FAR WEST BASEBALL TOURNAMENT : Hale Helps Pitch Fountain Valley to Another Upset

Fountain Valley High School, the only team in the Far West baseball tournament with a losing record, scored another upset Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over Chatsworth at Fountain Valley.

Jeff Hale, who pitched a five-hitter in a 4-0 victory over Fresno Bullard Monday, earned a save with two scoreless innings of relief to move Fountain Valley (7-9) into today’s semifinals of the 16-team national tournament.

Chatsworth (11-4-1) had only four hits off three pitchers and failed to score with a runner on third and one out in the fifth and sixth innings. Chatsworth left 10 runners on base.

Hale made the play of the game in the sixth, spearing a hard-hit grounder by Chatsworth leadoff batter Scott Carpenter with runners on second and third for the final out of the inning.

Fountain Valley scored the winning run in the fourth without a hit. Brad Powers walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by pitcher Danny Rodriguez.