Young, Jensen Both Break State Record for Hits

A record-setting performance Tuesday was bittersweet for Dmitri Young of Rio Mesa High.

His team, ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section 4-A Division, dropped a 5-4 decision to host Ventura in a Channel League contest. Ventura had won only four of its first 15 games and improved to just 3-4 in league play.

And Young, whose double in the sixth broke the state record for career hits (147 by Redondo’s Scott Davison from 1986-89), still doesn’t own the record outright. Highland Hall’s Jakob Jensen, who had four hits Tuesday in an 18-3 win over Hillcrest Christian, also increased his career total to 148.

Rio Mesa (12-3 overall, 6-1 in league play) failed to come away with a victory when Ventura rallied for two runs in the seventh. Derek Swafford tied the score, 4-4, with a one-out single that scored Elan Walshe, who had doubled and moved to third on a balk. After Jeff Dietz doubled Walshe to third and Matt Garrett was intentionally walked to load the bases, Alan Lovejoy followed with a game-winning single to right field.

Young was two for three and in the on-deck circle when Ventura recorded the third out to end Rio Mesa’s seventh.

Young’s double was the 34th of his career, leaving him two short of the Southern Section record of 36, set by Danny Paranick of Mammoth in 1986-89. Jensen notched his 35th double Tuesday.