LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

San Dieguo Union, By John Maffei

  Struggling to find his fastball comman, Torrey Pines High senior Joey Magrisi reached deep into his bag of tricks.    What he found was a chang-up, a pitch he used to throw his fourth straight complete-game shutout, beating La Costa Canyon 8-0 to grab a share of the Avocado West League lead Thursday and snap the Mavericks' 12 game winning streak.    "My fastball command was off," said Magrisi, who has committed to play baseball next season at Cal State Fullerton. "I couldn't locate in and out.  "So I had to go up and down. then finally, I got my change-up working."    Despite the score, courtesy of a five-run sixth, No. 5 ranked La Costa Canyon (18-6, 9-1) put the pressure on Magrisi.  He had to work out of two-on, no-out jams in the first, third and fifth innings.   The visiting Mavericks finished with eight hits, the most given up by Magrisi this season.  But he struck out a season-high 12 and walked only one.  Seven of the final nine outs came on strike-outs.

  "All you can do is tip your hat to the guy," said LCC coach Justin Machado.  "We put the pressure on him, but in a tight game, we couldn't get the big hit, couldn't make the big play."    Magrisi is now 9-0 this season, lowering his ERA to 0.44. He has given up just 28 hits in 63 innings with seven walks and 81 strikeouts.    He has thrown 37 straight scoreless innings, going back to a first-inning run by Mission Hills on April 2nd.   The San Diego Section record for consecutive score-less innings is 42 by David Wells of Point Loma in 1982.    Cole Hamels of Rancho Bernardo went 35 1/3 score-less in 2002.   While Magrisi stressed he got strong support from his defense, LCC struggled in the field, dropping two fly balls and a popup, leading to six runs for No. 2 Torrey Pines (21-5, 9-1).

  Magrisi's ground ball out drove in the Falcons' first run after a dropped fly ball.  He homered in the sixth - his seventh of the season - after a misplayed pop foul.   "Joey really helped himself at the plate," said Torrey Pines coach Kirk McCaskill.  "But he has been doing that and pitching like that all season."  The teams play again Saturday at 10:30 am at LCC, then meet May 15th in the final regular season game of the season at Torrey Pines.           joh.maffei@sduniontribune.com