Baseball: L.B. Wilson opens 5-1 lead in Division I semifinal

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Defensive breakdowns by Norco allowed Long Beach Wilson to score three runs in the top of the fifth inning and take a 5-1 lead in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I semifinal at UC Riverside.

With one out and two runners on, Jesse VanSickle of Wilson hit a ground ball to the shortstop. The throw went past Norco first baseman Matt Hobgood, allowing two runs to score. Then Cody Harris hit a ground ball to third base, and it was thrown away for an error, allowing VanSickle to score.

Ray Hanson is back on the mound in the bottom of the fifth for Wilson, which is trying to repeat as Division I champion and earn a spot in Friday’s 7:30 p.m. final against fourth-seeded Simi Valley at Dodger Stadium.

-- Eric Sondheimer