PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP

El Segundo 19, Morningside 2--The Eagles kept pace with Redondo in the Pioneer League and collected the 600th career win for Coach John Stevenson with a 16-hit onslaught at El Segundo Recreation Park.

El Segundo (5-0, 16-6) hit four home runs, including the ninth and 10th of the season by Jose Sanchez, who finished with five RBI. Heath Jones and Chris Ashelford each added solo homers for the Eagles. Sanchez and Jeremy Varner each went 4 for 5 and Jones, who hit his ninth homer of the year, was 3 for 3.

St. Bernard 24, Verbum Dei 1--The Vikings hit five home runs, including three in one inning, and set school records for runs and hits (20) in a game while romping to a Camino Real League victory at home. The game was called after five innings by mutual agreement of the coaches.

St. Bernard, the top-ranked team in the Southern Section 2-A Division, exploded for 14 runs in the second inning to take an 18-1 lead. Eric Strand, who finished with seven RBI, and Bernard Balthazar each had three-run homers and Dan Melendez hit a two-run homer in the second. Melendez leads the South Bay with 11 home runs.

Royce Clayton and Placido Estevez each had two-run homers for St. Bernard, which improved to 8-0 in league play and 14-3 overall.

Senior right-hander Pat Ahearne pitched a two-hitter to notch his fifth win in six decisions. Verbum Dei’s only run came in the second on a home run.

Banning 7, Gardena 2--Gardena, once the Marine League leader, dropped its fifth straight game as the visiting Pilots remained in first place with a come-from-behind win.

Right-hander Ric Bernal gave up a two-run triple to Gardena’s Rex Carroll in the first inning, but blanked the Mohicans the rest of the way.

“Now I know how Frank Robinson feels,” said Gardena Coach Mike Sakurai, whose team has fallen from 4-0 to 4-5 in league play. “I thought we were going to come out of it in the first inning. We fell asleep after that.”

Banning (8-1 in league, 12-6 overall) took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the fourth. Chris Fernandez drove in one run with a double and Eric Fierro knocked in the other with a single.

San Pedro 17, Narbonne 9--Matthew Rasband and Joey Miller each drove in three runs and Grant Beachley went 3 for 4 with two RBI to power a 16-hit attack for the Pirates in a Marine League game at Narbonne.

San Pedro (6-3, 13-5) remained in a second-place tie with Carson, two games behind Banning. Coach Jerry Lovarov said the Pirates will play the rest of the season without three pitchers who were declared academically ineligible.

Carson 10, Locke 2--Steve Rubio drove in three runs on two hits and pitchers Keoni Kaono and Ed Lovato combined on a three-hitter to lead the Colts (6-3, 9-6-1) to a Marine League win at Carson.

Lovato, a sophomore right-hander, gave up one hit and struck out eight in 3 innings of relief. He entered the game with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth and ended the threat.

Miraleste 12, Centennial 6--Freshman Mike Ryan drove in five runs, Jesse Esphorst had a two-run homer and three RBI and right-hander Jason Mavar pitched a complete game, leading the host Marauders (1-4, 8-11) to their first Pioneer League win.

Serra 12, Mary Star 0--Paul Beaman went 3 for 3 with four RBI, while Kevin Kay and Torrie Sweet each collected two hits and two RBI as the host Cavaliers (5-2, 7-13) strengthened their hold on third place in the Camino Real League. Winning pitcher Jeff Hazelett allowed only four hits by Mary Star (4-4, 10-8).