SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS : Savanna’s Playoff Run Finally Ends

Savanna avoided being the victim of a no-hitter, but the Rebels couldn’t avoid elimination from the Southern Section 4-A playoffs Tuesday at Glover Stadium.

West Covina South Hills pitcher Danny Ehler had a no-hitter for 5 2/3 innings and finished with a two-hitter in the Huskies’ 9-3 semifinal victory.

The loss ended Savanna’s impressive run in the playoffs. The Rebels (15-14), the third-place team from the Orange League, upset second-seeded Gahr, 2-1, in the first round, beat San Luis Obispo, 3-2, in the second and got past Canyon, 11-8, in the quarterfinals Friday.

“There was a lot of emotional capital expended against Canyon,” Savanna Coach Hack Mitchell said. “(South Hills) just came out and flat beat us today.”

South Hills (19-9) advanced to the 4-A title game against Irvine at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Anaheim Stadium. Irvine beat Covina Northview, 4-2, Tuesday.

Savanna used a walk, a wild pitch and an error to score in the third and tie it, 1-1. But South Hills decked the Rebels with seven runs in the fourth.

Pat Lodes started the scoring with a two-out, two-run single. Tray Nelson, who struck out in each of his first two at-bats, then lined a three-run home run into the bleachers in left-center.

It was the third homer of the season and second of the playoffs for Nelson, who found out earlier Tuesday that he had been drafted in the 21st round by the New York Yankees.

Randy Vickers and Bobby Medina added RBI singles in the inning, and South Hills led, 8-1. Starter Steve Lindop (6-6) worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs.

Ehler (6-3), however, had more trouble with his defense than the Savanna hitters. South Hills made four errors.

Savanna’s first hit came when Marlon Watson looped a single to right-center with two outs in the sixth. Alfredo Delgadillo had an RBI double, and another run scored on an error as Savanna came up with two in the seventh.