ORANGE LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Kaiser’s Versatility Leads Brea-Olinda to 4-0 Victory

Marc Kaiser launched himself into a headlong dive after a ground ball, soared after a high chopper over the mound and knocked in a run with a single to center field.

Sometimes a pitcher has to take matters into his own hands to earn a victory.

It worked for Kaiser, whose fielding, hitting and pitching led Brea-Olinda High School to a 4-0 Orange League baseball victory over Anaheim Wednesday.

The junior right-hander gave up five hits, struck out seven and improved his record to 4-1.

The Wildcats’ victory increased their lead to two games over Anaheim. Brea-Olinda (15-6-1, 9-2-1 in league) has not won a league title since 1977. Anaheim is 13-8-1, 7-4-1.

“Brea, for so many years, has just been a mediocre, bottom-rate team,” Kaiser said. “We don’t have a lot of talent (on this team). We just play hard.”

Wednesday, Brea-Olinda made the most of an Anaheim throwing error and Kaiser’s steady pitching.

With two outs in the third inning, Corey Brynet grounded to shortstop Jeff Kafoury, whose short toss to second baseman Luis Palomares wound up in right field. John Toro trotted home from third base and Chad Marlow scored from second.

In the sixth, Kaiser singled home Matt Seeland, and Toro’s fly ball to center scored Mike Ryan.

Kaiser snuffed one potential Anaheim comeback in the fifth, smothering Cesar Rojo’s slow roller past the mound. Kaiser jumped to his feet and threw out Rojo, who would have had an infield single had Kaiser not dived for the ball.

He then jumped high to grab Tony Krenn’s high chopper over the mound. Kaiser struck out Kafoury to end the inning.

“(Anaheim) comes back a lot,” Kaiser said. “You have to keep on top of them all the time.”

Earlier in the season, Kaiser pitched a one-hit shutout for seven innings before he was replaced. Anaheim rallied and the game went 12 innings before umpires called the game, 1-1, because of darkness.

In another league game:

Valencia 7, Savanna 6--Sophomore designated hitter Jason Williams, playing in only his second varsity game after moving up from the junior varsity last week, hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the fourth. Williams’ grand slam was his first varsity hit. His second hit was a two-run home run in the sixth that broke a 5-5 tie. Valencia is 9-10, 4-8.

Magnolia 4, Western 2--Jesse Caron had two hits and scored two runs and pitcher Chad Phillips pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk to lead Magnolia (10-9, 8-4), which clinched its first playoff appearance since 1984.