SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : 4-A : Arcadia Takes the Fight Out of Ocean View in Ninth, 7-6

In an emotional game that featured a bench-clearing brawl, player ejections and extra innings, Arcadia High School scored two runs in the ninth inning to defeat Ocean View, 7-6, in a Southern Section 4-A quarterfinal baseball game at Arcadia.

It was the third two-out comeback for Arcadia (21-5-1). Ocean View relinquished leads of 3-0, 5-3 and 6-5.

With Ocean View clinging to a 5-3 lead and the bases loaded in the seventh, Arcadia’s Charlie Emerson singled. Two runs scored, and when the throw home was wild, Chris McCarn tried to score from first.

McCarn was tagged out by Ocean View relief pitcher Mike Fyhrie, who was covering the plate, but they began to shove each other after the play and both teams rushed onto the field. The scuffle lasted more than a minute.

After a brief delay, the umpires ejected Arcadia designated hitter Keith Dernick and Ocean View left fielder Victor Fresca.

It proved to be a costly ejection for Ocean View.

Two innings later, Ocean View scored on a base hit by second baseman Mike Danduran to lead, 6-5. Fyhrie (11-2) retired Arcadia’s first two batters, then walked McCarn, who advanced to second base on a wild pickoff attempt. After an intentional walk, David Weckerle singled to tie the score, 6-6.

Designated hitter Dan Larson, batting for the first time, hit a long fly to left field that went over the head of reserve outfielder Fred Fried, who replaced Fresca.

“I don’t have anything to say,” said Bill Gibbons, Ocean View coach. “You guys saw the game, it’s pretty obvious they came through when they had to.”

Said Arcadia Coach John Meiers: “We’ve been in eight one-run ballgames and won six. We play best when we get excited.

“You hear about all those guys on their team getting full scholarships (to colleges),” he said. “We’ve had to do it as a team, we don’t have any big-name players.”

David Holdridge, who led the county in home runs (9) and runs batted in (36) for Ocean View, went 0 for 5 and failed to get a hit in three playoff games.

Junior Dan Naulty started his third straight playoff game for Ocean View (20-7), allowing three runs in four innings.