Orange County Prep Baseball : Edison Scores Twice in 7th to Beat Westminster

Edison High School scored two runs in the seventh inning to defeat Westminster, 6-5, Tuesday afternoon in a Sunset League game at Edison.

Bernie Colacchio singled to center field off Lion reliever John Betz, scoring Steve McKowen from third base for the victory. Edison, ranked No. 9 in Orange County, improves to 7-1. Westminster, ranked No. 5, dropped to 6-1-1.

“You don’t get gray hairs when you win,” said Ron LaRuffa, Charger coach. “The sign of a good club is clutch hitting at the end, and that’s what we got today.”

The Chargers came back from five runs down as Westminster was paced by two-run home runs in the third and fifth innings. Dan Villegas hit a wind-aided shot to right field that scored Dean Eddy in the third inning for a 3-0 lead, and Ben Mendoza hit a home run to center in the fifth to score Al Rodriguez, who led off the inning with a triple.

Lion pitcher Bryan Stubbs had a two-hitter until the fifth inning when pitcher Mike Guccione hit a three-run home run to cut the lead to 5-3.

Guccione (3-0) held Westminster in check the final two innings, giving up 11 hits total and striking out 15.

In the sixth inning, Edison’s John Martin scored on a single to left by Terrance Tewell, making it 5-4, but the seventh inning is when Edison showed its comeback ability.

Leadoff batter Chris Powell doubled off the right-field wall to start the rally. McKowen walked, and Lion Coach Ken Ostrowski brought on Betz. Greg DeBenon singled to center, scoring Powell to tie the game, 5-5.

In other Sunset League games:

Huntington Beach 11, Fountain Valley 4--Brian McLeod had a home run and four RBIs and Eric Martinez hit a solo home run to lead the Oilers (1-0-1, 8-2-1) at home. Fountain Valley is 0-2 in league.

Ocean View 7, Marina 6--Marina rallied for five runs with two outs in the seventh but came up short at Ocean View. Eric Christopherson hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his third in two days, for Ocean View (2-0, 5-3). Marina is 0-2 in league.

In the Academy League:

Newport Christian 15, St. Michael’s 8--Edy Branes went 3 for 5 with a triple, home run, two RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Conquerors (2-0, 5-0) at El Toro Recreational Park. St. Michael’s dropped to 0-2, 0-3.

In the Century League:

Canyon 2, Santa Ana 1--Chris deLalio had a two-run single in the first inning to lead the Comanches (2-0, 6-1) at Santa Ana. Dave Bladow (3-1) earned the complete-game victory, scattering five hits.

El Modena 8, Villa Park 4--Phebes Rhyne, who picked up the victory in relief, hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to lead the Vanguards (1-1, 4-5). Villa Park is 0-2 in league.

Santa Ana Valley 7, Foothill 6--Sergio Nunez scored on a squeeze bunt by Scott Crosby in the seventh inning, lifting the Falcons (0-2, 3-5) at home. Adam Chambers hit a two-run home run in the fourth for Foothill (0-2, 3-5).

In the Olympic League:

Brethren 3, Orange Lutheran 2--Brethren scored three unearned runs on three Orange Lutheran errors at Orange. Orange Lutheran (0-1, 6-5) left 15 players on base.

In the Pacific Coast League:

Orange 2, Laguna Beach 1 (8 innings)--Kerri Reed led off the bottom of the eighth with a bunt single, advanced to second on a throwing error by reliever Scott McDonald and scored when McDonald threw back-to-back wild pitches as the Panthers (2-0, 6-2) won. Laguna Beach is 0-2 in league.

Trabuco Hills 9, Laguna Hills 3--Trabuco Hills scored seven unearned runs at Laguna Hills (0-2, 4-4). Trabuco Hills is 2-2 in league.

Woodbridge 6, Costa Mesa 3-- Matt Evans went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Doug Pryor went 2 for 4 with three runs scored to lead Woodbridge (2-0, 3-3) at Teewinkle Park in Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa is 0-2 in league.

In nonleague:

Garden Grove 8, Miraleste 3--Mike Lyon went 2 for 3 with a double, leading Garden Grove (3-2) at Miraleste.