Kasch Kubasiewicz will never forget his final rivalry game against Cabrillo High School.
The Lompoc senior pitcher was perfect.
Kubasiewicz was just five outs away from throwing a perfect game against the Conquistadors on Friday night.
He allowed Leo Ragoza to reach first base on a dropped third strike and, two batters later, gave up a hit to Gabe Barraza.
He still finished the tinplate game shutout, allowing just two hits and striking out seven. Most importantly, he propelled the Braves to a 5-0 win as the team remains undefeated this season.
“Everything was working,” Kubasiewicz said. “I came into the game knowing I was going to own them. I just had to come in with the right mentality.”
Lompoc (4-0) has had some recent success against its cross-town rivals of late.
Over the last two years, the Braves have won three out of the last four meetings and allowed just two runs in the process.
But coach Jason Carlson knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
Lompoc freshman first baseman Anthony Jiminez laced his first single of the game to right center field to lead off the second inning. Aidan Vallarta followed by drawing a walk, but the Braves squandered the scoring opportunity when Jiminez was forced out at third base, followed by Trevor Thompson getting picked off at first base.
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Lompoc finally got on the board in the fourth inning when Jiminez came up for his second at-bat and lined a single past their second baseman.
The Braves had another opportunity in the fourth inning when Kubasiewicz singled to left field and Maximus Jones walked. Much like the earlier inning, Cabrillo got out of the jam getting the out at home and striking out Thompson to end the inning.
On the mound, Kubasiewicz was dominant.
He struck out four batters in a row at one point and didn’t try anything fancy. He just needed two pitches.
“Fastball and curve,” Kubasiewicz said.
After Cabrillo broke up the perfect game and no hitter in the sixth inning, Lompoc added four more runs for insurance in the top of the seventh to seal the win.
Kasch Kubasiewicz, Stone Kubasiewicz and Jones all had RBIs.
“These games mean so much to this town,” Carlson said. “The players dream about these opportunities of performing in the moment and I’m so thankful that we did.”
Lompoc will now host Paso Robles on Tuesday afternoon, while Cabrillo will play Pioneer Valley.
Although the Conquistadors (0-6) are winless this season, coach Cole Osborn knows there is plenty of time to turn things around.
“We want to get the momentum going but we are a little inexperienced,” Osborn said, “We have played some good teams so there’s some learning and teaching moments throughout that.”