Prep Baseball Roundup : Santa Ana Catches Canyon in Its Squeeze

Hector Olivares’ squeeze bunt single scored John Hefler in the ninth inning Friday to give Santa Ana High School a 2-1 Century League win over previously unbeaten Canyon at Santa Ana.

Hefler opened the ninth by singling off losing pitcher Leonard Damian. Shaun Sterling followed with a bunt single, and when Canyon’s infielders delayed picking up the ball, Hefler took third and Sterling went to second. Olivares then followed with his bunt that won the game.

Canyon (1-1 in league and 7-1 overall) had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning when the Saints (2-0, 7-1) rallied for a run and sent the game into extra innings.

With one out, Hefler singled and took second base on an error. A fly ball moved him to third and with two outs, Juan Moran singled up the middle to tie the score at 1-1.

John Schilling went all the way to get the win for Santa Ana, giving up only three hits while striking out five. Richard Tellez helped Schilling out by making two superb catches in center field.

Damian also went the distance, striking out nine and walking only one while allowing 11 hits.

In other Century League action:

Orange 6, Foothill 2--John Cole went 2 for 4 and had three RBIs as the host Panthers won to even their league record at 1-1.

Bob Towell (1-0) relieved starter Jarrod Stringer in the fourth inning and pitched three innings to get the win. John Rice took the loss for the Knights (0-2).

Villa Park 4, El Modena 4--The Vanguards tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a throwing error by Villa Park’s third baseman Pat Glenn. Glenn’s error came with one out and runners on second and third. Villa Park (1-0-1) had taken the lead on a three-run home run by left fielder Brian Maida in the fourth inning. El Modena came back with two in the bottom of the inning, both helped by Villa Park errors. In all, the Spartans made five errors in the game. The game was called in the ninth inning due to darkness.

ACADEMY LEAGUE

Heritage 15, Newport Christian 8--The Patriots overcame a 7-3 Newport Christian lead with 11 runs in the fourth inning to win at home. Heritage first baseman Lonnie Page had the Patriots only extra base hit when he doubled in two runs in the fourth.

ANGELUS LEAGUE

Mater Dei 7, Bishop Montgomery 1--Jon Hulshof went five innings and struck out 10 to improve his record to 4-0 and keep the host Monarchs (3-0, 7-0) undefeated. Ted Flores and Anthony Follico homered for Mater Dei and teammate John Dworzak went 2 for 2 with two RBIs.

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Troy 17, Fullerton 5--Troy hit five home runs, two by John Mash, to rout host Fullerton. Mash drove in five runs with his two homers, and Steve Russell drove in six with a grand slam, double and a sacrifice fly. Jeff Roaro-Jasso and Mitch Glover also homered for Troy (2-1, 6-3). Eric Silvey and T.R. Richards both went 2 for 4 for the Indians (0-3, 3-6).

Sunny Hills 15, Sonora 14--In a wild game at Sunny Hills, the Raiders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. But the Lancers came back to score eight in their half of the first. Catcher Adrian Schicker hit a grand slam and shortstop Mike Lutz hit a two-run homer to highlight the outburst.

After Sunny Hills (3-0, 10-2) took a 10-3 lead after three innings, the Raiders scored eight in the fourth and two in the fifth to go ahead, 13-10. The Lancers came back to score five in the sixth to take the lead for good.

Buena Park 4, La Habra 2--Paul Bunch went 3 for 3 and drove in all four Buena Park runs with a home run and two doubles to lead the host Coyotes (2-1, 3-6). Buena Park’s Robbie Robinson went the distance and allowed six hits in getting the win to improve his record to 2-3. Jim Bearden, who also pitched a complete game, took the loss for La Habra (1-2, 3-6). Omar Rodriguez went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and three stolen bases for Buena Park.

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

La Quinta 8, Garden Grove 6--Steve Hunt pitched and batted the Aztecs (3-0, 9-1) past the Argonauts (2-1, 4-4) at La Quinta. Hunt pitched three innings to improve his record to 5-0 and went 2 for 3 with four RBIs at the plate.

Bolsa Grande 6, Santiago 2--The host Matadors (2-1, 2-6) won their second straight by beating the Cavaliers (1-2, 2-6). Robbie Walker went 3 for 3 with two RBIs for Bolsa Grande, and teammate Mike Valadez went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Curtis Adams went the distance and struck out five to get the win. Ed Correa went 4 for 4 to lead Santiago.

Los Amigos 24, Rancho Alamitos 1--Center fielder John Kuzmik and shortstop Ralph Ramirez each hit two home runs for the Lobos as they easily handled the Vaqueros.

