SOUTHERN SECTION 4-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP : Capistrano Valley Completes Its Revival : Preps: Team that was once 2-5-1 in its own league beats Canyon, 8-3, to cap a playoff run.

The Capistrano Valley High School baseball team capped an unpredictable season with a rather predictable 8-3 victory over Canyon in the Southern Section 4-A championship game Saturday at Anaheim Stadium.

Never mind that Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Zamora first learned that Canyon’s starting pitcher, Mike Casagranda, was a left-hander only after Casagranda took the mound for his warm-up pitches.

Or that Capistrano Valley (21-10-1) had to win a league playoff game, a wild-card game and five more playoff games before claiming its third section championship under Zamora since 1983.

Capistrano Valley, once mired in last place in the South Coast League with a 2-5-1 record, is now No. 1.

“We came that close to not getting into the playoffs, and now we’re the champions,” Zamora said. “Our theme all year was, ‘Just give us one more game to play.’ ”

Capistrano Valley followed a familiar postseason pattern, getting strong pitching and building an early lead to make another victory look routine.

Catcher Brand Caso’s two-run homer ignited a four-run first inning, and pitchers Scott Patton (7-4) and Chris Lugo quieted Canyon most of the afternoon as Capistrano Valley won for the 12th time in its past 14 games.

Caso’s seventh homer was his second long-distance shot in his past two games, carrying well over the 386-foot sign in left-center field. Caso had previously hit a 400-foot homer into the tennis courts behind the center field fence Tuesday at Saddleback College in an 18-5 victory over El Toro.

“Brand’s homer was the turning point,” Lugo said. “Getting that early lead was great. We were confident that the game was ours all the way through.”

Lugo earned his second save of the week by allowing only one run in three innings of relief and striking out four, including Canyon’s designated hitter, Chris Snitko, for the game’s final out.

Canyon (19-10-1) failed to get a clutch hit and fell behind, 8-2, after four innings. The Comanches left 10 runners on base and their best hitter, first baseman Greg Tippin, had a forgettable day, striking out three times and lining out to right.

Afterward, Canyon Coach Hi Lavalle said falling behind early and committing four errors led to his team’s downfall. Right fielder Rory O’Leary’s error in the fourth allowed two unearned runs to score and ended any chance of a comeback.

“We let a couple of guys on base in the first inning (on a walk and an error), and that clubs you,” Lavalle said. “That was the story of the day. Our outfielder charged in a little too hard on that one play and didn’t come up with the ball.

“I think he was trying to do a little more than he can do. But I wouldn’t lay the course of this ballgame on tenseness.”

Patton certainly wasn’t uptight throughout the playoffs. The junior went 10 for 18 in postseason play and was seven for seven in the semifinal and championship game.

“I felt I could get a hit every time at the plate,” said Patton, who went three for three against Canyon. “I couldn’t wait to hit the last two games. There was a little pressure pitching today, but that big lead make it a lot easier.”

Throughout a remarkable playoff run, Capistrano Valley has been guided by an unlikely leader. Caso, a fifth-year senior who had to petition section administrators for an extra year of eligibility, emerged as the team’s most improved player for the second consecutive year.

Caso’s long homer will long be remembered at future reunions, a fact that didn’t escape Zamora in the third-base coaching box as Caso rounded the bases.

“Coach told me, ‘You’ll remember this one for the rest of your life,’ ” Caso said.

After all, it was a season that won’t be forgotten.