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PREP BASEBALL : Garden Grove League : Wilson, Dion Keep La Quinta Winning

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Times Staff Writer

Mike Wilson pitched a four-hitter to help La Quinta High School extend its unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 2-1 victory over Kennedy on Friday in a Garden Grove League baseball game at La Quinta.

Wilson (8-1) struck out seven and walked one, but the La Quinta offense had trouble staking him to a lead. The teams were scoreless entering the fifth inning.

La Quinta (16-4, 7-0) left two runners on base in the first, then failed to score on two bases-loaded situations in the third.

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In the first inning, Kennedy center fielder Bill Huse made a superb running catch at the wall of Jerry Arneson’s potential home run. Huse also went 2 for 3.

In the third, La Quinta’s Mark Dion hit into a double play with the bases loaded and none out. La Quinta loaded the bases again, but John Park grounded out to end the threat.

When Dion came to bat in the fifth with one on and two out, the third inning was on his mind.

“I wasn’t going to let (Kennedy pitcher Peter Montera) get me again,” Dion said.

Instead, Dion, who went 2 for 3, hit Montera’s high fastball about 355 feet to right-center, which put it about 10 feet past the fence for a two-run home run.

The hit provided a lift for Wilson.

“It was a big relief,” Wilson said. “It’s a lot different when it’s 0-0. You have to pitch conservatively.”

Montera’s record slipped to 3-3. He struck out 3, walked 3 and allowed 4 hits.

Kennedy (11-9, 5-2) scored in the top of the sixth. Steve Rath scored from second when Greg Hansell’s hard ground ball skipped off Jason Cherms’ glove for an error.

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In other Garden Grove games:

Bolsa Grande 5, Garden Grove 4 (9 innings)--Mike Robinson led off the top of the ninth with a triple and scored one out later on Eric Schreifels’ sacrifice fly to give Bolsa Grande (6-11, 3-4) the win at Garden Grove. Schreifels (3-6) struck out 4 in 4 innings of relief. Garden Grove is 3-12, 0-7.

Santiago 9, Rancho Alamitos 8--Carlos Leon hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to give host Santiago (9-11, 4-3) the victory. Enrique Britto (1-0) pitched two innings in relief for the victory.

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