Lancaster digging itself an early hole

ADELANTO - Once again, the Lancaster JetHawks are starting to dig themselves a hole.

Much like they did early in the first half, the JetHawks find themselves alone in last place in the Valley Division standings.

Lancaster (8-9) dipped below .500 for the first time since it lost the first game of the second half with an ugly 21-10 loss to High Desert Sunday at Maverick Stadium.

The JetHawks trail High Desert and San Jose, who sit atop the division standings with matching 11-6 records, by three games. They're also two games behind Stockton and Modesto, who have identical 10-7 marks.

Lancaster still is three games better than Modesto in terms of overall record, but fell behind the Mavericks by one game with Sunday's loss.

The Mavericks used 23 hits and four Lancaster errors to pull away for the 11-run lead.

High Desert scored eight runs in the first three innings to claim an 8-2 lead, but Jayson Bass clubbed a three-run home run over the center-field fence in the top of the fifth to draw Lancaster within three runs.

Unfortunately, that was as close as the JetHawks would get.

The Mavericks broke the game open with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Adam Neubart smacked a two-run home run to left field. Jackie Rexrode scored on a double-steal, when Karl Thompson's throw to third bounded into left field.

Jarrod Patterson, who went 4-for-6 with five RBI and one run scored, also plated Junior Spivey in the inning.

High Desert added five more runs in the sixth thanks to a two-run home run from Miguel Rodriguez and Kevin Clark's two-run single. Clark was the only High Desert batter not to have a multi-hit game.

Jason Bond (5-3) took the loss after allowing eight runs, five of which were earned, on eight hits and a walk in three innings.

Bullpen blues

For the second consecutive game, the Lancaster bullpen struggled against the Mavericks.

Pete Janicki came on in relief of Bond and allowed four earned runs on four hits and two walks in his two innings of work before giving way to Geronimo Newton.

In his 1 2/3 innings of work, Newton allowed eight earned runs on eight hits and three walks and saw his ERA swell to 16.62 in his three appearances with the JetHawks.

"I'm definitely a little concerned," JetHawks pitching coach Jim Slaton said. "We have some new faces there, and they're struggling right now. But it's going to turn around."

Showing off the arm

Outfielder Matt Sachse came on to pitch the final 1 1/3 inning Sunday, and didn't do too bad. He allowed one earned run on three hits.

"We really didn't have anybody else that we could use," Slaton said. "When you have guys throwing a lot of pitches, you have to give them a few days off. . . I told (Sachse) to go out and be patient and not try to overpower anybody."

Although the relief appearance was his first with the JetHawks, it was nothing new to the left-hander. Sachse had a 6-1 record and a 1.36 ERA in seven starts as a senior at Ferris High School in Spokane, Wash., in his senior season in 1994.

Baseball America rated him the 90th-best amateur prospect and the 49th-best pitcher entering the draft.

"He did a fine job. I told him he had two days rest and then we'll get him back in there," Slaton joked.

Sachse took his familiar position in the batter's box Monday as Lancaster's starting designated hitter.