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    Capistrano Valley baseball defeats Mission Viejo with Austin Taylor’s shutout
    • March 25, 2023

    MISSION VIEJO — The Capistrano Valley baseball team scored five runs in the first two innings and Austin Taylor pitched a shutout Friday in an 8-0 victory over Mission Viejo in a South Coast League game at Capistrano Valley High.

    Capo Valley (7-4, 2-0) scored two runs in the seventh inning Thursday to beat the Diablos 5-4 in the first game of the three-game series. The two teams play again Saturday at Mission Viejo High.

    Taylor was brilliant on the mound. The senior pitched a complete game, allowed just four hits and struck out five.

    “I felt pretty good out there,” Taylor said. “I trusted my defense and my catcher Cody (Zippe) and everyone came together for a nice win.”

    “He controlled both sides of the plate and anytime you have weak contact it’s because you keep guys off-balanced,” Capistrano Valley coach Adam Sorgi said. “He doesn’t blow anyone away but he’s a tactician out there.”

    Jack Boucher went 1 for 3 with a stolen base for the Diablos (8-4, 0-2).

    The Cougars took advantage of early pitching woes by Mission Viejo. With runners on second and third and two outs in the first inning, Capo Valley scored its first run on a balk by the Diablos.

    Capo Valley added four runs in the second inning to build a comfortable lead. The Cougars loaded the bases with two walks and a single by Reid Montgomery. Capistrano Valley Christian transfer Boston Baro was hit by a pitch to score a run.

    Matt Radogna walked to make the score 3-0. JJ Grier grounded into a fielder’s choice and two runs scored to give the Cougars a 5-0 lead.

    After a few innings of quiet bats, the Cougars got some clutch hits in the sixth inning. Baro, a UCLA signee, drove in a run with a single to increase the lead to 6-0.

    Radogna drove in Baro with a hard single to right field. Radogna went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.

    “He’s letting the ball travel,” Sorgi said of Radogna. “He was pulling off a bit but credit to him for making adjustments and he’s a big piece of our order.”

    Radogna later scored on a passed ball to give the Cougars an 8-0 lead.

    Taylor allowed a leadoff single in the seventh, but retired the next three hitters to finish the game.

    Sorgi downplayed the importance of winning the season series against Mission Viejo because of how competitive the South Coast League is.

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    The Cougars are the defending league champions and there was a three-way tie for the league championship in 2021 between the Cougars, Mission Viejo and Dana Hills.

    “Anybody in this league can beat anybody and we’ve seen that over the last five years since I’ve been here,” Sorgi said. “You have to take every game one at a time. It’s not about series wins or sweeps, it’s about individual games and getting as many as you can because every team is good.”

    ​ Orange County Register 

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