their final game last week are Lambo, Schwartz, Montenegro, Nardoni, Andersen, Jake Schumacher and Stuart Krock.