PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Laguna Hills Continues Tradition

The streaks continued for Laguna Hills and Laguna Beach in their Pacific Coast League baseball finale Friday at Laguna Beach.

With a 12-8 victory, Laguna Hills clinched a share of its fifth consecutive league championship. The Hawks (18-8, 12-3 in league) powered their way to a tie with Trabuco Hills for the title with three home runs in a five-run fifth inning.

With the loss, Laguna Beach failed to qualify for the Southern Section playoffs for the 29th consecutive year. The Artists last played in a CIF game in 1963.

Laguna Beach’s loss, combined with Estancia’s 7-2 victory over Costa Mesa, left the Artists in fourth place. Both teams finished 7-8 in league, but Estancia defeated Laguna Beach twice in three meetings to gain the playoff berth.

Friday was prom night for Laguna Hills, but Coach Pete Tereschuk made sure the Hawks stayed focused on the game first.

“We had a long talk about concentrating,” Tereschuk said. “Actually, it wasn’t much of a problem this year, because only about four guys are going (to the prom) and I think the girls were the ones that asked. I guess our guys really like baseball.”

Laguna Beach took a 3-1 lead in the fourth after Trigg Garner drilled a two-run homer well over the right-field fence. Garner’s blast, however, seemed to ignite Laguna Hills’ offense.

Brett Nista started the fifth with a home run to left and Dave Cosgrove followed two outs later with a long home run to center. Two hitters later, Ryan Kosciuk hit a three-run homer on reliever Jason Abraham’s first pitch to give Laguna Hills a 6-3 lead.

The Hawks added three runs in both the sixth and seventh to hold off a Laguna Beach rally. The Artists pulled to within 9-8 in the sixth on Garrett Chesley’s bases-loaded single, but Laguna Hills pulled away again in the seventh.

In other league games:

Trabuco Hills 5, Century 2--Tom Fill had a two-run double during a five-run fifth inning as the visiting Mustangs (15-9, 12-3) won a share of their first league baseball championship in the school’s seven-year history.

Carey Smith (10-0) pitched a seven-hitter, striking out six.

Estancia 7, Costa Mesa 2--Steve King went two for two with three runs scored to help Estancia (11-12, 7-8) clinch third place and a playoff berth.