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Southern Section baseball playoffs get off to a great start

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The opening games of the Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs Thursday lived up to expectations. There were two extra-inning games; two walk-off victories and some great pitching, including a no-hitter.

Michael Hobbs, Mr. No-Hitter when it comes to the opening round, threw a no-hitter for Corona to defeat Orange Lutheran 7-0. Last season, he also threw a no-hitter in the opening round against Huntington Beach Marina.

“He’s a first-round no-no guy,” coach Andy Wise said of Hobbs, who has signed with St. Mary’s. “I wish he’d do it all year. I think he gets really focused and turns it down. He really wanted this.”

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Another top pitching performance was turned in by Hans Crouse of Dana Hills. He struck out eight and threw 99 pitches in six-plus innings as the Dolphins defeated Studio City Harvard-Westlake 3-1. Jack Sterner got the save in the seventh. Dana Hills scored a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to overcome a 1-0 deficit.

The wildest game was Foothill’s 9-8 victory over JSerra. After JSerra fell behind 9-2, the Lions had the bases loaded and one out in the the bottom of the seventh, down 9-8. But Sean Higgins got a popout and groundout to end the game. Ryan Padayao and Camden Cougnet hit home runs.

Dawson Gilbert delivered the game-winning RBI single in the top of the ninth inning in Servite’s 4-3 win over Cypress. Tanner Smith hit a two-run home run.

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Vista Murrieta scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Hart 6-5. Brandon Luna had the game-winning two-run single. Jake Moberg went three for four.

Brandon Dieter threw a two-hit shutout in South Hills’ 4-0 win over Damien. Freshman Lucas Gordon gave up three hits and struck out eight in Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s 3-1 win over San Clemente. Grant Berman went three for three.

Bishop Amat scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie and added the winning run in the eighth on an RBI double by Richard Castro to defeat Chaminade 2-1.

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Kyle Luckham struck out seven in lifting El Dorado past West Ranch 3-1. Dos Pueblos got a home run from Dylan Kelley in a 5-2 win over Valencia.

No. 2-seeded El Toro hung on for a 5-4 win over Tesoro. Josh Zamora had three hits.

No. 1 Huntington Beach rolled to an 11-1 win over Redondo Beach. Nick Lopez hit a three-run home run and Hagen Danner contributed three RBIs.

Jonathan Schiffer threw a complete game and Mater Dei took advantage of errors to defeat Long Beach Millikan 6-4.

North defeated Mission Viejo 2-1. Gahr defeated Los Alamitos 5-1.

Tuesday’s second-round matchups: #1 Huntington Beach at Servite; El Dorado at Dana Hills; Vista Murrieta at Corona; #4 South Hills at Riverside North; #3 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Redlands East Valley; Dos Pueblos at Mater DeiGahr at Foothill; #2 El Toro at Bishop Amat.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter: latsondheimer

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