JetHawks let down and pay heavy price

Lancaster lost its intensity after clinching the California League second-half championship and suffered its second-worst loss of the season.

Lake Elsinore took it to the JetHawks with a 14-3 win at Pete Lehr Field before an announced crowd of 5,769.

It was the second-largest margin of defeat this year for the JetHawks(43-19, 83-49), one run behind the Storm's 18-6 win over Lancaster on June 17 and snapped a streak of eight consecutive wins over Lake Elsinore.

"That was just an old fashioned (butt) kicking," manager Mark Parent said. "The guys just made stupid mistakes. You can almost predict that we were going to do this."

Starter Jeff Heaverlo was torched for five runs, four earned on eight hits. He lasted four innings with seven strikeouts.

"He was trying to be too careful around the plate," pitching coach Scott Budner said.

"They hit the ball well and sometimes you get hit hard. He tried to battle, but got hit hard.

Heaverlo (14-6) started the bottom of the first by giving up a single to Alfredo Amezaga and walking Jeb Dougherty.

That set up a two-run triple by Robb Quinlan.

Quinlan later scored on a passed ball that squeezed catcher Scott Maynard, giving the Storm a 3-0 lead.

Lake Elsinore (30-31, 66-65) catcher Angel Diaz knocked a oneout solo home run in the fourth to help chase Heaverlo after the inning down 5-1.

"I think Jeff was too worried about what he did against these guys last time," Parent said.

"He got caught up thinking of how they'd react."

Omar Obando relieved Heaverlo to start the fifth and he immediately ran into trouble.

Obando walked Bill Mott, allowing Mike Christensen to single, and walked Elpidio Guzman to load the bases with no outs.

Parent pulled Obando at that point, replacing him with Neil Longo.

Longo had time to barely throw one pitch before that choice looked questionable.

Longo served up a first-pitch fastball to Marcus Knight that the Storm left fielder sent over the 36foot high wall in right field for a grand slam.

"When you talk about Neil and Obando's stuff," Parent said, "they haven't been out there. It's tough to get guys out when you're not out there all the time."

Knight's slam was the first by Lake Elsinore this year and fifth surrendered by JetHawk pitching this year.

The Storm would add one more run in the frame to take a 9-1 lead on a run scoring single by Amezaga.

Frankie Rodriguez (3-4) picked up the win with seven strong innings against the JetHawks, giving up two runs on four hits.

The biggest contributor for the JetHawks was first baseman Peanut Williams.

Williams went 3-for-4 with a leadoff double in the third and a solo home run in the ninth. He scored two runs.

The home run was Williams' seventh of the season, one year removed from a 26 home run season.

"We have some guys that bust their (tails) everyday and some that bust their (tails) when they want to," Parent said.

"I don't mean running and stuff like that, I mean paying attention during the game, and being focused and mentally prepared.

"You can't cover for those people. Who knows what those guys are thinking about. We have three more weeks of baseball, how much of a sacrifice is that?"

Uploaded August 26, 2000