SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Corona del Mar’s Start Is Too Fast for Rancho Alamitos in 6-2 Victory

Jerry Gelnick, Corona del Mar High School baseball coach, thought his team needed to start strong against Rancho Alamitos in Wednesday’s Southern Section 2-A wild-card playoff game at Corona del Mar, and his team didn’t disappoint him.

The Sea Kings (11-10) scored five runs with four hits in the first inning and advanced with a 6-2 victory. Corona del Mar, third-place finisher in the Sea View League, plays at Arroyo Friday.

Bob Hess (8-2) pitched four perfect innings before Rancho Alamitos’ Tony George doubled off the right-field fence for the the Vaqueros’ first of three hits. It was Hess’ fifth consecutive victory.

“Anytime you play a wild-card game like this, it’s to your advantage to get an early lead,” Gelnick said. “We thought we had them after that first inning, but they came back and kept us off balance the rest of the way.”

Corona del Mar’s Gary Sussman, who was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, broke it open in the first inning with a two-run single. Kurt Ehmann was 2 for 3 for Corona del Mar.

Rancho Alamitos (11-12-1) scored in the fifth inning as Mike Bragdon’s bloop single scored George and Pat Davis.