SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : 2-A Roundup : Tustin Scores 5 in 7th for 7-6 Win

Tustin High School scored five runs in the seventh inning Friday to pull out a 7-6 victory over Bolsa Grande in a Southern Section 2-A first-round game at Tustin.

Tustin (16-9), which trailed, 6-2, going into the final inning, seemed destined for elimination when Matt Lundin hit a routine grounder to Bolsa Grande shortstop Eric Schreifels with two out, three runs in and runners on second and third. The ball caromed off Schreifels’ glove and rolled into left field, giving the Tillers the runs they needed to advance to Tuesday’s second-round game against Capistrano Valley.

Bolsa Grande (14-10) jumped to a 3-0 lead on a three-run first-inning home run by Rob Walker. Tustin came back with two in the second before the Matadors scored one in the fourth and two in the fifth.

In the seventh, Jerry Maldonado, who relieved Bolsa Grande starter Schreifels in the sixth, allowed back-to-back doubles, to Ty Davis and Monte Roberts, to score Tustin’s first run. After two outs, two walks loaded the bases, and Bolsa Grande Coach Vern Nelson turned to his ace, Tony Beall, to try and get the final out.

But Beall walked Craig Gill to force in a run and then balked home another before Lundin’s grounder.

Tustin starter Chris Floth (11-2) pitched a complete game, giving up only four hits but allowing eight walks.

“We just had to have the confidence to win this one,” said Vince Brown, Tustin coach. “Chris Floth was not sharp out there and we were making a lot of mental errors before we could pull this one out. But still, it was a great win for the kids.”

In other 2-A first-round games:

Saddleback 15, Irvine 7--The Roadrunners scored 13 runs in the third inning and went on to win at Rancho Santiago College. Saddleback (20-7) sent 18 batters to the plate and had 12 hits in the third to overcome a 6-2 Irvine lead.

Danny Ontiveros, who went 3 for 5 with three runs scored, tripled in the third. Hector Santa Cruz added an RBI double.

Brian Hoilman’s RBI single cut the lead to 6-5 and chased starter John Bretza. Then a wild pitch by reliever Kevin Obergfell scored Hoilman to tie the score, 6-6.

Victor Rossano, who started for the Roadrunners before being relieved by Sean Therien in the third, drove home Paul O’Hearn to give Saddleback a 7-6 advantage.

Hoilman, Therien and Rossano were all 2 for 2 with two RBIs in the inning.

Irvine (14-14) took a 4-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Brian Brocoff, Nick Nikolenko and Terry Rahmatulla and a sacrifice fly by Jeff Walters.

The Vaqueros chased starter Rossano in the third inning, but Therien blanked Irvine on one hit through the next three innings. Hoilman pitched the final inning and allowed one run.

Arroyo 8, Corona del Mar 4--The Sea Kings took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Kurt Ehmann and Chad Thompson each singled in a run at Arroyo. Steve Chavez then retired 10 straight Corona del Mar batters. Arroyo tied the score, 2-2, in the second with two singles, two hit batters and a sacrifice fly. Loren Fairchild had a three-run double in the third and Ralph VanDyke had a three-run home run to give Arroyo (16-5) a 8-2 lead in the fourth. Craig Nixon was 3 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored for Corona del Mar (11-11).

Brawley 4, Orange 0--Ramon Collado gave up six hits and struck out six to lead Brawley at Orange. Tim Howard had a home run in the third inning to give Brawley a 1-0 lead. Mike Holloway went 2 for 3 with a double to lead Orange (17-9). Dave Bjorkland (7-3) gave up eight hits and struck out three for Orange.

La Quinta 4, Apple Valley 2--The Aztecs (22-4) won in the 12th inning on Jeff Kronfly’s two-run home run at La Quinta. Apple Valley was leading La Quinta, 2-1, with two outs in the seventh when Jeff Wood singled in Mike Wilson for the tying run. Mike Wilson (13-2) picked up the victory.