CORRAL TAMES TOUTED ROYAL : CARMARILLO 7, ROYAL 1.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Deputy Sports Editor 

It was over in close to 90 minutes. By then, Royal High School baseball players were dealing with defeat for the first time this season and Camarillo players were celebrating their biggest win in the brief, but promising, coaching career of Scott Cline.

Mike Corral, a 5-foot-8 left-hander with a devastating curveball, threw a three-hitter, striking out nine and walking none as No. 3-rated Camarillo beat top-ranked Royal 7-1 Friday in a Marmonte League showdown at Camarillo.

The Highlanders (10-1, 3-1) never had a chance against Corral, who baffled Royal hitters with a wicked breaking pitch. Meanwhile, Royal left-hander Adrian Mendoza suffered his first-ever high school defeat, giving up 11 hits in five innings.

``We were nervous,'' said Royal outfielder Dorian Stitt, who had two of his team's three hits. ``We had no intensity. We had nothing. I don't know what was wrong.''

Added Royal coach Dan Maye: ``I think our guys played scared.''

Camarillo (10-1, 4-0) put the pressure on from the outset with bunts, slap hits and solid defense from third baseman Nathan Kaup and shortstop Jeff Bannon. The Scorpions broke the game open with two-run outbursts in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Offensively, Rondell Desamparo had three hits and two RBI and Kaup and Corral added two hits apiece.

But Corral's pitching influenced this game from start to finish. With total control of his curveball, he never came close to walking a batter.

``It's one heck of a curveball,'' Camarillo catcher Zach Gyler said. ``He'll spot it anywhere on the plate he wants to.''

Said Corral: ``I don't think they've seen a lefty with my type of curveball.''

Afterward, Stitt made it clear Corral had gotten the Highlanders' attention. ``I think it's a big wake-up call,'' he said.

All week, the 29-year-old Cline tried to downplay the importance of playing Royal, ranked eighth nationally by Baseball America magazine. Nevertheless, come game time he and his players were pumped.

``That's the first time we've played a team nationally ranked since I've been here and it was nice that we could compare us to them,'' he said.

Cline, who is in his second season as head coach, is a former Camarillo and UCLA star trying to guide the Scorpions to their first playoff berth since he was a high school senior in 1985.

The Scorpions' only loss this season came against Chatsworth and left-hander Andrew Silver. But this is a team that doesn't figure to lose too many games when Corral is throwing strikes. Even Cline wouldn't want to get into the batter's box against Corral.

``No, I'm a little too old for that,'' he said. ``Too many knee surgeries. I don't think I could hit that curveball.''

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Chart: Mike Corral's Pitching Day