PREP BASEBALL : Pacific Coast League Roundup : Sheff’s Homer Gives Laguna Hills Drive to Beat Trabuco Hills, Win Title

Chris Sheff’s 123rd career hit was your typical rocket, a hard line drive that cleared the center-field fence in what seemed like record time.

It also went for a three-run homer that propelled Laguna Hills High School to a 5-1 victory over Trabuco Hills that clinched the Pacific Coast League championship Tuesday at Trabuco Hills.

The score had been tied, 1-1, heading into the fourth inning of Game 1 of a two-game set between the teams that would decide the league champion. Laguna Hills (21-4 overall, 13-1 in league play) led Trabuco Hills (14-6, 11-3) by a game coming into the game and had to lose twice to lose the title.

Sheff’s blast helped to put an end to Trabuco Hills’ championship hopes, however.

Sheff, the all-time career hit leader in Orange County, came up to bat with one out and Mark Wells and Ron Kortman aboard on walks.

David Lowery, Trabuco Hills’ starting pitcher, blew two fastballs by Sheff. But Sheff worked the count to two and two. Lowery threw another fastball and Sheff belted it for a three-run homer and a 4-1 lead.

Laguna Hills added another run in the seventh.

The Hawks ended the game much stronger than they started it.

Starting pitcher Rob Milo gave up three hits in the first inning, including a run-scoring double to Lowery, faced seven batters and didn’t figure to last long at that pace.

Jack Hodges, Laguna Hills coach, went out to check on Milo during the first inning and didn’t like what he heard.

“He told me he wasn’t loose,” Hodges said. “I had told him I’d rather have him leave an inning in the bullpen rather than bring the bullpen with him to the mound.”

Translation: Milo hadn’t warmed up enough before the game.

But Milo managed to whip himself into shape.

He faltered in the bottom of the sixth, however, as Lowery singled and Jeff Carrao followed with a double.

Hodges brought Kortman in to relieve, but he quickly got into bigger trouble. Ryan Meridith reached on an infield single, loading the bases with none out.

But Kortman got Jim Skidmore to pop up, then struck out Jeff Lokey and Steve Tepper to preserve the lead. He got the Mustangs in order in the seventh to pick up his third save.

Milo, despite giving up seven hits, improved his record to 7-0.

“For a guy who hasn’t pitched before this season, he’s done very well,” Hodges said of Milo, who will attend Stanford next fall.

Orange 19, Laguna Beach 6--Jesus Romo had four hits and four RBIs for Orange (15-10, 9-5) at Laguna Beach. Scott McMahon and Greg Folsom each had four hits and two RBIs for the Panthers. Laguna Beach is 7-14, 3-11.

Woodbridge 9, Costa Mesa 1--Sean Spelber went two for three and scored twice, and Marc Howard went two for four, including a double with two RBIs and two runs scored, for Woodbridge (4-19, 2-12) at UC Irvine. Sophomore Trent Zappen (1-0) pitched a one-hitter with four strikeouts and three walks. Costa Mesa is 4-10 in league play.