SEA VIEW LEAGUE BASEBALL : Woodbridge Uses Error to Get the Best of Tustin

What was unsightly to some was beautiful to a handful of others. It all depended on the perspective.

From Woodbridge Coach Vince Brown’s idealistic point of view, the final play of Tuesday night’s Sea View League game between No. 7 Woodbridge and No. 10 Tustin was supposed to be a picture-perfect ending.

While the ending wasn’t exactly poetry in motion, the score--a 4-3 victory thanks to an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh--was music to the Warriors’ ears.

“You’d like to end it on a clean base hit,” Brown said, “but I’ll take the (victory).”

So will Carlos Hernandez, whose routine grounder to second was mishandled by Tustin, allowing Woodbridge to score the winning run with two out in the seventh.

“Coach just told me to put it in play,” said Hernandez, who had a base hit earlier in the game. “He said to try to make contact and if we’re lucky, they’ll make a mistake.”

Tustin’s miscue brought home Woodbridge’s Gabe Gifford, who had singled and stolen second and third to get in scoring position.

“It’s a tough game for either team to lose,” Tustin Coach Tim O’Donoghue said. “We just got that last bounce there at the end.”

This showdown was anticipated for two reasons. The league lead was at stake as was part of Tustin’s pride. Some players still stinging over the defection of their former coach to Woodbridge--didn’t disappoint.

Tustin took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and made it 2-0 in the third.

But Woodbridge came back in the bottom of the third and scored three runs on three hits, including a leadoff triple by Paul Horning and a double by Ryan Lemmon, to take a 3-2 lead.

Tustin tied it in the seventh, when Chris Collins scored on a wild pitch.

Woodbridge’s Mike Guymon pitched 6 2/3 innings but was relieved by Lemmon with two out in the seventh. Lemmon (4-0) retired one of the two batters he faced to win.

For Tustin, Tim Wilson (3-2) replaced Ronnie Hall in the third and was the loser.

With Santa Margarita’s loss to Saddleback, Woodbridge takes over first place in the league.

In other league games:

Irvine 7, University 2--Ryan O’Toole, who earned the victory for Irvine (12-6, 3-2), pitched a two-hitter, striking out four and walking four. Center fielder Geoff Noisy, who went two for three, scored two runs for host Irvine. Loc Tran went one for four with a squeeze bunt in the sixth inning. University (2-2-1 in league) catcher Stephan Hagins hit a home run in the fourth.

Newport Harbor 9, Corona del Mar 8--Tom Urbina had four hits and two RBIs and Justin Ketcham had two doubles for visiting Newport Harbor (3-13, 1-4). Corona del Mar is 0-5 in league.

Saddleback 8, Santa Margarita 1--Jerry Heraz, who had three hits, Ed Mejia, Juan Maldonado and Erasmo Ramirez each had two RBIs for Saddleback (7-8, 3-2). Santa Margarita is 5-6-2, 3-1-1.