DIVISION I BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP : Esperanza Halts Simi Valley

Esperanza’s Marcus Jones had heard all the talk. Simi Valley, the most dangerous baseball team in California, maybe the nation.

The Pioneers, ranked No. 1 by USA Today, had hit 40 home runs. They had 124 extra-base hits, averaged 11.1 runs per game.

“I don’t let stats bother me,” Jones said.

Nor did he let Simi Valley bother him.

Behind the two-hit pitching of Jones, the Aztecs defeated Simi Valley, 3-0, Wednesday to win the Southern Section Division I championship at Anaheim Stadium. It was Esperanza’s second baseball title since 1986.

And the Aztecs, winners of 16 in a row, had Jones to thank.

He retired the first eight batters and didn’t allow a hit until Brit Pond grounded a single into left field with two outs in the fourth. Pond also doubled in the seventh, but was stranded at third when Jeff Michael grounded into a game-ending double play.

Two hits was it.

“Simi Valley is almost like a college team,” Esperanza Coach Mike Curran said. “Shutting them out is something. (Assistant coach) Doug Domene watched hours of video on Simi Valley and he said we could pitch to these guys.”

Jones (12-2) didn’t have to be told twice.

“That’s all we heard, ‘Simi Valley, Simi Valley, Simi Valley,’ ” said Jones, a senior. “After the first inning, I knew it was our night.”

Jones struck out four, two in the first inning, and walked five. He had only one rough inning; the Pioneers (27-4) loaded the bases with one out in the seventh.

But Bill Scheffels grounded sharply to shortstop Poncho Ruiz, who stepped on second and relayed to first to end the game.

Ruiz was unable to play his position last season because an elbow injury limited him to a designated hitter role. His presence was felt Wednesday, as he was part of two double plays.

Jones handled the powerful middle of the order. Clean-up hitter Kevin Nykoluk (10 home runs, 50 RBIs) and No. 5 hitter Ryan Hankins (12 home runs, 57 RBIs) were both hitless in two at-bats.

It is the third time the Aztecs have ended Simi Valley’s season.

In 1986, they eliminated the Pioneers, then the top-seeded team, on their way to the section title. In 1988, they bounced Simi Valley again in the quarterfinals.

This time, though, Esperanza (25-5) faced a team feared by many. The Pioneers had outscored opponents, 35-7, through the first three playoff games.

But the unseeded Aztecs had something to prove.

Esperenza got up early, with considerable help from the Pioneers.