FREEWAY LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : La Habra Lapses Aid Sunny Hills in 11-4 Victory

Sunny Hills took advantage of timely hitting, Brian Volpp’s pitching and La Habra’s defensive lapses to beat the Highlanders, 11-4, in Freeway League game Friday at Sunny Hills High School.

Lancer catcher Erren O’Leary led a Sunny Hills offense that collected nine hits, including three for extra bases, and capitalized on five La Habra errors to take a 9-2 lead after three innings.

O’Leary was three for four, including a two-run triple to right-center in the second inning and a run-scoring single in the third.

“Volpp did well,” Sunny Hills Coach Doug Elliott said. “We needed a full effort and he came through. He mixed his pitches well. O’Leary did a great job behind the plate and had some key hits.”

Volpp struck out one, walked two and gave up eight hits in going the distance for Sunny Hills (6-5, 3-1). The right-hander helped his own cause by beating out a ground ball to short with the bases loaded to drive in a run during a three-run first inning that was helped by three La Habra errors in the infield.

La Habra (5-4, 2-3) capitalized on two Lancer errors in the third inning to narrow the deficit to 6-2. Steve Busch and Mark Patterson singled, and Busch scored when Mark Veronda’s threw the ball away on what should have been a double play, allowing batter Brian Reed to take second. Reed scored when Lancer right-fielder Brian Dewispelaere lost Jason Johnson’s fly ball in the sun.

Sunny Hills parlayed run-scoring singles by Dewispelaere and O’Leary and two La Habra errors into a 9-2 lead in the third. Steve Ashton’s double down the left-field line and Dewispelaere’s two-base hit highlighted a two-run Lancer sixth inning.

Ashton and Dewispelaere each had two hits. Busch led La Habra with three hits.

In another league game:

Troy 4, Sonora 1--Brent Lacher (2-1) struck out 11 and pitched a six-hitter for the visiting Warriors (2-7, 1-3).

Jay Foust had a home run in the fourth for Sonora (2-8, 1-4).