AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL DISTRICT 20 PLAYOFFS : Sepulveda Capitalizes on Mistakes in 9-4 Win

If not for costly errors that led to five runs in the eighth inning, Glendale might have tied the score of its American Legion District 20 playoff game against Sepulveda in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday.

Instead, Jon Strauss’ run meant nothing in a 9-4 loss at Birmingham High. The five unearned runs Sepulveda scored in the eighth had provided a comfortable cushion.

“It’s one of those things that we’ll never know,” Glendale Coach Spiro Psaltis said. “You never want to look back and say that you should still be playing, but you just never know.”

Sepulveda (21-5), which advanced to Sunday’s championship and secured its first berth in the Area 6 playoffs, took a 4-3 lead into the eighth and put runners on first and third with two out. Shad Knighton lofted a pop fly toward second baseman Brenden Barrett, who dropped the ball, allowing Chris Portugal to score.

Glendale pitcher Lance Evans (5-1) then appeared to pick Knighton off first, but the base umpire reversed his decision when he realized first baseman Bill Kirk had dropped the ball.

Given a second reprieve, Sepulveda added four unearned runs in the inning. Pinch-hitter Jeff Shapiro singled home a run and Justin Bass hit a three-run triple that increased Sepulveda’s lead to 9-3.

“You can’t allow a team like that to have second chances,” Psaltis said.

Sepulveda took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Bass’ run-scoring single gave Sepulveda a 1-0 lead, Andy Shaw followed with a sacrifice fly, and Brad Fullmer hit a two-out, two-run triple.

Evans retired 17 of the next 18 hitters, and his teammates came up with three unearned runs in the fifth on John Aguilar’s bases-loaded triple. But after Sepulveda left-hander Steve Cain (6-1) left after allowing five hits in six innings, Osman Khan and Russell Ortiz provided three innings of one-hit relief.

Sepulveda has allowed only five earned runs in 27 tournament innings.

“Our offense came in here absolutely in high gear,” Psaltis said. “But their effective pitching in spots kept that at bay.”

Fullmer had two hits and drove in two runs for Sepulveda. Strauss had two hits for Glendale, which must win today at 3 p.m. to reach the finals.

Encino-Crespi 9, Sun Valley 7--Encino broke a 7-7 tie with two runs in the eighth inning at Birmingham.

With the score tied, 7-7, and one out in the eighth, Encino’s Casey Snow was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on Brodie VanWagenen’s hit-and-run single. An error allowed Snow to score and gave Encino an 8-7 lead. Brett Farlow hit a high chopper to pitcher Raul Torres (0-2) and VanWagenen beat the throw home.

Encino (20-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first on Victor Seper’s double. A two-run home run by Farlow, his fourth, extended Encino’s lead to 3-0 in the third.

Encino carried a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but Sun Valley rallied for three runs.

Robert Aros (two for three) and Steve Chavez singled, and Francisco Flores hit a double that scored Aros. Frankie Medina followed with a two-run double that tied the score, 7-7.

Farlow (1-0), making only his second pitching appearance, relieved Jorvic Salazar and ended the inning on two fly outs. Farlow and Seper combined to allow two hits in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

“To be completely honest, I didn’t think we had a great chance of winning,” Encino Coach Scott Muckey said. “Our pitching is down to getting everything we can out of every arm. But who knows? We’re just going to go out and battle.”

Frank Medina and Raul Torres each had two hits for Sun Valley. VanWagenen, Farlow, Kyle Carden, and Salazar each had two hits for Encino.

Encino will meet Woodland Hills West (18-8) today at 11 a.m. The winner will meet Glendale at 3 p.m. in a game that will decide Sepulveda’s opponent in Sunday’s championship.