PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Dorado Loses, 12-5, in Walk on the Wild Side

Before Thursday’s Empire League game at Esperanza, El Dorado High School baseball Coach Steve Gullotti noted his team’s tendency to “self-destruct” in two previous losses to the league-leading Aztecs.

Then Gullotti had to watch as the Golden Hawks (7-7, 2-5) squandered a five-run lead by walking 11 and hitting two and allowed the Aztecs (11-2, 7-0) to win, 12-5, on only four hits.

Matt Svoboda started the fourth in relief of El Dorado starter Andy Brazeel, who gave up two runs on two walks, a hit batsman, a single and a sacrifice in the third.

Svoboda struck out the first two batters, and had two strikes on the third before he lost control.

Svoboda loaded the bases by walking Jon Pitts and Greg Hauser and hitting Chris Ashcraft. Erickson Dumaual then forced the first run across with a walk, and subsequent walks to Dave Newhan and Rich Hills tied the score, 5-5.

Gullotti brought in Jason Bellows, who had just as much trouble finding the strike zone. He walked Keith McDonald to force in another run. Then Esperanza’s Dan Redington drove in three runs with a double deep to center. Reid Pullen’s single drove in another run and the Aztecs led, 10-5.

El Dorado chased starter Shade Summers behind Tyson Dowdell’s solo homer in the first and his two-run scoring double in the third. Esperanza Coach Mike Curran then brought in Brian Pickler, who shut out the Golden Hawks the rest of the game.

In Empire League baseball:

Katella 4, Loara 0--Chris Drummond allowed eight hits at Boysen Park in Anaheim. Drummond (4-0) struck out six and walked only one. Jess Evans had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs for Katella (10-4, 4-3).

In Freeway League baseball:

Sonora 8, Buena Park 1--Scott Oxarart pitched a two-hitter and struck out seven and walked one to lead host Sonora (5-6, 3-3). Jay Foust had three hits and three RBIs for Sonora. Buena Park is 5-6, 5-1.

In Garden Grove League baseball:

Pacifica 5, Bolsa Grande 1--Robert Toth pitched a four-hitter to lead host Pacifica (7-6, 2-3). Toth struck out 13 and is 5-2 on the season.

La Quinta 7, Santiago 2--Host La Quinta scored seven runs in the fifth inning, keyed by a two-run double by Matt Logan, who leads the county with eight.

Los Amigos 7, Kennedy 3--John Morgan (3-4) pitched a nine-hitter, struck out eight and allowed just two unearned runs. Greg Holley and Matt McCready each had two hits and one RBI and Bill Speer had two hits for Los Amigos (5-7, 4-1).

Los Alamitos 5, Cypress 4--With the score tied, 4-4, Brandon Barbosa hit a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh for the victory at Los Alamitos. Todd Gragnano (3-0) pitched a three-hitter and struck out 10 for Los Alamitos (6-6-1, 5-1). Cypress is 1-12 and 0-6.

In Pacific Coast League baseball:

Laguna Hills 6, Costa Mesa 0--Mark Wells had three hits and three RBIs and Kevin Lovingier (8-0) gave up three hits in five innings to lead visiting Laguna Hills (10-4, 7-0).

Woodbridge 4, Orange 2--Woodbridge, keyed by Trent Zappen’s two-run double, scored four runs in the sixth inning, ruining Orange pitcher Jeff Peterson’s bid for a no-hitter. Gary Fishel (3-2) gave up five hits and two runs for the Warriors (7-4, 4-3).

In South Coast League baseball:

Mission Viejo 10, Dana Hills 9 (8 innings)--Mission Viejo’s Don Disbro scored on a error with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth inning. Mike Boucher hit a grand slam in the second inning for Mission Viejo, putting the Diablos (6-4-2, 4-2-1) ahead, 9-4.

Capistrano Valley 13, San Clemente 7--Mike Lavin had two hits and two RBIs, including a solo home run in the fifth inning which broke a 5-5 tie for Capistrano Valley (6-6-1, 2-4-1). Lavin scored four runs. Capistrano scored seven runs in the seventh inning.

El Toro 11, Irvine 6--Visiting El Toro scored five runs, highlighted by a two-run homer by Darren Sharp, in the sixth inning for its second victory over Irvine in three days. El Toro pitcher Rob Johnson (3-1), who gave up two runs in each of the first three innings, gave up just three hits in the final four innings.

In the Sea View League:

Estancia 12, Saddleback 3--Lenny Herman had two hits, including a three-run double in the first inning, and Cody Rodman (4-1) struck out nine for Estancia (8-5, 4-3) at Saddleback.

Laguna Beach 6, Trabuco Hills 2--Aaron Scheid (2-2) gave up six hits and struck out eight for the victory at Laguna Beach. Jamie Deak went two for three with an RBI to lead Laguna Beach (4-11, 3-4).

Tustin 11, University 5--Bill Courtney (5-0) got the victory behind a 10-hit attack. Tustin is 12-1, 7-0.