AMERICAN LEGION DISTRICT 20 PLAYOFFS : Sun Valley Struggles, but Holds On : Baseball: Newhall-Saugus suffers 7-6 defeat in loosely played game marred by eight errors.

For those who think the secret to winning baseball games is to get a few timely hits, score a couple of runs, receive good pitching and toss the leather around, Sun Valley Coach Les Riley has a few amendments for your checklist.

Sun Valley did little of the above yet managed a 7-6 win over Newhall-Saugus in a first-round game of the American Legion District 20 playoffs at Birmingham High on Wednesday.

Heck, Riley admitted that Sun Valley did none of the above.

“It was an ugly one,” Riley said as a smile crossed his face. “This was one of those games where whoever makes the most mistakes loses it. You just keep playing and hope for the best.”

The best of the worst:

* Sun Valley scored seven runs on seven hits, but only three players were credited with driving in runs, the remainder scoring on a variety of blunders. The three runs were driven in on sacrifice flies.

* Either the lead changed hands or the score was tied five times in the teams’ final eight at-bats in a game that lasted 3 hours 15 minutes.

* Newhall-Saugus, which outhit Sun Valley, 12-7, stranded two runners in the first, second, third, fourth and eighth innings and three in the fifth for a total of 13.

* Starters Raul Torres of Sun Valley and Doug Maggiora of Newhall-Saugus allowed a combined 12 runs in 13 innings, nine of which were earned. Yet neither figured in the decision.

* Newhall-Saugus catcher John Lopata, who allowed five passed balls, was so trouble-plagued that he was yanked from behind the plate in the middle of the seventh inning after allowing back-to-back passed balls. Sun Valley also stole five bases.

* Sun Valley scored a run in the seventh and the eventual game-winner in the eighth without benefit of a hit.

* Newhall-Saugus made five errors, Sun Valley three.

Despite itself, Sun Valley (20-4) advanced to a second-round game against Woodland Hills East at 1 p.m. today at Birmingham. Newhall-Saugus (15-10) lost a second game Wednesday to Glendale, 9-3, and was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament.

With the score tied, 6-6, in the eighth, Torres reached base on shortstop Jayme Riggio’s fielding error. Torres stole second, and with one out, moved to third on Wil Molina’s sacrifice bunt. But he didn’t stay at third for long.

Molina’s sacrifice was fielded by pitcher Oscar Silva, who threw the ball away at third trying to nail Torres. Third baseman Ben Ealy missed what appeared to be a catchable ball and drew an error as Torres skipped home for a 7-6 lead.

“That’s a good play if they get him at third,” Riley said. “And it’s the ballgame if they don’t.”

Newhall-Saugus’ David Bildner drew a walk to lead off the ninth, but Coach Tom Pedersen elected to forsake the sacrifice bunt. Chris Stark--who had three hits and two RBIs as he stepped to the plate--grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Ealy struck out to end it.

Right-hander Jake Loveridge, who relieved Torres in the seventh, pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed no runs to earn the victory. Loveridge (6-1) struck out one, walked two and allowed one hit.

Stark’s run-scoring single drove in Josh Nolan to tie the score, 5-5, and chase Torres in favor of Loveridge. Nolan took off for second, but Sun Valley catcher Steve Chavez’s throw went into center and allowed Lopata to score from third for a 6-5 Newhall-Saugus lead.