No. 1 Jordan Rates as Underachiever Against Simi Valley

Long Beach Jordan High ventured to Simi Valley on Friday ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and boasting a 6-foot-5 pitcher whose fastball has been clocked at 90 m.p.h.

Simi Valley, meanwhile, could not muster a vote in the Southern Section 5-A Division poll and put its shortstop on the mound.

But it all seemed a technicality after the Pioneers posted a 7-1 win over Jordan in a quarterfinal game of the El Segundo tournament. Simi Valley (3-0) will face Gahr in a semifinal today.

“I knew they weren’t the number one team in the nation just by watching them during their pregame warm-up,” said Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers, whose 1986 team also was ranked No. 1 by USA Today. “They didn’t even compare to our ’86 team.”

Jordan (2-1) did not compare to Simi Valley’s 1991 team, either.

Brian Vasey (1-0), the Pioneers’ starting shortstop, gave up only two singles and an unearned run in his first start. The senior right-hander struck out eight, walked one and needed only 79 pitches.

“Their kid completely outpitched our kid,” Jordan Coach Bill Powell said.

Simi Valley stung right-hander Tom McKinnon and his 90-m.p.h. fastball in front of several professional scouts. Kevin Nykoluk, who was two for four with two runs batted in, deposited McKinnon’s seventh pitch over the left-field fence to give Simi Valley a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Simi Valley added a run in the second when Steve Bernstein singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and stole home. Bernstein, a senior catcher, had three of Simi Valley’s eight stolen bases.

“We knew we could run because we’re quick and their catcher was having a hard time handling the ball,” Scyphers said.

The Pioneers stole four bases in the fifth and increased their lead to 5-0 on Tyler Nelson’s second homer, a three-run, opposite-field blast off McKinnon (1-1). In five innings, McKinnon allowed five earned runs, five hits, three walks and he hit a batter.

Simi Valley extended its lead to 7-1 in the sixth when Vasey (two for four) doubled home a run and Nykoluk followed with an RBI single.

“Our kids played extremely well and were thoroughly ready for them,” Scyphers said.