PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Beware of Darkness When Playing Villa Park

Villa Park’s baseball team is having problems seeing the light.

For the second time in five days, the host Spartans failed to finish a Century League game and had to settle for a tie because of darkness. Tuesday’s game, a 4-4 tie with El Modena, was called after nine innings. Villa Park and Orange played to a nine-inning, 4-4 deadlock Friday.

Villa Park (3-4-2, 1-0-2 in league) wasted an excellent scoring opportunity in the ninth Tuesday. With nobody out, Kayvan Pejouhian reached third base and Jeff Halbert second, but the Spartans then self-destructed.

For openers, first baseman Rob Ortiz struck out. Then El Modena relief pitcher Matt Ritze threw a wild pitch that rolled to the backstop. Catcher Gavin Brown quickly reached the ball but declined to throw it to Ritze, who was covering as Pejouhian raced home. Instead, Brown somehow beat Pejouhian to the plate and tagged him out in a close play.

While Villa Park’s bench erupted, Brown alertly threw to third base, where he caught Halbert napping. The pickoff throw ended the inning and the game, leaving most of the fans wondering what happened on the darkening field.

“Was that entertaining enough for you at the end?” El Modena Coach Mike Finn said. “I could barely see out there at the end. I thought the umpires were going to call the game an inning earlier.”

Villa Park Coach John German figured his team had a great chance to win in the ninth inning and disagreed with the call against Pejouhian at the plate.

“I thought he was safe,” German said. “I thought the umpires took the game away from the kids. There were some questionable calls against both teams.”

El Modena (2-4-1, 0-2-1) opened a 3-0 lead against Villa Park’s Rob Fisher in the first inning. Third baseman Chad Smith had the key hit, lining a two-run single to left.

Brown, El Modena’s starting pitcher, retired the first nine batters he faced but struggled in the fourth and fifth innings as Villa Park took a 4-3 lead. Villa Park third baseman Steve Lebrecht drove in two runs with a home run to left.

In other Century League games:

Canyon 4, Orange 0--Kula Jarrod pitched a five-hitter, struck out eight and walked one for Canyon (6-3, 2-1). Brad Carbough had a double, the only extra-base hit for Orange (1-2-1).

Foothill 7, Santa Ana Valley 2--Rob Higby’s sacrifice fly drove in Mike Urbanski with the first run in a four-run sixth inning for Foothill (6-3, 2-0). Martin Ortega had one hit and one run batted in for Santa Ana Valley (4-5, 1-2).

In the Sunset League:

Fountain Valley 3, Santa Ana 0--Paul Zazula stole home to score the first run of the game in the second inning for Fountain Valley (7-5, 2-1).

In the Garden Grove League:

Rancho Alamitos 2, Bolsa Grande 0--Marshall Brown pitched a two-hitter and was three for three with a double and an RBI for Rancho Alamitos (3-2, 1-1). Larry White pitched a four-hitter for Bolsa Grande (2-6, 0-2).

In the Olympic League:

Orange Lutheran 10, Brethren Christian 0--Matt Hendren struck out 12 and doubled for the Lancers and Jason Presley went two for four with three RBIs for Orange Lutheran (6-1, 2-0).

In the Pacific Coast League:

Laguna Hills 15, Costa Mesa 3--Shortstop Jason Pierson hit two home runs and teammate Jeramy Gillen hit another for visiting Laguna Hills (5-4, 1-1).

In nonleague play:

Ocean View 11, Downey 2--Steve Rivera and Justin Brunette each had three hits and two RBIs for Ocean View (7-3).

Southern California Christian 9, Christ Central Academy 1--Scott Williams struck out seven consecutive batters for visiting Southern California Christian (5-1). Dennis Amundsen had two RBIs for SCC.

Liberty Christian 11, Pilgrim 1 (5 innings, mercy rule)--Liberty Christian Coach Ray Clifton recorded his 100th career victory since he became coach in 1984. Steve Caruso (2-0) had nine strikeouts and Joe Ruiz had a double and two RBIs for Liberty Christian (5-1).