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The Milpitas High School baseball team came into the season knowing that its hitting was the major question mark for 2008. After four games of league competition, the Trojans are still looking for answers.

"We are just completely in a funk right now," Coach Chuy Zamudio said. "We can't hit anything, and it's affecting our overall play."

Milpitas was swept by Homestead High School of Cupertino in two games last week, dropping its league record to 0-4. Even worse, the Trojans have managed only three runs in their first four league games.

Milpitas was blanked 9-0 at Homestead on Friday, with Homestead scoring six runs in the fourth inning to break open what had been a pitchers' duel.

"It has really become a mental thing with us at this point," Zamudio said. "Our inability to score runs is dragging down our performance on defense and everywhere else."

The Trojans played Homestead much tougher at home on March 12, but still couldn't generate much offense, losing 3-1. Brandon Menezes kept Milpitas close throughout, but the only support he received was junior Cody Lane's fourth-inning single to drive home fellow junior Anthony Bowlin.

Zamudio hopes that a non-league tournament beginning this weekend at Palma High School in Salinas will help the Trojans regain momentum.

"We just need to get back to basics," Zamudio said. "Luckily this is a tight-knit group. They win together and they lose together, and hopefully they can bounce back."

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