SOUTH COAST LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Irvine Falls to Dana Hills but Gets Playoff Berth

Bob Flint, Irvine High School’s baseball coach, predicted four days ago that his team would miss the Southern Section playoffs by splitting a two-game series with Dana Hills.

Irvine, Dana Hills and Mission Viejo went into the week contending for third place and the final playoff berth in the South Coast League. Flint thought Mission Viejo would sweep last-place San Clemente and get the final berth.

Flint was almost right. Dana Hills shut out Irvine, 2-0, behind the two-hit pitching of Albie Sukut Thursday, getting a split with Irvine. Mission Viejo shut out San Clemente, 2-0, to earn the sweep Flint had predicted.

But Flint failed to foresee Capistrano Valley’s collapse. Capistrano Valley lost to league-leading El Toro, 4-1, dropping its third game in its last four outings and fading from the playoff picture.

The unpredictable outcome meant that Mission Viejo (11-11-2 overall, 8-6-1 in league) was second while Irvine (13-13, 8-7) finished tied for third with Dana Hills (14-10-1, 8-7). Irvine earned the final playoff berth by winning two of three games against Dana Hills this season.

Dana Hills was eliminated Tuesday from the playoffs and hoped to return the favor two days later. Sukut (2-0) retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.

Sukut, making his second start of the season, allowed only a triple to Irvine designated hitter Bobby Garcia in the second and a single by leadoff batter Mark Huffman in the third.

“Albie broke his collarbone and has only pitched in three games this season,” said Dana Hills Coach Bob Canary. “I thought he pitched an outstanding game.”

Dana Hills catcher Lance Marks failed in his bid to establish an Orange County career home run record, going hitless in four at-bats.

Marks walked twice, struck out and flied out deep to left field, finishing his three-year career with 22 home runs. Marks is tied with Valencia’s Andy Ruscitto, who set the county mark from 1984-86.

Leadoff batter Mike Robertson scored both of Dana Hills’ runs and had four consecutive hits. He singled and scored on a double by designated hitter Ryan O’Leary in the third and singled, stole second and scored on a single by Sukut in the seventh.

In other South Coast League games:

El Toro 4, Capistrano Valley 1--Pitcher Rob Johnson (8-1) scattered seven hits as El Toro (20-6, 12-3) won 20 games in the regular season for the first time in school history. Left fielder Tim Powers had two hits and leadoff batter Chris Sauritch hit a homer for El Toro.

Mission Viejo 12, San Clemente 3--Mike Boucher hit a home run and drove in two runs and Greg Parsons (3-3) earned the win by pitching six innings.