Kuzmik and Rodriguez each had three-run homers in a seventh inning that saw the Lobos score seven times to go up, 16-0. In the seventh, Kuzmik hit a solo homer only to be upstaged by another three-run homer by Ramirez.

OLYMPIC LEAGUE

Orange Lutheran 6, Capistrano Valley Christian 0--John Cummings pitched the first no-hitter in school history to lead the Lancers to their second Olympic League victory.

Cummings struck out 11 and missed a perfect game when he walked a batter with two outs in the first inning. It was his only walk of the game. The 6-2, 170-pound freshman is 3-0 and has recorded 58 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. His ERA is 0.52.

Orange Lutheran (2-0, 5-2) scored a run in the first and then got four more in the third inning. Second baseman Mike Amling lead the third inning off with a home run. Later in the third Brett Ward hit a two-run single to put the Lancers ahead, 5-0.

ORANGE LEAGUE

Brea 11, Savanna 1--The Wildcats (2-1, 4-6) collected 11 hits and routed the Rebels at Brea. Fred Camarena was 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs for Brea, and teammates David Kain, Mike Oziminski and Mark Dountz each had two hits. Kain went five innings to get the win for the Wildcats, and Robert Brocki took the loss. Miguel Salas led Savanna by going 2 for 4.

Magnolia 9, Valencia 8--The Sentinels rallied from an 8-5 deficit in the sixth inning in Glover Stadium to hand the second-ranked Tigers their second straight loss.

Carlos Gonzales had the key hit for Magnolia in the sixth. With one run in and the bases loaded, he hit a two-run double to tie the score at 8-8. Carl Holmes was walked intentionally to reload the bases before Jay Hannah drew a walk from reliever Jim Campanis to force in the winning run.

Holmes went 3 for 3 with four RBIs. His solo home run in the fifth inning cleared the 370 sign in left field and hit the top of a palm tree which stands about 50 feet behind the fence. Magnolia is 2-1 and 4-4. Valencia is 1-2 and 7-2.

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Saddleback 4, Woodbridge 3--An error by Woodbridge first baseman Jeff Bacon in the sixth inning allowed Saddleback’s Nick Santa Cruz to score the winning run. Jeff Rowe, who also went 2 for 2 at the plate and drove in two runs, went six innings to get the win for the Roadrunners (1-1, 2-7), and Steve Delgado got a save. Mark Fertig took the loss for Woodbridge.

Costa Mesa 10, Laguna Beach 7--The Mustangs (2-0, 3-6) fell behind by six runs but rallied to win. Costa Mesa scored six times in the third on three walks and six singles. Winning pitcher Tom Kaiser (1-1) had a two-run single in the inning that was capped by Bill Remington’s RBI single to tie the score.

Newport Harbor 11, University 8--Sailor center fielder Joey James hit a three-run home run with two outs in the fifth inning to complete a come-from-behind victory for Newport Harbor (2-0, 6-4). The home run, James’ second of the season, put Newport Harbor ahead, 9-8.

University had built a 6-0 lead in the first inning on the strength of third baseman Brett Howard’s grand slam. But three Trojan pitchers walked seven batters and hit another in the bottom half of the inning to allow the Sailors to score four times.

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Laguna Hills 4, El Toro 1--Wayne Helm pitched six strong innings to lead Laguna Hills (1-0, 8-4) past host El Toro (1-1, 7-6). Rich Foulks went seven innings and took the loss for the Chargers.

Dana Hills 10, Capistrano Valley 2--Scott Hefner hit a solo homer in the first inning and a three-run homer in the sixth to pace the visiting Dolphins in their lopsided win.

Dana Hills’ Tom Straugh pitched a complete-game four-hitter, striking out five and walking two. Capo Valley’s Brett August took the loss.

The Dolphins (1-1 in league) had 11 hits. Dave Kirkpatrick went 3 for 4 with one RBI, and Bill Lasher was 2 for 3 with a homer. Hefner was 2 for 5, and his two homers accounted for four RBIs.

SUNSET LEAGUE

Fountain Valley 6, Westminster 6--Baron pinch-hitter Bob Sharpnack singled home Steve Mullen with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score at 6. Westminster (0-2-1, 4-6-1) had taken the lead in the fourth when Al Rodriguez doubled home two and later scored on a single by Mike Skjonsey. Fountain Valley (2-0-1, 11-2-1) came back with three runs in the fifth. Jim Wayne had the big hit in the inning with his two-out, two-run single.