Southern Section Baseball Playoffs : Western, Tustin Hitters May Have a Tough Day

Don’t expect any repeat performances by the Western and Tustin high school hitters today when the Pioneers and Tillers meet in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section 3-A baseball playoffs at Tustin High.

Western (24-4) had 13 hits in Tuesday’s 8-2 victory over Upland, and Tustin (20-4) had 16 hits during Tuesday’s 12-6 victory over Santa Barbara. But if Pioneer right-hander David Tellers and Tiller lefty Steve Surico are pitching to form, today’s 3:15 p.m. game should be low scoring.

“We’ve been working on contact drills, bunting, hit and runs--the fundamental things,” Western Coach Dave Bowman said. “We have to play a traditional type of game, as far as getting a guy on, bunting him over and hoping for a hit. But we know we’ll keep them close, because Tellers isn’t gonna give up a bunch of runs.”

Tellers (10-1) pitched 9 innings, allowing six hits and striking out four, in Western’s 2-1, 12-inning victory over Troy in the first round.

Surico, who has signed a letter of intent to attend Loyola Marymount University, is 10-1 with 145 strikeouts and an earned-run average of less than 1.00. Surico, a hard-throwing senior, pitched six innings, allowing two runs and striking out 11, in the first game and relieved Chris Floth in the last inning of the second.

Shortstop and leadoff hitter Matt Lundin, who has four hits in six playoff at-bats, suffered back spasms after reaching for a ball in the third inning Tuesday and had to come out of the game.

He didn’t practice Wednesday and saw little action Thursday. Vince Brown, Tustin coach, won’t make a decision on Lundin’s status until pregame drills today.

In other 3-A Division quarterfinal games:

Fullerton (18-7) vs. El Segundo (25-5-1) at Recreation Park (7:30 p.m.)--The Indians, who are coming off a 10-9 upset of third-seeded Gahr, will start right-hander Stathy Papadatos, who pitched four innings but had control problems in Fullerton’s 3-2 first-round victory over Corona.

Catcher John Mele has two homers and five RBIs in the playoffs, including a three-run shot that gave the Indians the victory over Corona. Center fielder T. J. Richards has added four hits, including a home run on Tuesday.

Fullerton probably will be without senior shortstop Steve Moore, a four-year starter who missed Tuesday’s game because he is suffering from strep throat.

The Eagles eliminated Savanna, 6-2, in the first round and beat Hueneme, 7-4, on Tuesday. El Segundo’s best player is shortstop Willy Parsons, who hit .436 with 5 homers, 11 doubles and 31 RBIs during the regular season.

In 4-A Division quarterfinal games:

Ocean View (20-4-1) at Simi Valley (25-3)--Top-seeded Simi Valley, which has won 18 straight games and is ranked No. 1 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, needed six runs in the seventh inning to defeat Santa Monica, 8-4, Tuesday.

Senior left-hander Scott Radinsky (11-1 with a 1.10 ERA and 147 strikeouts during the regular season) was the winning pitcher in both games. He went the distance and struck out 12 against Muir in the first round (a 3-2 victory) and entered in the third inning against Santa Monica and struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced. He is expected to start today.

The Seahawks, behind David Holdridge and Billy Daymude, have seven batters hitting .300 or more. The Seahawks have won 13 of the last 14 games.

Esperanza (22-3-1) at Rowland (15-6)--Senior left-hander Steve Halweg (12-2), who allowed two hits and struck out seven in five innings to lead the Aztecs to a 7-0 opening-round victory over Huntington Beach, will start for Esperanza.

Andy Escobar, who hit .455 during the regular season, has two game-winning hits in the playoffs, including an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday that broke a 2-2 tie and helped the Aztecs defeat San Gorgonio, 4-2.

The Raiders’ best player is senior shortstop Dave Hansen, who hit .432 during the regular season. Of Hansen’s 19 hits, 11 were home runs. He also walked 29 times, many of them intentionally.

Albert De La Isla threw a no-hitter to lead Rowland to a 9-1 victory over Newbury Park Tuesday, but senior right-hander Mike Villagran, who went 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA during the regular season, is expected to start today.

Esperanza had a .364 team batting average heading into the playoffs and is led offensively by leadoff hitter Kevin Clancy (.472), Tom Redington (.423, 7 homers, 34 RBIs, 29 runs), Emmitt Cohick (.411, 22 RBIs), Dave Moralez (.409) and Eric Cox (5 homers, 32 RBIs).

Camarillo (18-9) at El Dorado (21-6)--Scott Holcomb, a senior left-hander who pitched a two-hitter and struck out nine to lead the Golden Hawks to a 4-1 victory over North Torrance in last Friday’s first round, will again pitch for El Dorado.

Holcomb, who was 10-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 93 strikeouts during the season, will be trying for his 12th victory overall. El Dorado is coming off Tuesday’s 7-0 second-round victory over Bishop Amat.

Steve Gill has three hits in the tournament, including a bases-loaded single in the sixth inning against North Torrance that broke open a 1-1 game, and Doug Yates has four hits in two games.

The Scorpions, who finished second behind Simi Valley in the Marmonte League, reached the 4-A championship game last season, where they lost to Fountain Valley, 3-2.

In 2-A Division quarterfinal games:

Diamond Bar (22-4) at Mission Viejo (18-6)--The game is a rematch of last year’s 2-A championship game, won by the Brahmas, 3-2. Despite having just four seniors, Diamond Bar won the Hacienda League and earned the top seed in its division. The Brahmas beat Calexico (5-0) and Arroyo (7-2).

Diamond Bar’s best player is shortstop/relief pitcher Kraig Washington, who is hitting .422 with three homers and 30 RBIs. As a pitcher, he has allowed one earned run in 21 innings. Second baseman Craig Turley is hitting .473 (he hit .596 in league) and Larry Vladic is hitting .450.

Damien McBratney or Bryan Marino probably will start on the mound. The Diablos will counter with senior right-hander Jack Bailey (8-4), who pitched seven innings in Mission Viejo’s 7-6, first-round victory over Santa Fe and two innings in Tuesday’s 11-5 victory over Santa Clara.

Don Roberson has had two hits in each playoff game, and Phil Mangram had three hits, including a grand slam on Tuesday. The Diablos had 17 hits in their victory over Santa Clara. Six of Mission Viejo’s starters played in last year’s championship game.

Irvine (21-8-1) vs. Artesia (19-7) at Cerritos College--Neither team really has been tested so far in the playoffs. The Vaqueros beat Chino, 13-6, in the first round and Garden Grove, 7-0, on Tuesday. The Pioneers have recorded victories over La Serna (8-2) and La Sierra (18-10).

Irvine played Artesia in the second round two years ago and lost to the Pioneers, 8-7, in eight innings.

Senior right-hander Brian Snoddy (12-2), who threw complete games in both games, again will pitch for Irvine. Center fielder Mike Moceri went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the first round and 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases in the second.

Irvine’s top hitter, first baseman Bob Hamelin, went 1 for 4 Tuesday after being walked intentionally four times in the first game.