Royal Survives Rally, Sharts’ 2-Run Homer to Stun Simi Valley, 6-4

Scott Sharts belted his 24th career home run Friday and Simi Valley High again pulled some seventh-inning magic with a pair of solo home runs, but this was not a day for Pioneer plaudits.

It was instead a day for Royal, which long has played in the shadow of its cross-town rival. The Highlanders, whose two run-lead evaporated in a late Simi Valley rally, came back to shock the Pioneers with a gritty 6-4 win in 10 innings at Simi Valley.

The Royal win was only the third in the past 19 games against Simi Valley, but Royal is the surprise team of 1988 with an 8-2 record, 1-1 in Marmonte League play. Simi Valley, which leaves today for the Colonial tournament in Florida, is 7-3, 2-1.

Royal Coach Mike McCurdy believes it is time his team was recognized.

“For some reason Royal doesn’t get a lot of respect in the league,” he said. “The only way we can gain the respect is to play like we played today.”

Royal staggered into Friday’s game after suffering painful losses in each of the past two days. The Highlanders kicked away their league opener Wednesday against Channel Islands when they allowed two seventh-inning runs in a 5-4 loss and then fell to El Segundo in a nonleague night game Thursday, 6-3.

“We’ve had two crushing losses the last two games and we didn’t get back from El Segundo until after midnight,” McCurdy said. “We had a long talk when we got back and if we compete, we’re awfully difficult to beat. We just came out today and we just weren’t going to be denied.”

Simi Valley collected 16 hits to Royal’s 11 but committed six of the game’s eight errors and stranded 13 runners. And it was a Simi Valley miscue in the 10th that led to Royal’s win.

With one out and the bases loaded, Royal’s David Bernstein hit a sharp grounder that went through shortstop Darin Furlong’s legs, allowing Sean Sullivan and John Ward to score.

Simi Valley mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. But Furlong flied to left and Darren Aurand popped to third.

“Coming back with two outs in the seventh has been a sign of this club,” Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers said. “We’ve won three games in the bottom of the seventh. And then we had a chance to knock them out and didn’t do it.”

Ward started for Royal and allowed 14 hits, 4 runs and 2 walks in 7 innings. He struck out four. Brian Skow (1-0) allowed only two hits and a walk over the final 2 innings.

Sharts, who hit his seventh home run of the season in the third inning and is one short of the Southern Section career record, pitched seven innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits. He walked two and struck out three. Mike Laker (1-2) allowed two hits in three innings.

Royal took a 1-0 lead in the first when leadoff hitter Jason Jones reached first base on a Furlong error. Jones then stole second and scored on Ward’s base hit.

Royal added another unearned run in the third when James Jones reached base on third baseman Terry Hill’s error. Sean Sullivan singled Jones to second, and Travis Kinyoun scored Jones with a single to right.

Sharts’ home run with Darren Aurand aboard tied the score, 2-2.

Royal took a 4-2 lead in the sixth when Bernstein doubled to right-center field, scoring Eric Spellman, who opened the inning with a single. Bernstein moved to third on an errant pickoff throw by catcher Marcus Lockwood and scored on a single by Jason Jones.

Down to their last out in the seventh, the Pioneers struck for two quick runs on back-to-back solo home runs by Greg Gerber and Hill. Gerber literally came out of his sick bed to belt a Ward curveball over the fence in left field to close the score to 4-3.

RECORD CHASE Southern Section Career Home Run Leaders

Name School Total Mike Arthurs Templeton 25 Scott Sharts* Simi Valley 24 Tim Williams St. Bernard 24 Ed Pierce Glendora 24 Norman Villanueva Tehachapi 22 Tom Redington Esperanza 22

* Active