CENTURY LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Villa Park Gives Foothill Another Long Day, 15-1

Foothill High School’s slide in the Century League baseball standings continued Friday as Villa Park pounded the host Knights, 15-1.

Foothill committed nine errors and three pitchers gave up 16 hits as Villa Park enjoyed its highest run total of the season.

It was the fourth loss in the past six league games for Foothill (8-12-1, 5-5-1 in league play), which has lost three starters with injuries, including one of the county’s best pitchers, Kent Donnelly.

“I feel sorry for (Foothill Coach) Gerry (Sedoo) after this one,” Villa Park Coach Dave Ochoa said. “He’s got one of the best high school pitchers in Southern California and can’t use him.”

Donnelly is suffering from a lower back strain and Sedoo said the senior right-hander won’t pitch again this season. Sedoo used Donnelly as the designated hitter and he struck out twice and doubled.

Villa Park starter Kurt Luhrsen (3-3) allowed only four hits and struck out eight, losing his shutout in the fourth inning when Jason Martian misplayed a fly ball.

Villa Park (13-7-1, 6-5) will play two games against league-leading Canyon next week, and Ochoa was encouraged with Luhrsen’s performance going into the big series.

“Kurt got more aggressive on the mound as we got more aggressive at the plate,” Ochoa said. “The last time we played Foothill, they hammered Todd Blyleven for 10 hits. I thought Kurt pitched a great game today.”

Leadoff batter Aaron Boone, son of Kansas City Royal catcher Bob Boone, led Villa Park with three hits and scored four runs. Martian had three hits and drove in three runs.

Villa Park broke open a close game with six runs in the fifth inning and added five runs in the sixth, when Foothill committed four errors.

Afterward, Sedoo tried to explain a promising season that has gone sour.

“We started losing players before the spring break, and then compounded our problems during the break with fielding errors and mental breakdowns,” he said. “We haven’t played well since the break. I’m just hoping we can snap out of it.”

Santa Ana 6, El Modena 5 (10 innings)--El Modena scored a run in 10th but host Santa Ana (10-11, 6-5) rallied back for two runs with the help of three errors.

Canyon 3, Santa Ana Valley 2 (10 innings)--Mike Casagranda singled with one out in the 10th and was replaced by pinch-runner Chuck Nickerson, who later scored the winning run on a single by Bob Thompson. Greg Tippin (2-3) pitched 10 innings with 10 strikeouts for the victory. Scott Crosby hit a solo home run for Santa Ana Valley in the third.