Luft Is Smashing for Rio Mesa on 3 Homers, 8 RBIs

In the same mold as the movie characters Rambo and Commando, The Dominator appeared on the baseball field at Rio Mesa High Thursday, and proceeded to wreck the joint.

Sean Luft, nicknamed The Dominator, didn’t use a machine gun or even a hand grenade. Luft instead was armed with only a 36-inch piece of aluminum.

The senior first baseman wielded his weapon with the strength and accuracy of a Ninja. He pelted San Marcos pitcher Joey Mendoza for three home runs, a double and eight runs batted in in Rio Mesa’s 11-7 Channel League victory.

Luft, a 6-5, 215-pounder, has six home runs and 19 RBIs. According to Rio Mesa Coach Pat Machado, Thursday wasn’t just a lucky outing.

“He’s the kind of kid who takes the extra batting practice when he has to,” Machado said. “He works very hard at what he has to do. It was his day.”

Luft’s big day at the ballpark started in the first inning when he rifled a Mendoza split-fingered fastball over the left-field fence for a grand slam to put the Spartans ahead, 4-0.

After Phil Maquinalez flied to center to lead off the third inning, Luft struck again. He belted a low curve ball far over the 360-foot mark in center field.

“He never hit the ball like that against us before,” San Marcos Coach Joe Mueller said. “He was one of our least worries, but he sure came on today and did the job.”

Luft’s job was far from complete at that point, however. With Maquinalez on first, Luft faced a beleaguered Mendoza for the third time and jumped on a high slider, depositing it over the left-center field fence.

“I was just looking to make contact,” Luft said. “The main thing is that the team is winning.”

Luft finished his most productive performance in high school by drilling a double down the left-field line--good for his eighth RBI--and Rio Mesa led, 10-4.

“After the first three hits I was yelling, no more breaking stuff,” Mueller said. “So we threw him a fastball and, wham, he hit the double.”

Rio Mesa is gradually turning the Channel League race into a runaway. The Spartans, who are 10-0 in league and 17-2 overall, have won nine straight games.

“It’s sometimes like we toy with teams,” Machado said. “We score a few runs and then let them back into the game. It’s a concern to our coaches because you’d like to see the killer instinct.

“Though, how can you complain when you’re 17-2?”

Leadoff batter Art Espinoza was 2 for 4 with one RBI for Rio Mesa, and teammate Heath DeLaTorre also had two hits.

Scott Bush improved his record to 7-0 after relieving starter Rick Valdez. Maquinalez earned the save when he came in to extinguish a late rally by San Marcos.

Mendoza was 1 for 1 with two RBIs and three walks, and Keith Knauss was 2 for 3 for the Royals (7-11-1, 3-6-1 in league).

San Marcos first baseman Marc Gamberdella was struck in the right cheekbone by a pitch in the third inning. He was taken to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, where he was treated and released.