PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Dorado’s Tomko Stops Katella Attack, Again

For the second time this season, El Dorado High School’s Brett Tomko was a thorn in the side of the Katella baseball team.

Tomko, a senior pitcher, came in and shut down the Knights to preserve a 6-5 victory Tuesday at Boysen Park in Anaheim. He pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one hit, for his second victory over Katella this season.

With the victory, El Dorado (19-5, 12-2 in league) remains tied for first place with Esperanza in the Empire League. The loss assures Katella (14-10, 9-5) of a third-place finish and a certain road game against a league champion in the first round of the Southern Section playoffs.

Earlier this season, Tomko was thrown in as a spot starter against the Knights after two Golden Hawk pitchers were suspended. He went the distance, allowing only one earned run in a 4-3 El Dorado victory.

Tomko (5-0) came to the rescue again Tuesday. He entered the game in the third inning with the Golden Hawks in trouble.

Katella trailed, 6-3, but had the bases loaded with two outs. Tomko replaced starter Tyson DowDell and proceeded to strike out Kyle Evans, a .462 hitter.

“I just challenged him,” Tomko said. “All I threw him were fastballs.”

Tomko retired 10 of the 12 batters he faced. He gave up a single by Dax Dowling and a walk to Dennis Briggs to start the seventh.

His only other mistake was a balk in the seventh, which advanced the runners. Both scored on outs.

El Dorado got off to a fast start, scoring four runs in the first inning. Andy Osborne had a two-run triple and Shawn Holcomb a run batted in double in the inning.

Holcomb had three hits, including a triple, and two RBIs. Every El Dorado player had at least one hit off loser Chris Doll (6-4), who gave up 11 hits and five earned runs.