SEA VIEW LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Saddleback Avenges Tustin Loss

Saddleback put Shawn Green’s drive to become Orange County’s career hit leader on hold and handed Tustin its first league loss of the season, 3-2, Wednesday at Tustin High School.

Green, a senior outfielder who has 128 hits in his career, was hoping to break former Laguna Hills standout Chris Sheff’s county mark of 129 set in 1989. Green reached base safely on an error in the third inning and was robbed of a hit when center fielder Tommy Smith made a diving catch to end the game. Green, batting .482, also grounded out and popped up.

Saddleback (9-7-1, 4-3-1 in league) had lost to Tustin, 11-1, in the first round of Sea View League play and came into the game with a team batting average of .230. But Saddleback got 10 hits off Bill Courtney (6-2), including run-scoring singles by second baseman Manny Heraz in the second and fourth innings.

“I’ve been waiting for a game like this,” Saddleback Coach Bobby Mangram said. “They beat us by 10 runs at our place, and pride had a lot to do with today’s win. This game was more indicative of how we can play.”

Tustin (12-5, 7-1) had won its league games by an average margin of 10 runs, but left-hander Carlos Cevallos (2-2) held the Tillers scoreless through five innings before tiring in the sixth.

Ben Munoz hit his third home run of the season, over the left-field fence, for Tustin’s first run in the sixth inning. Consecutive doubles by designated hitter Andy Gonzales and third baseman Ben Strack gave the Tillers their second run.

But relief pitcher Luis Estrella ended Tustin’s rally in the sixth, then retired the side in the seventh with an assist from Smith in center field to earn a save.

Tustin Coach Vince Brown said he was concerned that his team had failed to win a close game with the Southern Section playoffs only three weeks away.

“We don’t play too many close games,” Brown said. “We need these kind of games. I told another newspaper that we have no competition in this league, that everyone was rolling over for us.

“If teams in our league play like Saddleback did today against us, I’ll be happy. They played hard and deserved to win.”

In another Sea View League game:

Corona del Mar 5, Woodbridge 3--Todd Kehrli had three hits, including a triple, and drove in three runs for visiting Corona del Mar. Dan MacMillan (3-1) allowed 11 hits but pitched a complete game for the Sea Kings (7-8-1, 3-4-1).