El Toro’s Victory Delays Coach’s Farewell

El Toro Coach Dan DeLeon will have to wait at least a few more days before he bids farewell to the Charger baseball program.

DeLeon’s team put his plans on hold Tuesday by defeating Villa Park, 7-1, to qualify for the first round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs. El Toro plays at Covina Northview Friday.

“I’ll be happy to postpone it for three more weeks,” said DeLeon, who announced last week that he wa resigning as baseball coach but will remain on the faculty. “I’m really looking forward to playing Friday.”

El Toro’s defense gave plenty of support to winning pitcher Mark VerWayne (8-4), who struck out three and walked one.

Villa Park loaded the bases with no outs in the third. VerWayne got Alex Strapp to pop up to second and then unwittingly triggered a double play.

Steve Lebrecht hit a hard line drive that bounced off VerWayne’s right leg to shortstop Pat Antrim, who threw to second baseman Francisco Meza to start the double play.

El Toro (13-12) went ahead in its half of the third inning on Jason Santoro’s run-scoring single to left. Santoro’s timely hitting increased the Chargers’ lead in the fourth. After Villa Park pitcher Scott Henderson walked Wade Jackson with the bases loaded, Santoro hit a 3-2 pitch into right field for two more runs. Wiggins’ single drove in another to make it 5-0.

Villa Park (11-13-2) scored in the fifth on Lebrecht’s RBI single, but El Toro countered in the bottom of the fifth with catcher Mike Lutterloh’s run-scoring double.

El Toro scored its last run in the sixth courtesy of three Spartan errors.