PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Holcomb’s Home Run Gives El Dorado a Title

Shawn Holcomb’s three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday gave El Dorado a 5-2 victory over Cypress and the Empire League baseball championship.

Holcomb also retired the side in order in the top of the eighth to pick up his ninth victory in 10 decisions for El Dorado (20-5, 13-2 in league).

Doug Friley hit a bases-empty home run in the top of the seventh to tie the score for Cypress (13-12-1, 7-8). With two outs in the eighth, Tyson DowDell doubled and John Street was intentionally walked before Holcomb hit his homer to dead center.

In other Empire League baseball:

Esperanza 10, Katella 8--Jeff Quinn had two hits and two runs batted in and pitched five shutout innings to earn the victory for the host Aztecs (10-14, 7-8). Billy O’Conner had two doubles and three RBIs for Esperanza, which rallied from an 8-1 deficit. Katella (16-9, 11-4) scored eight times in the second inning, highlighted by Kyle Evans’ three-run home run.

Los Alamitos 6, Loara 4--Caleb Kemp’s triple drove in two runs during a four-run sixth inning for the visiting Griffins (11-15, 5-10). Vince Carpino hit a two-run homer in the second for Loara (7-18, 2-13).

In the Sea View League:

Corona del Mar 10, University 9 (10)--Theo Rokos hit the first pitch of the 10th inning for a home run to give Corona del Mar (13-10, 7-8) the victory and the final playoff spot from the Sea View League. Corona del Mar and University (11-10, 7-8) finished in a tie for third place, but the Sea Kings won two of the teams’ three games.

University scored eight runs in the second inning, but the Sea Kings rallied and finally tied the score, 9-9, in the bottom of the seventh. C.W. Ramsay, Tim DeCinces and Mike Susson each hit their fifth homers of the season for the Sea Kings. MacMillan (2-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out five and walking one.

Saddleback 5, Woodbridge 2--Kiki Blanchet had three hits, one run scored and one RBI and his brother, Hector, pitched one inning of relief to earn the save for host Saddleback (19-6, 12-3).

In the South Coast League:

Dana Hills 7, San Clemente 2--Leading, 4-2, in the fifth inning, Seth Etherton hit a three-run home run for the host Dolphins (11-15, 6-9). Etherton struck out six in three innings of relief to earn his first save.

Irvine 12, Capistrano Valley 5--Left fielder Tommie Louie went four for four with two doubles and two RBIs for the the host Vaqueros. Catcher Jason Minici was three for three and had two RBIs. Kirk Mathews was the winning pitcher for Irvine (16-10, 9-6).

In the Freeway League:

Sunny Hills 7, La Habra 3--Steve Ashton hit a sixth-inning solo homer and Mark Veronda was three for four with two RBIs for the host Lancers (14-12, 9-6).

In a nonleague game:

Orange Lutheran 8, Calvary Chapel 1--Chris Campbell was two for three, including a sixth-inning solo homer, drove in three runs and scored twice for the host Lancers (19-4).