By CHRIS BRANAM
Valley Press Staff Writer
ADELANTO - Needless to say, David Skeels is the proud owner of Maverick Stadium.
Returning to the scene of his best game of the season, Skeels' two-run bloop single in the top of the 10th gave the Lancaster JetHawks a 5-3 win over the High Desert Mavericks Saturday night.
The JetHawks (11-5) won for the sixth time in seven games in front of a paid attendance of 5,201, the largest crowd at Maverick Stadium in four years.
"I was just happy to be in that situation," said Skeels, who drove in six runs here on May 26 in a JetHawks' victory. "With a tie, it was really a non-pressure situation."
Skeels was quick to spread the credit. He cited Luis Molina's sacrifice fly in the ninth that tied the game at three and Josh Watts' single in the 10th that preceded his hit.
"Those were huge plays down the stretch," he said. "I was just an afterthought."
Skeels also mentioned the work of right-hander Joe Mays, who made few mistakes in seven innings.
Despite allowing three runs and striking out seven, Mays didn't get the win. He gave up an RBI single to Ron Hartman in the eighth that gave the Mavericks a 3-2 lead.
"Mays pitched a great game," JetHawks manager Rick Burleson said. "Our bullpen held up and backed up a good effort."
Mays gave up seven hits, including Bo Durcak's two-run double in the fourth.
"I just tried to throw strikes, keep the ball down and keep the ball in the park," said Mays, who has given up only four runs in his last 14 innings.
Denny Bonilla (7-6) threw two innings of scoreless relief and Aaron Scheffer picked up his third save with a scoreless 10th.
Bonilla almost had to be used as a batter. Burleson had Watts pinch-hit for designated hitter Shawn Buhner in the ninth, and when he kept Watts in the game in left field, Bonilla was put into the lineup.
He was in the on-deck circle in 10th when Jim Horner struck out against the Mavericks' David Tuttle (2-3) with men on first and second.
Burleson went to Skeels, whose single fell in shallow right field just out of the reach of diving second baseman Junior Spivey.
"We just got a good break when Skeels' ball dropped in," Burleson said. "That's a big break there."
Joe Mathis continued his hot hitting with a homer to lead off the game against High Desert's Vladimir Nunez. He also led off Friday night's game against Modesto with a homer. Mathis has nine for the season.
Mathis also scored the JetHawks' second run when he doubled in the third and scored on Carlos Villalobos' double down the left-field line.
Villalobos went 3-for-3 to raise his average to .340.