ROUNDUP : Reprieved, Nordhoff Cashes In

It took nine innings and a lot of luck, but Nordhoff High won its first Frontier League baseball game since 1991 with a 6-4 victory over host Santa Clara on Friday.

Santa Clara (3-4, 1-2 in league play) appeared to have won the game in the bottom of the seventh on what would have been a bases-loaded single by Fernando Garcia with the score tied, 4-4.

But the Saint baserunners on first and second were ruled out in an inning-ending double play because they didn’t advance to the next bases, opting instead to join the celebration at home plate.

Nordhoff (4-4-1, 1-2) scored two runs in the ninth when Craig Pravata tripled to start the inning and scored on a single by Miles Robertson. One out later, Brian Roney doubled home Robertson.

Pravata and Robertson each had two hits, with Robertson scoring three runs.

Rio Mesa 2, Hueneme 1--Donald DiDomizio had a no-hitter for 4 2/3 innings before Richard Soliz came on to pick up the save in the Channel League game at Rio Mesa.

DiDomizio (2-1) allowed one hit, walked one and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings. Soliz gave up two hits and struck out one in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Rio Mesa (7-4, 4-1) scored both its runs in the fourth. The first came on an RBI single by Erick Flores and the second scored on a bases-loaded walk to Marcus Yasutake.

The Spartans have won four in a row after a league-opening loss to Buena.

Ventura 3, Santa Barbara 0--Robert Verstraeten (2-1) took just 86 pitches to shut out host Santa Barbara (7-4, 2-3) in a Channel League game.

The junior right-hander scattered four hits and struck out eight without giving up a walk, and threw his first pitch for a strike to 21 of 25 batters.

Jeremy Pierce was two for three for Ventura (3-6-1, 3-2), while Monte Moritz had a pair of run-scoring sacrifice flies.

Sylmar 7, Chatsworth 6--Chris Ruley’s sacrifice fly drove home Art Diaz with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth in the second round of the Bishop Gorman tournament in Las Vegas. The game was called after the sixth because of a time limit.

Senior right-hander Carlos Velazco (4-1) went the distance for Sylmar (9-3), striking out one and walking five. Chatsworth’s Bryan LaCour was two for three, including a solo home run and a run-scoring double, and drove in three runs.

Highland 7, Sahuaro (Ariz.) 6--With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Ben Mia’s bad-hop double over the head of the Sahuaro left fielder drove in two runs to win a pool-play game of the Bishop Gorman tournament.

Sophomore Joe Chavez (1-0) did not allow an earned run over 3 2/3 innings of two-hit relief to earn the victory for Highland (2-8).

Poly 4, San Gorgonio 1--Javier Sanchez (1-2) pitched a one-hitter to earn his first victory, leading Poly (6-2) to its third pool-play victory in the Bishop Gorman tournament.

The senior right-hander retired the first 15 San Gorgonio batters before surrendering a sixth-inning triple to Wayne Caro, and finished with seven strikeouts while giving up one walk.

Kennedy 6, Highland (Utah) 3--George Kassis came in with a runner on third and nobody out in the sixth inning and retired the side to earn his third save for Kennedy (4-4-1) in a game shortened to six innings by darkness in the Bishop Gorman tournament.

Terrmel Sledge had a run-scoring triple for the Golden Cougars.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Cosumnes River 5, Oxnard 2--Matt Anderson went two for four and Andy Wilson drove in both Oxnard runs.

Riverside 5, Moorpark 1--Two Moorpark pitchers gave up 13 hits and the Raider defense committed five errors in a consolation-bracket game of the Channel Coast tournament at Moorpark.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Cal Lutheran 11-9, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3-0--Heidi Stevens and Xochitl Castillo each pitched three-hitters in Cal Lutheran’s sweep of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Aimee Snider hit her third home run for Cal Lutheran (12-6, 10-0) in the first game and the Regals produced a 10-run, two-out rally in the fourth inning of the second game, which was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

Pierce 72, Canyon 57--The Brahmas had only five swimmers--Danna Barker, April Erenberg, Lisa Servera, Simone Myara and Christi Martin--but they won all but one event for an improbable victory. Martin and Barker each won three events.