So much for rust, so much for overlooking an opponent, and so much for playoff jitters.  Against an opponent they’d already blown out 15-1, and eight days after their last game, the Lakewood Lancers defended home field in a commanding 5-2 first round playoff game against Thousand Oaks.

Jeff Yamaguchi started and went five innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs, and generally staying in control of the game.  “We had a whole week to prepare for this game,” he said, “and the whole year to prepare our mindset for the playoffs.”  Shane Watson came in to finish Thousand Oaks off, giving up just one hit and facing one batter more than the minimum in putting a speedy end to the game.

The Lancers played great defense behind their bullpen; catcher Tyler Schultz showed the quarterbacking skills Lancer fans are excited to see in September in picking off two runners (one at second, one at third), and third basemen Hunter Jones kept the game from getting interested in the top of the seventh.  The leadoff hitter for Thousand Oaks doubled, and was headed to third on a fielder’s choice by the next batter.  Jones made a stab to get the ball, and then hopped from his stomach to tag the runner on the hip before he reached the bag.

“I think we’re actually more relaxed for the playoffs,” said Schultz, “we had fun today.  We just let [the momentum of the league title win over Poly] take us into this game.”

Lakewood surely would have liked to have gotten a little more offensive production, but Lancers coach Spud O’Neil said he’d prepared them to face a different pitcher.  “They threw the lefty instead, but our kids were resilient with it.”  The Lancers did all their scoring in the bottom of the third.  The first two batters, Joseph Bernal and J.P. Crawford, reached base on a single and a walk, respectively, then Jones scored Bernal on a ground-rule double over the left field fence.  Crawford scored on a passed ball, then Anthony Razo drove in Jones with a single, and he and Yamaguchi came home on a single by Schultz.

Thousand Oaks picked up a pair in the top of the fifth after consecutive triples were followed by an RBI single, but a Schultz pick-off at second gave Yamaguchi his legs back, and he got out of the inning.  O’Neil agreed his team looked like it was in midseason form (a good sign for the Lancers), and was happy with their focus, although still focused himself on the second round, where they’ll face Riverside Poly.

“We did what we needed to do,” he said simply.