Orange County Sports / Prep Baseball : Century League : Foothill Knocks Out El Modena

Kent Madole’s two-run home run in the eighth inning Friday lifted Foothill High School to a come from behind 5-3 victory over El Modena in a Century League baseball game at El Modena.

Madole, a senior, connected on an 0-2 fastball off reliever Jason Albaugh (1-3) for a towering homer to right field that scored Adam Chambers from second base. Chambers had led off the inning with an infield hit.

“This was the biggest hit of my career,” Madole said. “I was just looking to meet the ball and put it in play.”

On Tuesday, Foothill (11-6 overall, 6-1 in league play) defeated El Modena (5-9, 3-4), 4-2.

El Modena held a 3-0 lead entering the sixth behind starting left-hander Wes Duncan. He allowed only one hit until the sixth, keeping the Knights off balance with off-speed pitches. Duncan gave up a run in the sixth but had the game under control until the seventh, when Paul Thornton’s two-run home run with two out tied the score, 3-3, and sent the game into extra innings.

Foothill starter Mike Higgins also pitched well. Higgins, a senior, gave up three runs and only four hits until he was replaced in the seventh after he hit leadoff batter Trey Frank.

Foothill brought in left-hander Tom Adams (3-3), who in the eighth faced the winning run at the plate with two out. But Adams struck out Vanguard center fielder Cale Shepherd to end the game.

“We received some solid pitching today,” Foothill Coach Gerry Sedoo said. “Higgins has been tough all season, and Adams pitched well at the end when we needed him.”

El Modena scored single run in the second, third and fifth innings and lost one in the fifth when Foothill left fielder Tom Hawkins reached over the fence to rob second baseman Mike Vermillion of a home run.

“This was a real tough loss for us,” El Modena Coach Charlie Deeds said. “It’s tough to hold a team like Foothill down for eight innings, but I’m still proud of our effort today.”

In other Century League games:

Canyon 7, Villa Park 5--Canyon (12-5, 5-2) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie at Canyon. Ralph Pacheco had an RBI single in the sixth and scored on Dan Puskas’ triple. Joe Furukawa, who had two hits and three RBIs, drove home Puskas. Scott Myers (4-1) went the distance, striking out four, for the victory. Tony Inga had two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs for Villa Park (8-10, 2-5).

Santa Valley 6, Santa Ana 5--Santa Ana Valley (2-13, 1-6) scored twice in the bottom of the sixth for the victory. Jauvier Pineda doubled home a run to tie the score, 6-6, and Scott Crosby walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run. Court Bickmore (1-4) went the distance for the victory. He also had a two-run triple. Oscar Medina had a two-run homer for Santa Ana (9-8, 4-3).