BACK IN FORM BRECKLEY'S RETURN FROM SERIOUS ANKLE INJURY A BOOST TO MOORPARK.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

MOORPARK - No matter what the doctors said, Jason Breckley just didn't feel right again until he stepped up to bat in an official game.

Breckley's life felt incomplete without baseball, and the Moorpark High baseball team appeared equally deficient without him. But life is good again for Breckley and the Musketeers since Breckley's earlier-than- expected return from an ankle injury.

Moorpark earned a share of the Marmonte League title and is headed to the Southern Section playoffs this week for the first time since leaving the Frontier League six years ago. Upon Breckley's return, Moorpark ended its slump by winning seven of its past eight games, including finishing the regular season with five consecutive victories.

``I like to show my teammates it can be done,'' Breckley said. ``It obviously wasn't all just me, but I think I bring the overall moral of the team up.''

The Musketeers have plenty of reason for optimism with Breckley in the lineup.

The senior standout recently committed to play baseball at Fresno State after spending recent years as one of the Marmonte's leading pitchers and hitters. Breckley finished the regular season with a 5-3 record, 1.71 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. He also also batting .431.

Although Breckley plays other sports, baseball has always been his favorite and one that seemed to come naturally. He began his career as an outfielder but was quickly moved to pitcher because of his strong arm.

Sitting on the bench and watching was one of the few parts of the game he wasn't good at. But after severely spraining his ankle midway through this season, he was initially told that was all he would likely do for the remainder of Moorpark's season.

``I was laying there on the field,'' Breckley said. ``It hurt really bad and they had to carry me off. All that was going through my head was disappointment, I'm letting myself down and letting my team down.''

After two weeks of physical therapy, Breckley was back in the lineup April 23 against Calabasas. ``That first at-bat, it was like, this is where I belong,'' Breckley said. ``Things were back to the way they were supposed to be. It felt so good.''

He earned the save in the 5-3 victory over the Coyotes, and the Musketeers went undefeated the rest of the way in league.

The way Moorpark has played in recent weeks is exactly what the Musketeers envisioned after winning last year's summer league championship and entering this season as the preseason favorite of many for the Marmonte title.

``It's awesome,'' Breckley said of sharing the league title with Thousand Oaks. ``We've been working so hard for so long for this. ... Ultimately our goal is to win CIF, but it feels great to have accomplished what we have.''

Heather Gripp, [phone]

heather.gripp(at)dailynews.com

BRECKLEY FILE

Name: Jason Breckley

Team: Moorpark baseball

Position: Pitcher/outfielder

Year: Senior

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Jason Breckley felt he let his Moorpark teammates down when he went down with a sprained ankle, but the team has won seven of eight games since he returned.

Joe Binoya/Staff Photographer

Box:

BRECKLEY FILE (see text)