Mira Costa Fails to Clinch Title : Prep baseball: Beverly Hills rallies for two runs in the seventh inning to win, 5-4. The teams meet Friday for the Ocean League championship.

Mira Costa High missed a chance to clinch the Ocean League baseball championship Wednesday, losing to Beverly Hills, 5-4, when the Normans rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning at La Cienga Park in Beverly Hills.

The teams are tied for first place in league play with 8-3 records. They will meet to decide the league title at 3 p.m. Friday at Mira Costa.

With one out and the Mira Costa infield drawn in, designated hitter Nick Ostorff bounced a single past second baseman Kevin Fujimoto to score pinch-runner Eric Goldman with the winning run.

“We’ve been in several of these (tight games), maybe we’re getting better at this,” Beverly Hills Coach Bill Erickson said. “We showed character by coming back.”

Mira Costa (17-8) starting pitcher Brian Zinda struggled with his control, walking seven and striking out eight. He gave up eight hits and five earned runs.

Zinda (11-2), a senior right-hander, has been hampered the past two weeks because of mononucleosis.

“(Zinda) usually throws a lot more strikes,” Mustang Coach Jim Beaumont said. “I think (mononucleosis) is finally catching up with him. I can’t say enough about him. Although he was wild, they did not hit him very hard.”

With Mira Costa leading, 4-3, to start the bottom of the seventh, Zinda walked Aron Wellman. Jeremy Booth singled, advancing Wellman to second, and Goldman entered the game to run for Booth. A wild pitch by Zinda moved the runners to second and third and Wellman scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Moore to tie the score.

The loss was Mira Costa’s second in a row in league play. The Mustangs were defeated by Redondo, 6-2, Thursday. It was also Mira Costa’s second loss to Beverly Hills (17-6-1), which defeated the Mustangs, 3-1, on April 2.

Beverly Hills pitchers Scott Cukier and Marty Weiner limited the Mustangs to six hits, three by shortstop Paul Appleton, who had two doubles and drove in all four Mira Costa runs. Appleton also stole two bases.

Beaumont said Zinda should be available for about three innings of relief work in Friday’s game, if needed. Fujimoto, who is 2-5 with a 3.90 earned-run average, will start.