PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Torrid N. Torrance Continues Comeback, Edges Culver, 3-2

North Torrance 3, Culver City 2--Preseason expectations were promising for North Torrance, but after a disappointing 0-5-1 start, things went even worse.

Suddenly, however, the Saxons have turned things around and have placed themselves in a solid position for a playoff berth with an Ocean League victory at Culver City in eight innings Wednesday.

With two outs in the top of the eighth inning and the score tied at two, North’s Tony Preutt hit a fly to deep right field that was dropped by Mauricio Estavil.

Preutt, who reached second base on the error, stole third and scored the winning run when catcher Rick Heineman’s throw bounced into left field.

“The strategy worked,” said North Coach Mike Neily, whose team has won five consecutive league games and six of its last seven overall. “It had to do with the defense because the third baseman was playing on the grass.

“And the throw wasn’t that bad; their timing was just off.”

North, with a record of 9-9-1 overall and 6-3 in league play, is in a three-way tie for second place with Redondo and Mira Costa. North will play at Redondo at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Culver City suffered its first league loss in nine games but remains in first place by two games.

“I told the kids that the only thing we can’t be is undefeated,” said Culver City Coach Dave Ruebsamen. “We still have a two-game edge.”

Culver City, after North had taken a 2-1 lead with two runs in the sixth inning, tied the score in the seventh.

With one out, Dean Davidson doubled and went to third on a passed ball. Lamarr Rogers hit a ground ball to the shortstop who threw to the plate, but Davidson scored when North catcher Preutt dropped the ball.

North’s two runs in the sixth came on a single by Bo Monson, a triple by Johnny Clem and a single by Brad Taggart.

Culver City took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a triple by Juan Cueva and a single by Todd Steverson.

Ty Tout went the distance to pick up his third league win without a loss for North, while John Wade (4-1) suffered the loss for the Centaurs.

Tout scattered five hits and allowed one earned run, while Wade gave up two earned runs on seven hits.