ORANGE LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Brea Rolls a Seven, Earns 11-0 Victory

It was supposed to be a close battle for the lead in the Orange League baseball race, but Brea-Olinda turned it into a rout by scoring seven runs in the fourth inning of an 11-0 victory over Anaheim on Friday in Brea.

Brea-Olinda (12-9, 8-3 in league) sent 11 batters to the plate and got seven hits off three pitchers in the fourth, scoring seven runs before Anaheim could get anybody out.

Right fielder Jesse Willis opened the fourth with a single, and catcher Chris Briones then doubled to right off losing pitcher Luis Palomares (2-3) to set the tone for the big inning. Seven consecutive batters then reached safely.

Second baseman Marc Feine had the key hit, lining a single to left with the bases loaded to score two runs. Six of Brea’s seven hits in the inning were line drives.

“We gave up 22 runs this week, and we’re not going to win by doing that,” Anaheim Coach Dave Torres said. “Still, we’re only one game out with four games left to play. I’ll take that.”

Anaheim (10-11, 7-4) managed five hits off winning pitcher Tim Carman.

Carman was in trouble in the fourth and seventh innings, when Anaheim put runners on second and third with one out.

But Carman worked out of both jams to earn the shutout. Carman (6-1) also struck out seven with a lively fastball.

“Tim wasn’t as good as he can be, but he was still pretty sharp today,” Brea-Olinda Coach Steve Hiskey said.

“It seems like every time we play them, it’s a dogfight. I wasn’t comfortable until the game ended. The last time we played, they got 13 hits against us.”

Brea nearly got that in the rematch. Willis, Briones, designated hitter Matt Selinske, Feine and left fielder Eric Hansen each had two hits.

Briones was the most impressive player on the field, hitting two doubles and displaying one of the strongest arms in the county. Briones has signed with Chapman College.

“He’s the best player in our league,” Hiskey said. “Every time he walks up to the plate, you expect something to happen, and it usually does.”

In another league game:

Magnolia 5, Western 4--Richard Hughes and John Sharp drove in runs with doubles to highlight a four-run third inning for host Magnolia (9-9, 6-5). Richard Nunno (5-3) allowed three hits and one earned run and struck out eight.