PREP BASEBALL : Garden Grove League : Pacifica Pulls an Inside Job to Defeat Garden Grove, 6-2

Shelby Hart hit a three-run inside-the-park home run in the first inning Friday, and Pacifica High School went on to score a 6-2 Garden Grove League victory over Kennedy at Pacifica.

Pacifica (16-6, 9-3) moved into sole possession of second place behind La Quinta with two games to play. Kennedy (14-11, 8-4) is in third place.

Hart’s home run, his fourth of the season, gave Pacifica a 3-0 lead. Kennedy scored both its runs in the second but could come no closer as Pacifica scored one run in the second and two runs in the sixth.

Jeff McKenzie (4-2), who scattered eight hits, was the winner and pitched his first complete game of the season. Greg Hansell (6-2) gave up six hits in a complete-game loss for Kennedy.

“We dropped McKenzie down to throwing sidearm last week,” said Bill Whiteley, Pacifica coach. “The delivery did a lot in helping him get the outs and complete the game.”

Pacifica’s Vince St. Amand led off the first by beating out a grounder down the third-base line. Oscar Ravelo then reached base when Kennedy third baseman Paul Ruark threw the ball wildly to first for an error.

Hart followed by hitting a fly ball that sailed over the head of Kennedy right fielder Scott Morris. Before Morris could retrieve the ball and make the throw home, Hart scored behind St. Amand and Ravelo.

Kennedy’s Hansell opened the second by getting on first when Pacifica first baseman Kevin Ashworth dropped an infield pop fly. An Ernie Franco single advanced Hansell to second.

After Hansell and Franco advanced to third and second on Wes Castellano’s passed ball, Peter Montera scored Hansell with a single. Franco scored on Craig Roah’s infield out.

Castellano led off the second for Pacifica by beating out a roller to second baseman Mike Correa and moving to second on Correa’s throwing error to first. After Kevin Prentiss sacrificed Castellano to third, Sean MacEachern walked. Castellano then scored when Kennedy catcher Scott Wood dropped a throw from Ruark during a rundown after MacEachern was picked off first.

Pacifica got its final runs in the sixth inning on run-scoring singles by Ashworth and Richard Yukiharo.

La Quinta 12, Garden Grove 3--Jerry Arneson had two hits and three RBIs as La Quinta clinched the league title for the third time in the last four years. It was also the 18th consecutive victory for La Quinta (21-4, 13-0). La Quinta’s Bobby Heyl hit a home run, his second in the last two games. Mike Wilson (10-1) threw a six-hitter for La Quinta.

Rancho Alamitos 22, Bolsa Grande 0--Robby McCall had two hits, including a two-run homer, and four RBIs to lead Rancho Alamitos (13-11, 7-5).

Santiago 16, Los Amigos 5--Adrian Borbon had three hits and four RBIs to lead Santiago (11-14, 7-5) at Los Amigos.