ANAHEIM LIONS TOURNAMENT : La Quinta Coasts to Title

They had to show a hand they were hoping to hold, but the La Quinta Aztecs are back as champions of the Anaheim Lions Easter Baseball Tournament.

The Aztecs breezed to the title with little trouble in defeating Kennedy, 5-1, in the title game Wednesday night at Glover Stadium in Anaheim. They also won the championship in both the 1988 and ’89 seasons. But the Aztecs (14-2) bypassed the tournament the previous three seasons.

“We’re kind of ancient defending champions,” La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest said. “But it’s too bad it had to come like this.”

Demarest was referring to having to play for the title against a fellow Garden Grove League member in Kennedy, which the Aztecs happen to play in their next game April 16. He was especially unhappy to have thrown his ace, Jim Livernois, against Kennedy. Then again, giving Kennedy a pre-league look at Livernois was the key to the Aztecs’ victory.

Livernois (6-0) held Kennedy in check throughout the game, yielding just four hits and three walks.

“I like playing league opponents, but not when they can see our pitching,” said Livernois, who also has four saves. “I just threw mostly fastballs tonight.”

La Quinta used three singles and some wildness by Kennedy starting pitcher R.J. Gonzalez to score four times in the second inning. Gonzalez kept just missing with his curve and walked three in the inning. Zane Parkin delivered the big hit with a two-run single.

With Livernois in command, the game turned somewhat mundane the rest of the way.

La Quinta added a run in the top of the fourth inning when Joe Linck drew a bases-loaded walk from reliever Jason Sewell. Kennedy got its run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Ken Sundstrom.

“This game doesn’t mean anything toward league, and that’s what counts,” said Kennedy Coach Chris Pascal. “But I don’t like to lose to anybody.

“If that is any indication of how they (the Aztecs) are going to be, the rest of the league is in trouble.”

Demarest, though, vividly remembers what happened the last time La Quinta won the tournament in 1989. It beat Kennedy in the title game. Kennedy then went on to win the league crown.

“Tonight we just had fun,” Demarest said. “Next Friday is more important.”

Garden Grove 1, Sonora 0--Bryce McHale struck out 10 and gave up three hits to earn the victory for Garden Grove (8-4) in the third-place game. McHale, who batted .500 for the tournament, drove in Jim Sebreros for the winning run in the first inning.

Sunny Hills 3, Dana Hills 2--Mike Clark led off the seventh with a homer and the Lancers added another run for the victory in the fifth-place game at Glover Stadium. Brian Volpp gave up seven hits and five walks, striking out three, in six innings to improve to 5-2. Eric Smith picked up his second save for Sunny Hills (10-5-1).

Anaheim 8, Santiago 6--Rene Arreola had two doubles to lead Anaheim (3-13) in a consolation-round game.

Laguna Beach 5, Troy 2--Ian McDonald singled in the bottom of the fifth with the bases loaded to drive in two runs for Laguna Beach. Later in the fifth, Laguna Beach (7-7) scored on a Max Borella walk and on a fielder’s choice. Troy is 11-4.