Southern Section Baseball Playoffs : DIVISION I : In His First Start of Season, Esperanza’s Hart Finishes Edison

Esperanza’s George Hart continued his slow but successful return to pitching form Tuesday, shutting down Edison in a Southern Section Division I second-round game.

Hart, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left pitching elbow in December, won his first start of the season by beating Edison, 7-2.

The Aztecs (22-5), top-ranked in Orange County, advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals against Hesperia, a 9-8 winner over Glendale. Sixth-ranked Edison ended the season 21-6.

Hart, a senior who was the Aztecs’ No. 2 starter last season, has pitched sparingly this season, coming out of the bullpen. He said he was nervous before Tuesday’s start.

“Everything came out right,” he said. “I’ve been coming back slowly, and everything is working out.”

Hart (3-0) gave up three hits over five innings, struck out three and walked two. After giving up a run in the first inning, he allowed only one Edison runner past second base in the next four innings.

“George has been a super weapon for us,” Esperanza Coach Mike Curran said. “We’ve been holding him out and waiting on him. He gave up his first earned run in 22 or 23 innings today.

“What a great performance. He shut them (Edison) down.”

Marcus Jones earned his second save by pitching the final two innings, entering the game after Hart walked Edison leadoff hitter Adam Cancelleri in the sixth.

“Our pitching staff has done an amazing job,” Curran said. “(The pitchers) haven’t given up a lot of runs all season.”

Jones and the Aztecs also did plenty of damage at the plate. Jones was three for four with two doubles, two runs batted in and a run scored to pace a 10-hit Esperanza attack.

Poncho Ruiz’s two-run homer in the top of the first gave Esperanza the lead, and the Aztecs built a 7-1 advantage by the fourth inning.

Esperanza chased Edison starter Tom Barilla (3-2) with three runs in the fourth.

The Aztecs extended their playoff scoring streak to 10 innings before Edison reliever Jamie Surdock retired them in the fifth inning. Esperanza scored in all six innings of a 12-4 victory over Alhambra in the first round.

After the victory at Edison, Curran said he is hoping for a home game in the quarterfinals.

“Both schools (Hesperia and Glendale) are a long way away,” he said, “and we want to win the coin toss. It would be nice to have them come to Orange County and see our field.”

In other Division I games:

Ocean View 9, Hoover 7--Freshman Erik Williams, in his first varsity start, hit a three-run home run to cap a seven-run first for host Ocean View (22-8). Jeff Buchanan had a two-run single earlier in the inning. Steve Rivera had a double and drove in a run and Scott Foreman had two hits and an drove in a run for Ocean View, which advances to meet the winner of Encino Crespi-Bell Gardens in the quarterfinals.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 6, Fountain Valley 5--Fountain Valley was ahead, 5-2, in the fourth but the Barons made four errors in last two innings to let Notre Dame back in the game. Notre Dame’s last four runs were unearned. Geoff Wilson had two hits and scored two runs and Chris Ponchak went two for four with three RBIs for Fountain Valley (23-5).