SANTA ANA EASTER TOURNAMENT : Diamond Bar Strikes in Seventh Again, Defeats Villa Park in Title Game

It was another lucky seventh for Diamond Bar, the fifth-ranked team in the Southern Section Division I baseball poll.

The Brahmas scored three runs after two were out in the top half of the seventh inning, then got Villa Park’s Todd Jackson to line into a game-ending double play to secure an 8-4 victory in the championship game of the Santa Ana Easter tournament Wednesday at Rancho Santiago College.

In Tuesday’s semifinal, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Chris Grosskopf hit a game-tying grand slam for Diamond Bar, which went on to defeat Santa Ana in eight innings.

“We had some luck in this tournament,” Diamond Bar Coach Kent Neil said. “But I have no complaints.”

Diamond Bar led, 5-4, in the top of the seventh and loaded the bases with two outs. Adam Najdowski hit a fly ball down the left-field line, which landed in the glove of Villa Park’s Kayvan Pehoujian, but the ball was jarred loose when Pehoujian hit the fence.

All three runners scored, helping Diamond Bar (13-1) win its second consecutive Santa Ana tournament championship.

“That double was a crusher,” Villa Park Coach Scott Wilson said. “But if someone told me before the tournament started that we would be only one run down in the seventh, playing Diamond Bar for the championship, I would’ve taken it.”

Villa Park took a 1-0 lead in the third after Randy Case collected his first of two RBIs in the game, singling home Jeff Halbert. But Villa Park starting pitcher Scott Henderson grounded into an inning-ending double play after the Spartans (7-7) had loaded the bases.

Diamond Bar took the lead by scoring five runs in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate. Thomas Simmons hit a three-run home run for the Brahmas, and tournament MVP Chris Grosskopf and John Heaton hit back-to-back doubles in the inning.

“Those were good hitters Henderson faced today,” Wilson said. “He got a couple pitches up in the fifth, and they put the ball in play. I thought our pitchers did well, but it was just a good job by their hitters.”

Villa Park closed within one run by scoring three runs in the fifth.

In other tournament games:

Mission Viejo 5, Santa Ana 1--Todd Sands drove in two runs with a double to spark a four-run fourth for the Diablos (7-7) in the third-place game. Erick Fielding and Jeff Carr each had two hits for Mission Viejo.

Saddleback 6, Laguna Hills 2--Eddie Mejia had three hits, Jerry Heraz had two RBIs and Juve Pinedo pitched a six-hitter for Saddleback (6-8) in a consolation game. Casey Bennett hit a sacrifice fly in the second for Laguna Hills (7-6).

Buena Park 1, Pacifica 0--Angel Majar had a first-inning RBI single to lead Buena Park (9-4) in the consolation final. Mario Lobito and Jesus Lopez each had two hits for the Coyotes.

Foothill 12, Valencia 2--Foothill shortstop Jason Vlcek, who went three for five with three RBIs, drove in two on a fifth-inning double in the fifth-place game. Second baseman Jeff Pickler went three for five with two RBIs for Foothill (8-6). Valencia is 8-8.

Santa Ana Valley 3, Trabuco Hills 2--Robert Serrano pitched a five-hitter to lead Santa Ana Valley (6-8) in a consolation game. Brad Cervantes had two hits for Trabuco Hills (5-6-1).

Orange 3, Santa Monica 2 (8 innings)--Saul Archuleta hit an eighth-inning double to drive in the winning run for Orange (7-8).