HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : Valley Christian Wins With 9-Run Inning

Agoura Oak Park High’s Jeff Gibbons was allowed to pitch only five innings Friday.

Cerritos Valley Christian scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth in winning, 11-5, at Cal State Fullerton.

The Crusaders won their first Southern Section Division 1-A championship.

Gibbons could pitch only five innings because he pitched five in Tuesday’s semifinal. The Southern Section allows a pitcher only 10 innings each week.

Valley Christian (20-4-1) sent 14 batters to the plate in the sixth inning as winning pitcher Jason Wells scored twice, had two hits and two runs batted in. Dan Hibma had a two-run single.

“I was thinking ‘just get a hit,’ because I had struck out twice before,” Wells said of his single to lead off the sixth. “Eric Pryor (who replaced Gibbons) threw higher than (Gibbons), so it was easier to hit.”

Oak Park (16-10) scored three runs off Valley Christian starter Brooks Morris in the first inning and two in the sixth off Wells to take a 5-2 lead.

“I thought at that point they had the game. They had the momentum,” Valley Christian Coach Kevin Van Duyn said. “We looked at ourselves and said ‘hmmm, it’s the fifth inning and they’re hitting our ace (Wells).’ ”

Damin Sterling, who had three hits, singled in the first inning. Kevin Pryor was hit by a pitch and Pryor reached on an error. Gibbons walked to force in the first run, and Eric Kane hit into a fielder’s choice to score the second. Brian McMullen hit a sacrifice fly to give Oak Park a 3-0 lead.

Valley Christian pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning. Jeff Davis hit a leadoff triple and scored on Hibma’s sacrifice fly. Brett DeBie followed with a walk and scored on Jason Chapman’s triple.

Gibbons struck out the next batter and got a fly ball to end the threat.

“Gibbons was one of the toughest guys we faced all season,” Van Duyn said. “It was a psychological boost for us when he had to leave the game.”