Tustin Uses Double Steal to Beat El Modena, 4-3, and Win League Championship

Tustin High School scored on a double steal in the top of the seventh inning Friday to defeat El Modena, 4-3, and win the Century League championship on the Vanguards’ field. The Tillers last won the league title in 1983.

With the score tied, 3-3, in the seventh, Matt Lundin doubled, moved to third on a passed ball, and Ken Lynch walked to put runners on first and third. When Ed Villela, El Modena’s fourth pitcher of the game, went to the stretch, Lynch broke for second and Lundin broke for home.

Villela threw straight to second, however, and Lundin beat the relay throw to the plate to score the winning run.

Senior left-hander Steve Surico, who relieved starter Chris Floth in the fifth inning and didn’t give up a hit the rest of the way, was the winning pitcher. Surico struck out five, but the Vanguards were still able to score the tying run in the sixth.

Chris Gallego struck out but advanced to first when the ball got by the Tustin catcher. He later scored on Dennis Brooks’ suicide squeeze play.

El Modena (8-6, 11-10) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Gallego’s two-run single, but Tustin (11-3, 18-4) scored single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-2 lead.

Lynch, who had two hits, hit a ground-rule double to right-center field in the second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Lee Pooler’s single to right field. Pooler finished with three hits and two RBIs.

In the fifth, Greg Richardson walked, Pooler singled and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Craig Gill then walked, and Surico singled to score Richardson. Lynch singled in the sixth inning, stole second and scored on Pooler’s single to right field.