Emerging Tuber Makes Pitch for Highlight Film

LAS VEGAS —  As a senior project for English class, Peter Tuber of Granada Hills High is putting together a video documentary of his baseball team’s trip to Las Vegas.

A highlight should be his pitching performance Friday against Saugus.

Looking like the dominant pitcher he was when he played for Northridge Little League’s championship team as a 12-year-old, Tuber pitched a two-hitter, retiring 14 consecutive batters between the second and sixth innings, to help Granada Hills defeat Saugus, 11-2, in a Bishop Gorman tournament game at Eldorado High.

Tuber shut out the Centurions (7-5-1) after giving up two unearned runs in the first inning. The right-hander struck out five, walked two and helped his confidence entering a critical two-game Northwest Valley Conference series next week against Chatsworth.

“That’s what he’s capable of doing,” said Coach Steve Thompson of Granada Hills. “I think he needed this one to go the distance and boost his confidence. This proves we’re not a one-pitcher team.”

Granada Hills (9-1) already possesses one of the region’s top pitchers, Kameron Loe (5-0), and if Tuber can pitch the way he did Friday, the Highlanders deserve to have City title aspirations.

“[Tuber] was putting on a show for us,” left fielder Bobby Baca said.

Baca put on his own show by hitting two doubles and a triple and driving in three runs to lead an 11-hit attack. Baca, a sophomore, is batting .500 (13 for 26).

Dan Seidman contributed two run-scoring singles, and Peter Gunny and Jon Bringuier each added two hits for the Highlanders, who are 2-0 in the tournament, which they conclude with a doubleheader today.

Tuber relied mostly on his fastball, keeping the ball down. He produced 11 ground ball outs.

“I was going right at them,” he said.

Now Tuber can focus on his video project. He and shortstop Erik Hagstrom are the designated cameramen. Tuber’s father, Rick, a film editor for the television series, “Martial Law,” will be helping put together the team film.

Filming in the hotel room and on the bus, Tuber has to be selective.

The Highlanders are trying to play one game at a time, but many players are already looking forward to their showdown games with Chatsworth.

“It’s going to be a duel to the end,” said Gunny, the third baseman.

Saugus dropped to 1-2 in the tournament, but at least four players had fun on Thursday when they went bungee jumping.

“It was great,” designated hitter Ryan Jossett said.

The Centurions were trying for their third victory over a top City Section team after beating Sylmar and Carson.

But Saugus could never figure a way to disrupt Tuber’s rhythm.

Afterward, the Highlanders were off to celebrate, with Thompson buying the team pizza and Tuber’s video camera getting a workout.