VALLEY-AREA ROUNDUP : Hernandez Caps Saugus Rally

Saugus High overcame an early eight-run deficit and beat Antelope Valley, 10-8, Monday on Brandon Hernandez’s two-run home run in the seventh inning of a nonleague baseball game.

Antelope Valley scored five runs in the first inning before host Saugus (5-1) could get its first out.

The Antelopes added three runs in the second inning on four hits and a walk.

A two-run home run by Chris Tapia (three for four) gave Antelope Valley an 8-0 lead.

The Centurions chipped away at the Antelopes’ lead, scoring in the third (three runs), fifth (two runs) and sixth (three runs) innings before winning it in the seventh inning.

Hernandez, a sophomore who went three for five with four runs batted in, had the game-winning hit--his first career home run--with two out in the seventh.

In other baseball games:

Calabasas 9, Carpinteria 6 (six innings, darkness)--Calabasas scored six times in the bottom of the sixth to win a nonleague game at home.

With Calabasas (3-0) trailing, 6-3, three consecutive Coyote batters walked to open the inning and Jared Dahl followed with a run-scoring single.

Mehul Taylor then launched a ground-rule double to tie the score, 6-6. The last three runs scored on a ground ball and a throwing error.

Junior Josh Morton earned the victory in relief and also homered and doubled.

Morton has hit safely in 23 consecutive games and is six for nine with nine runs batted in this season.

Glendale 5, St. Francis 4--Brendan Barrett went three for four with three RBIs, including a two-run double, to lead the Dynamiters in a nonleague game at St. Francis.

Glendale added three runs in the fourth inning for a 5-0 lead. St. Francis’ Ryan Ventrella singled with one out in the fifth to break up David Gantt’s no-hit bid. Gantt (1-1) finished with a five-hitter.

Ventrella and Jaime Aguilera each had two hits for St. Francis (0-6), which scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Westlake 4, Canyon 2--Steve Klein went two for four with a run scored to lead visiting Westlake past Canyon in a nonleague game. Westlake scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Starter Chris Flanagan improved to 3-0.

L.A. Baptist 5, Bell-Jeff 1--Trenton Mooney and Zack Hernandez each had two hits to help the Knights (3-3) beat Bell-Jeff (1-3) in a first-round game of the L.A. Baptist tournament.

Brentwood 3, Valley Christian 1--Jeremy Milken’s bases-loaded triple in the fourth was all Brentwood (2-1) needed to beat Valley Christian (4-1) in a first-round game of the L.A. Baptist tournament.

GIRLS’ SOFTBALL

Irvine 2, Saugus 0--Jennifer Poulson, who has signed a letter of intent to play softball for top-ranked UCLA next season, hit a two-run home run in the first inning to help Irvine beat the Centurions (6-3) in a first-round game of the Laguna Hills tournament.

After Poulson’s homer, Saugus’ Adria Lombardi (4-2), a senior right-hander, retired the next 20 batters she faced. Lombardi gave up two hits in the first inning and gave up two earned runs.

Kelly Kranz’s single in the first inning was the only hit for Saugus.

Sylmar 3, Verdugo Hills 2--Sonia Garcia went three for four for the Spartans (6-1), who scored one run in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie against the host Dons (1-1) in a nonleague game.

Poly 17, Eagle Rock 11--Anna Polanco went three for five to lead the Parrots (1-2) to their first victory in a nonleague game at Eagle Rock.

Sandra Donan and Daisy Saravia (two RBIs) each had two triples and scored four runs each for Poly, which had 14 hits.

Hoover 10, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0 (five innings)--Nancy Evans (four innings) and Tina Kinney (one inning) combined on a no-hitter for Hoover (5-0-1) in a second-round game of the Glendale tournament. Evans (10) and Kinney combined for 12 strikeouts.

Evans also went three for three with a double and two RBIs. Kinney had a double and an RBI.

The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

Nadia Espinoza belted a solo homer in the fifth for Hoover’s final run.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Antelope Valley 8, Rio Hondo 1--Yvette Allen went three for four and scored three runs to lead the Marauders (13-3) in a nonconference game at Rio Hondo.

Antelope Valley scored four runs in the first inning and was never threatened.

Heather Aston had two doubles for the Marauders and Margaret Perez, Hannah Griffith and Shirley Marshall each had two hits.

Angie LePage (7-2), a sophomore right-hander, gave up five hits and struck out seven.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Pierce d. Pasadena, 15-13, 15-6, 15-14----Rob Beard (15 kills) and Doug Tuttle (seven kills) paced the undefeated Brahmas (10-0, 8-0 in conference play) to a Western State Conference victory over Pasadena.

Yan Huang had 18 assists for Pierce.