Orange County Prep Baseball Roundup : Capo Valley Wins Its Sixth Straight, Moves Into Second With 3-2 Victory

Three weeks ago, Capistrano Valley High School was slumping with a 2-3 record in the South Coast League. A berth in the CIF Southern Section playoffs seemed a remote possibility.

But on Friday, the Cougars held off Mission Viejo’s two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-2 victory at Mission Viejo. The win was the sixth straight for the Cougars and moved them into second place in the seven-team league.

Capistrano Valley starter Brett Snyder (6-2) got Marc Preston to line out to first base to end the game with the tying run at third. The Cougars scored two runs in the second on a bases-loaded double by Tommy Adams and added a run in the sixth on a solo homer by Charles Lockard.

The Diablos rallied in the seventh on RBI singles by Robert D’Marino and Bob Doran before Snyder got the last out. The Cougars are 8-3 in league play and 16-6 overall. Jack Bailey took the loss for Mission Viejo (6-3, 15-5).

In other South Coast League action:

Irvine 8, Dana Hills 6--Mike Moceri had three hits, including a double and a home run, to lead the Vaqueros at Dana Hills High. Irvine clinched at least a tie for the league championship.

The Vaqueros trailed, 4-2, entering the sixth inning but scored four runs in the sixth, including two on Jeff Walters’ double. Moceri led off the seventh with a homer that proved to be the winning run.

Laguna Hills 5, San Clemente 2--Pitchers Jay Christensen and Wayne Helm combined to strike out 11 at San Clemente High as the Hawks (5-4-1) kept their playoff hopes alive. In the fifth inning, Christensen (3-4) was relieved by Helm, who struck out five of the seven batters he faced.

Christensen aided his own cause with a two-run single in the first inning, and left fielder Chris Latham added two hits. San Clemente is 0-10, 4-16.

In Empire League action:

Esperanza 18, Kennedy 2--The Aztecs clinched a tie for their third straight league title by getting 15 hits and nine walks against the Irish at Esperanza High. Catcher Eric Cox hit his fifth home run of the season and drove in four runs.

Cox finished the week with three homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. Esperanza outscored Kennedy, 34-4, in two games. Steve Halweg (11-1) earned the victory. The hot-hitting Aztecs scored 31 runs on 35 hits this week.

El Dorado 2, Pacifica 0--Senior left-hander Scott Holcomb (9-0) pitched a one-hitter and had 12 strikeouts at El Dorado High to clinch a playoff berth for the Golden Hawks. El Dorado (9-3, 17-6) scored its only two runs in the fourth.

Jim Buck reached on an error and scored on a Jeff Patredes’ two-run homer. Greg Tupa (1-3) pitched a two-hitter but took the loss for the Mariners (3-8-1, 8-14-1). Bob Thome had Pacifica’s only hit, a single to center field in the fourth.

Los Alamitos 4, Katella 3--J. T. Snow hit his third home run of the week and earned a save by getting three outs with only three pitches for the Griffins at Los Alamitos High. Teammate Robbie Katzaroff, who signed a letter of intent with UCLA earlier this week, added a single and a double.

Brooks Peters (5-2) was the winning pitcher for the Griffins (6-6 in league). Katella is 5-7.

Cypress 10, Loara 7--First baseman Jason Freidman hit a grand slam to highlight a five-run fifth inning for the Centurions at Loara High. Loara held a 2-0 lead going into the fifth before Cypress took the lead. Kevin Bumgarner (2-6) pitched 5 innings for the win. Loara had 18 hits, including four by third baseman Curt Henson, but the Saxons committed four errors.

In Orange League action:

Western 5, Valencia 2--David Tellers pitched a complete game five-hitter and struck out seven as the Pioneers (12-1, 20-4) defeated the Tigers (8-5, 11-8) at Western High to clinch their third straight league championship.

Tellers (9-1) has won his last nine decisions after a loss to Katella. Western scored single runs in the first and second innings, and then broke the game open with three in the third on David Brown’s two-run single and Scott Pawloski’s RBI single.

Anaheim 9, Savanna 2--Will Barber went 2 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the Colonists, who scored five runs in the third inning, at Savanna High. Rudy Gonzales was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Greg Gistlinck went 2 for 2 with a pair of walks and Mike Parker was 1 for 3 with three runs scored and two walks for Anaheim (4-9, 7-15). The Rebels are 5-8 in league and 6-11 overall.

Magnolia 6, Brea-Olinda 3--Mike Tietge pitched a complete game and John Hangartner was 2 for 4 with one RBI for the Sentenials (5-8, 8-13). Mike Oziminski was 2 for 4 with one RBI for the Wildcats (5-8, 8-12).

In Freeway League action:

Troy 20, Sunny Hills 3--The Warriors had four home runs--three-run homers by Mike Case, Steve Shirley and David St. Clair and a solo home run by Mike Pawlawski--at Sunny Hills High. Troy has hit 12 home runs in its last four games.

Jeff Ferren went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Chris Robinson went 2 for 4 with two RBIs as the Warriors collected 17 hits. Mike Greer (5-4) pitched six innings for the win. Troy (7-6, 10-9) needs one win in two games next week against Buena Park to clinch a Southern Section playoff berth. Sunny Hills is 6-7, 8-13.

Fullerton 7, La Habra 6--Center fielder T. J. Richards hit a three-run homer and then struck out two batters with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to gain the win at Fullerton High. Richards (2-0) had three hits in the game and finished with eight hits for the week.

Steve Pearson’s single in the bottom of the seventh drove in the winning run. La Habra hit four home runs in the game but all of them came with the bases empty.

Sonora 12, Buena Park 0--Mitch Kaylor went 4 for 4 with five RBIs, including a three-run homer during a seven-run fifth, at Buena Park High. Scott Einhorn went 3 for 4 with a three-run home run in the fifth. David Bird, pitched five innings and had 10 strikeouts for the Raiders (13-0, 22-1).

In the Sunset League:

Ocean View 3, Marina 1--Craig Anderson (3-2) allowed only three hits and struck out 10. Marina’s Keith Laszlo spoiled Anderson’s shutout bid with a home run but was the only Viking baserunner to advance past first.

Left fielder Bill Daymude had two hits for the Seahawks (10-2-1, 15-4-1), and Anderson has allowed only one earned run in his last 13 innings. Marina is 5-8 and 9-13.

Westminster 5, Fountain Valley 1--Freshman left-hander Ryan Klesko (5-2) pitched a six-hitter, struck out six and walked only two at Westminster High as the Lions remained in second place. Center fielder Robert Martinez had three hits and drove in two runs for the Lions, who need only one win next week to clinch their first playoff berth since 1981.

In Olympic League action:

Orange Lutheran 4, Whittier Christian 3--First baseman Jeff Ward singled down the third-base line in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Andy Moore with the winning run. The Lancers (7-5) remained in third place in league play while Whittier Christian fell to 10-2.