HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : Gastelum Lifts Channel Islands

Jose Gastelum was four for five and drove in the winning run in the eighth inning to lead Channel Islands High to an 8-7 victory over host Santa Monica on Friday in a first-round game of the Southern Section 5-A Division baseball playoffs.

With the score tied, 7-7, in the eighth, Gastelum doubled to drive in what proved to be the winning run. Gastelum, a senior catcher, drove in five runs for Channel Islands (21-6), and teammates Ysidro Alfaro and Jorge Macias each had two hits.

Right-hander Angel Aragon (10-2) earned the victory despite a rocky outing.

In other first-round baseball games:

Rio Mesa 7, South Torrance 2--Top-seeded Rio Mesa scored seven runs in the fifth inning of a 4-A game at Rio Mesa.

Hernan Martinez had a two-run single, Stanley Monroy followed with a run-scoring single and Jim Starr capped the inning with a two-run double for Rio Mesa (18-5-2). Right-hander Jeff Howatt (9-1) went the distance for the victory.

Long Beach Jordan 13, Alemany 7--The Panthers (18-9) pounded 17 hits--nine for extra bases--against host Alemany (16-10) in a 5-A game. Alemany’s Dave Castillo went three for three and Kevin Tate, Andy Dominique and Chris Tashima each had two.

Palmdale 3, Hesperia 0--Joe Garcia (6-6) threw a three-hitter, struck out six and walked two for Palmdale (15-10) in a 3-A pitching duel at Hesperia.

With no score, Palmdale’s Ryan Herman broke up Hesperia’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Herman scored from third on a wild pitch for the game’s first run. Jerome Payton followed with a two-run single.

Apple Valley 6, Saugus 5--Losing pitcher Bobby Cowan (12-2) struck out six, walked three and gave up seven hits for host Saugus in a 3-A game.

St. Francis 5, Bonita 1--Despite a 15-strikeout performance by Bonita’s Matt Wise, St. Francis (10-11) pulled out a 3-A win.

Rudy Martinez had two hits, stole two bases and drove in two runs to lead St. Francis. John Workman (6-2) allowed five hits, struck out six and walked one.

Oak Park 12, Templeton 8--Eric Pryor had an all-around standout performance to lead visiting Oak Park (13-9) in a 1-A wild-card game.

Pryor was three for four, scored three runs, stole two bases and homered to lead Oak Park (13-9). Pryor also pitched two innings to earn his second save.

Birmingham 9, Taft 3--Don Wingo hit a two-run homer in the fourth to lead Birmingham’s upset in a City Section 4-A wild-card game against host Taft (12-10-1).

Birmingham (6-17) battered relievers Stacy Kleiner and Justin Siegel for six runs in the seventh.

Venice 1, Cleveland 0--Cleveland wasted a solid effort by left-hander Robert Rundquist, who allowed four hits in a City 4-A wild-card game at Venice.

Venice (12-6) scored with two out in the first inning on a double by Mike Morales. Rundquist (3-3) struck out two, walked one and added two hits for Cleveland (12-10-1).

Queen of Angels 12, Shandon 11--Chris Wilson was four for five and scored three runs to lead visiting Queen of Angels (7-7) in a Small Schools game at Shandon.

Chadwick 17, L.A. Lutheran 3--Kevin Brown of L. A. Lutheran stole another base to raise his Southern Section single-season record to 70, but the Lions gave up 10 runs in the first inning of the Small Schools game.

SOFTBALL

Canyon 3, Alemany 2 (eight innings)--Keri Lemasters lined a one-out triple in the eighth to drive in the winning run for Canyon (17-8) in a 3-A upset of host Alemany (20-8).

Crystl Bustos led off the eighth with an infield hit and scored on Lemasters’ hit. Tanya Ortiz and Angela Hallak each had two hits for third-seeded Alemany.

Saugus 5, Montebello 0--Kerry Coudry (19-3) threw a one-hitter, struck out 10 and walked one for host Saugus in a 3-A game.

Quartz Hill 9, Notre Dame 0--Cindy Simms was three for three to lead host Quartz Hill (20-2) in a 3-A game. Heather Meyer (14-2) gave up one hit and one walk for Quartz Hill.