HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL : Top Seeds Defeated in Division 1-A

In the first round of the San Diego Section Division 1-A baseball playoffs, all four seeded teams were defeated, and two of them were beaten by schools that had to win a qualifying game just to make the eight-team field.

The favorites were upset by:

--Their sloppy defense.

--Solid pitching.

--Outslugging the opponent.

“It’s pretty balanced this year,” Bishop’s Coach Tim Davis said. “There wasn’t one real dominant team or pitcher like there has been in the past few seasons. It was a crap shoot.”

Bishop’s, the seventh seed in the tournament, is now 9-12 and has won five in a row.

The Knights took advantage of eight errors--including seven in the first three innings--to upset second-seeded Imperial, 6-4.

Bishop’s scored five unearned runs, tallying one in the first, two in the second and three in the third. In contrast, all of the runs scored by Imperial (11-5-1) were earned.

In other 1-A games:

Holtville 5, Parker 1--Holtville pitcher Alberto Valenzuela allowed seven hits and had a big day at the plate, going three for four and driving in the first run.

Parker (13-9), didn’t help itself by hitting into three double plays. Derek Applbaum (5-3) got the loss. Holtville (13-7) also won a qualifying game to get into the playoffs, beating La Jolla Country Day.

Borrego Springs 14, Mountain Empire 12--Borrego Springs (13-9) outscored No. 4 Mountain Empire, 10-2, over the final three innings. Gary Vasquez had two doubles, a three-run homer and six RBIs for Borrego Springs.

Julian 4, Midway Baptist 1--Graham Koonce, who was three for three, struck out a Midway Baptist player with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the six. Julian (15-8) scored two in the fourth and two in the sixth.