On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Moorpark College baseball team took on the Cerro Coso Coyotes for a non-conference matchup.
Going into the game, the Raiders were searching for their first win this 2025 season after encountering recent wildfires and power outages around Ventura County. Forced to play four games the previous week, the team struggled and came up short in each, earning a daunting 0-4 start to the term.
Mario Porto, the Moorpark baseball team’s head coach, spoke about his goals for the season and what the team’s plan was after enduring multiple losses.
“Right now it’s to win a baseball game, that is our goal right now,” Porto said. “You know, we’re just looking for our guys to compete a little better, you know, and eliminate the mistakes that we’re making. That’s our goal right now.“
Porto also spoke about the impact of the recent wildfires and power outages on this team.
“We started in August, so we got the bulk of our work done in the fall,” Porto said. “It interrupted what we had planned to do, but, you know, that’s not an excuse for what’s going on, you know, we had several months to get things good.”
Sophomore Paul Mellado took the mound as the starting pitcher for the home team. He quickly got the first batter he faced to strike out swinging. However, the following batter hit one over the fence to give the Coyotes the lead with a score of 1-0. Mellado retired the next two batters, getting Coyotes players Kyle Phinn to line out to center and Andrew Bain to pop up to third.
“I felt I was pitching good, all my pitches felt good, and I was confident in everything I threw,” Mellado said. “I felt like the other team should not have had five runs when I came out of the game.”
Moorpark looked to get things going early in the bottom of the first. Sophomore left fielder Danny Asplund led off with a walk, followed by a single from freshman second baseman Nate Lajoie, which put runners on the corners after an error by the shortstop.
However, momentum was cut short when Lajoie was picked off at first. Freshman centerfielder Nate Kaczynski was walked to keep the inning alive shortly after freshman designated hitter Jaden Onaca struck out swinging while Kaczynski managed to steal second. Moorpark couldn’t capitalize, with freshman shortstop Gabriel Flores grounding out to second, leaving runners in scoring position.
Despite opportunities with runners in scoring position, Moorpark couldn’t break through, Jaden Onaca, emphasized the importance of keeping the team engaged, even when things weren’t going their way.
“In a game like that, I try to stay mentally focused by staying on my guys and making sure we’re keeping the energy up in the dugout,” Onaca said. “Our team thrives when the energy is high, and I try to be one of those guys to keep the momentum going either when I’m on the field or in the dugout.”
Mellado went on to battle through four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, though only three runs were earned. He only recorded one strikeout yet didn’t allow any walks. The ball was handed over to sophomore Matthew Acosta, who had a smooth top of the fifth inning, only allowing one hit.
As the deficit continued, Mellado remained composed on the mound, but he noticed a shift in the team’s energy.
“Being down doesn’t really affect me,” Mellado said. “What was getting to me, though, was the errors and effort on the field. It felt like we had given up by the third inning.”
The Raiders seemed to have found momentum in the bottom of the sixth inning after freshman right fielder Max Fernandez ripped a single, driving in freshman first baseman Drew Paez. Riding that energy leading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Raiders pushed across two more runs. However, that was where the rally ended. The offense was unable to produce any additional runs. The game concluded with a final score of 17-3 in favor of the Coyotes.
With the team looking to bounce back from a rough stretch, Onaca stressed the importance of preparation and accountability.
“We come together as a team and find the inputs we need to figure out the situation, and we continue fighting till the game is called,” Onaca said.
Moorpark baseball snapped their five-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over East Los Angeles in their home game on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Raiders kept their positive momentum going, winning 20-11 at LA Harbor in an away game on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
For more information on Moorpark Raiders baseball team, click here.
