Simi Valley Floors Royal for the Count of Ten, 3-2

SIMI VALLEY â€”  The price of gasoline isn’t the only thing unexpectedly skyrocketing these days.

Check the Simi Valley High baseball team.

The Pioneers stretched their winning streak to 10 games Friday with a 3-2 Marmonte League victory at Royal that defined the term nail-biter.

Simi Valley reliever Chris Barbettini recorded the final two outs with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, retiring Kevin Mellinger on a grounder to end the game. Shortstop Steve Jennings’ throw to first beat Mellinger by a step.

Simi Valley (13-8-1, 5-5 in league play) upset Camarillo last week and placed first in the Birmingham tournament three weeks ago.

“I’m so proud of these guys,� Simi Valley Coach Tom D’Errico said. “This turnaround has been tremendous.�

Royal (19-2, 8-2), ranked No. 1 in The Times’ regional poll, managed only six singles off senior left-hander Bill Castonguay. The Highlanders stranded 11 runners.

Castonguay, struggling at times with his control, walked eight. But most of his eight strikeouts came when he needed them most.

“It was tough,� Castonguay said. “The adrenaline of facing Royal for the last time is what kept me going.�

Castonguay (3-2) began the seventh by striking out Adrian Mendoza before allowing a single to Dorian Stitt and walking Matt Pitstick and Zack Gordon.

Barbettini entered and settled matters in seven pitches to notch his second save.

Pitstick (5-1) pitched an eight-hitter for Royal, striking out three. Simi Valley pushed across single runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings and didn’t trail.

Danny Adair had a run-scoring single in the first and Robert Gonzalez scored from third on a passed ball in the fifth.

In the sixth, Robert Comeaux singled, took third on a single and passed ball, and scored on a grounder by Brandon Voorhees.

Royal evened the score, 1-1, on a double steal in which Brent Egan raced home from third.

In the sixth, pinch-hitter Mike Devan singled home Mellinger.