FREEWAY LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Timely Hits Get Sonora by Fullerton

Sonora High School baseball Coach John Link hoped the fundamental “little things” would be enough to derail Fullerton’s potent offense in a Freeway League game Wednesday.

Link was pleasantly surprised to get some “big things” as well. The Raiders (11-10, 6-6 in league) collected 11 hits to defeat the Indians, 10-8, and take the inside track for the league’s No. 3 spot in the Southern Section playoffs.

“There’s no question Fullerton has an outstanding offensive club, so we had stressed defense and getting the baserunners in motion during practice,” Link said. “They’re going to get their hits.”

Fullerton (12-10, 5-7) did just that in the early innings, taking a 5-1 lead. Catcher D.C. Olsen padded his already hefty statistics with a run-scoring double in the first and a two-run single in the second.

Olsen went two for four and had three RBIs. For the season, he is 45 for 73 (.612 average) with 10 doubles, 36 RBIs. He also has tied the Orange County single-season record for home runs with 12.

But Olsen and his hard-hitting teammates could not overcome the shaky pitching and defensive lapses that have plagued Fullerton all season.

Sonora took the lead in the bottom of the second when a bases-loaded walk and a hit batsman resulted in two runs. Brad Keays followed with a three-run triple to give Sonora a 6-5 lead.

Fullerton’s Rene Arias singled in a run in the third to tie the score, 6-6. But a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third put Sonora ahead, 7-6.

After Fullerton’s Mike Holley singled to tie the score, 7-7, in the top of the fifth, Sonora scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take command. Jay Foust’s single scored one run and Marcos Pando’s double scored two more for a 10-7 lead.

Sonora pitcher Scott Oxarart (4-3, 5-6) got the victory.