SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A Roundup : Valencia Beats Leuzinger on Burbank’s 3-Hitter, 5-2

Valencia High School’s Dennis Burbank, who pitched a no-hitter a week ago as the Tigers clinched the Orange League title, had another one going for four innings Friday.

He ended up with a three-hitter, as Valencia defeated Leuzinger, 5-2, in the first round of the Southern Section 3-A baseball playoffs at Valencia.

The Tigers (15-8) advanced to Tuesday’s second round, where they will face Arlington. Leuzinger, the No. 3 entry from the Pioneer League, is 20-7.

Anthony Davis led off the third with a home run to give Valencia a 1-0 lead. The Tigers scored four more runs in the fourth, as Leuzinger pitching ace John Ingram (12-4) gave up five hits, including three doubles, and two walks. Mike Edwards, Robert Navarette, Rudy Lopez and Davis each drove in a run.

Burbank (12-2), after completing his 11th consecutive hitless inning, allowed two singles to open the fifth. One of those runners eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Olympians’ other run came in the seventh, when Ray Robles hit a home run.

Upland 10, Santa Ana 9--The Saints scored four runs in the first, hammered out seven hits, including two home runs from sophomore catcher Julio Vargas, but it simply wasn’t enough.

In the end, Santa Ana couldn’t quite match Upland’s offensive punch Friday afternoon as the Saints fell to the Scots 10-9 in first round action of the CIF 3A baseball playoffs at Upland Memorial Park.

The loss left Santa Ana, which came into the playoffs as a third-place wild card entry from the Century League, 18-10 for the season. Upland, champions of the Baseline League, improved to 23-4.

“I don’t think we surprised anybody because we only finished a game out of first in league,” said Santa Ana Coach Bill Ross after the loss. “We’re young, but we can play a good game.”

The Saints proved that from the start as they roughed up Upland ace Al Baca for four runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Vargas, who now has five homers on the year, highlighted the inning with a towering three-run homer to straight-away center. He added a two run shot in the seventh off reliever and winner Buddy McCown (2-0).

“That kid is going to be a good one,” said Upland Coach Mike Alonso. “No, he is a good one. They weren’t real good pitches, but he crushed them.”

Upland slowly chipped away at Santa Ana’s lead with two in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Tim Albert and a sacrifice fly and another in the second on an RBI double by Greg Fiorindo.

Santa Ana was working on its third pitcher as starter Sergio Guerrero was chased in the first and reliever Fred Barrios was lifted in the third after giving up the tying run and putting two on with no outs. Right-hander Ray Lopez came on but did little to quell things.

Baca, who was 11-0 going into the game, unloaded on his first-ever homer, a 350-foot shot to left that gave the Scots a 7-4 lead.

Although Santa Ana tied the score and chased Baca in the fifth with three runs on a couple of walks, after a passed ball on catcher Jerry Baca, a couple of RBI base hits by Oscar Luna and Alex Espinosa, the Saints found themselves right back in a hole in the sixth.

Al Baca led off the inning with a double to left-center and consecutive singles by pinch-hitters Jerry Crump and Paul Cushing gave the Scots an 8-7 lead. An error and sacrifice fly by Bob Sheridan pushed two more runs across and eventually proved to be the difference.

Villa Park 13, Fullerton 4--Chris Johnson drove in three runs with a home run and a double to lead Villa Park at Fullerton. The Spartans (18-10) hit three home runs in the game, matching their entire season output.

Trent Eye put Villa Park ahead, 1-0, in the second inning with a solo home run to left. Johnson made it 3-0 later in the inning when he drove a 1-1 pitch off loser Carlos Martinez (5-2) over the center-field fence.

The Spartans broke the game open in the sixth when Johnson doubled home Pat Riley, who had also doubled, for a 6-2 lead. Pinch-hitter Chris Bell followed by hitting the first pitch over the left-field fence.

Tom Kelly went the distance, striking out three, to gain the victory. Although Kelly (8-3) yielded three home runs, all came with the bases empty.

The Indians (16-9) got home runs from Jeff Bailey, Ray Diaz and John Mele to bring their season total to 41, third highest in Southern Section history.

Corona 8, Canyon 2--John Ladd went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Andy Villapando went 2 for 3 with five RBIs to lead the Panthers (15-11) at Canyon. Jason Young (3-2) allowed five hits and struck out six for Corona. Joe Furukawa went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead the Comanchees (17-8). David Bladow (9-4) allowed four hits and struck out three in six innings for Canyon.

Brea-Olinda 7, Cerritos 4--Brea-Olinda jumped to a 4-0 lead at Cerritos in the first inning fueled by Greg Quiring’s RBI single and Gary Chiotti’s two-run double. Jim Murray picked up his seventh win for Brea-Olinda (12-11). Cerritos wound up 16-12.