SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : 5-A DIVISION : Lindsey’s Hit Gives Marina Its Final Upset

Robin Lindsey held the Southern Section 5-A championship plaque proudly and deservedly Saturday night at Anaheim Stadium.

The senior catcher’s two-run single in the top of the seventh inning gave Marina High School a 6-4 victory over Diamond Bar in the title game.

It was the first Southern Section baseball title for Marina (17-12-1), which entered the playoffs as the third-place team from the Sunset League. Diamond Bar ends its season, 21-9.

To reach the title game, Marina upset four teams, the latest a 4-1 defeat of Westlake, the No. 1-ranked team by USA Today, Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

Lindsey’s single came with runners on second and third, two outs and a full count. With the count 2-2, the pitch he took appeared to be strike three to most of the Diamond Bar players who started off the field, but it was called a ball instead.

Once the team returned, Lindsey singled to right-center field for the winning hit. Once he rounded first by three steps, he fell to the ground, pounding it in joy as he crawled back to the base.

“It was a fastball,” Lindsey said. “I knew it would score two runs when I hit it.”

Brian Hagerty (6-3) took the loss in relief and Sean Connors (3-3) got the victory, also in relief.

Marina’s rally was started by a leadoff walk by Brad Barton in the seventh. Chad Terry grounded into a force play, and Jeremy Preall grounded a ball toward the shortstop position on a hit-and-run. Tito Quiles was moving to cover second, and just missed getting back to the ball. The hit left runners on first and third with one out.

Hagerty raised the hopes of the Diamond Bar fans with a strikeout of Travis Boyd for the second out, but Lindsey, the senior catcher and Marina’s emotional leader, came through.

“I wanted to be in that situation,” Lindsey said. “I’ve been here three years and wanted it so much.”

After the hit, the job of protecting the lead fell to sophomore left-hander Connors, who pitched 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief.

He walked Jeff Turley to start the inning but pinch-hitter Damian Hyams lined into a double play. Issac Garcia singled but Kevin Ware struck out to end the game and several Marina fans swept onto the field to join the team in celebration.

“Can you believe this?” Marina Coach Paul Renfrow said. “This is a great feeling.”

Diamond Bar errors allowed Marina to score three runs in the third and take a 4-1 lead.

Marc Newfield hit a two-out grounder that went through the legs of third baseman Jim Doyle, allowing a run to tie it, 2-2.

David Schultz then came up with runners on first and second and hit a two-hopper to shortstop Quiles. Quiles fumbled the ball then threw wildly to first, allowing Lindsey to score. Newfield, who started on first went to third, while Diamond Bar first baseman Tommy Thompson ran down the errant throw. Newfield took too big a turn at third, but when Thompson threw behind him, Newfield beat the relay home.

Diamond Bar (21-9) came back to it, 4-4, in the bottom of the third. Doyle reached second on a throwing error by third baseman Terry. Turley followed with a two-run home run to the right of the 362-foot sign in left field off starter Sean Patterson.

Newfield’s speed helped Marina get a run in the first. He had an infield single with two outs. He stole second and went to third on a wild throw by catcher Karl Thompson. Newfield continued home when Turley over-ran the ball in center field.