ANAHEIM LIONS TOURNAMENT : Sunny Hills’ McGuire Gets First Start, Beats Katella

Sunny Hills pitcher Jimmy McGuire, in his first start this season, held Katella to one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings and the Lancers won, 4-1, Monday to advance to the semifinals of the Anaheim Lions Tournament.

McGuire (3-0), who usually is Sunny Hills’ closer, had eight strikeouts.

“McGuire was consistently ahead in the count, which helped us stay ahead in the game,” Sunny Hills Coach Doug Elliott said.

The Knights (10-6) had two chances late. After McGuire tired and walked the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the sixth, Joe Fraser hit reliever Ryan Puckett’s 2-and-2 fastball to the warning track for the third out. Puckett also struggled in the seventh, giving up a two-out double and a walk, before striking out Jason Stockstill to end the game.

“We set ourselves up in the last two innings,” Katella Coach Tim McMenamin said. “Give credit to their pitchers for making the right pitches at the right time.”

Katella (10-6) had a good scoring opportunity early when Fraser led off the third inning with a triple and Damon Schrotberger reached on McGuire’s throwing error. But Schrotberger was caught stealing, Geoff Burgueno grounded out and McGuire struck out Geno Ramirez looking.

The Lancers (12-4) took advantage of Fraser’s wildness in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs. Mike McCue led off with a double and scored from second on a wild pitch. Joshua Hochgesang then doubled and scored on Greg Garand’s single. After Katella recorded two outs, Garand scored from third on a wild pitch to give Sunny Hills a 3-0 lead.

Fraser, who gave up seven hits and walked nine in the game, loaded the bases with a double and two walks and then walked Scott Warkentin, scoring Andy Volpp for a 4-0 Lancer lead.

Katella’s only run came in the fifth inning when Burgueno’s two-out triple drove in Sal Viramontes, who had walked to lead off the inning.

Sunny Hills will play Loara at 7 p.m. today at Glover Stadium.

Loara 14, Dana Hills 6--Dan Gusman had three hits and drove in two runs and Jim Kirkland had three hits, including a home run, and drove in a run for Loara (11-4), which scored six runs in the first inning.

Cypress 9, Magnolia 7--Matt Shelton went four for four with three runs scored and Vince Ammirato went three for four with a double, triple and two runs batted in to lead Cypress (9-7) in a championship quarterfinal game. In the semifinals, Cypress will take on Anaheim at 4 p.m. today at Glover Stadium and Magnolia (8-3) will play Keneddy at 1 p.m. at Brookhurst Park.

Anaheim 11, Kennedy 9--Carlos Ramirez went two for three with a triple and two RBIs and Rudy Herrera went one for three with three RBIs to lead Anaheim (4-12). Kennedy is 9-7.

In another tournament game:

La Habra 4, Aliso Niguel 4 (La Habra advances with most runners reaching third)--Nick Pfeiffer pitched a five-hitter, striking out six and walking one, and had two hits and an RBI to lift the Highlanders in the consolation quarterfinals. Manny Valenzuela, a sophomore shortstop, had three hits and two stolen bases.

La Habra advances to play the Fullerton-Downey Warren winner at 1 p.m. today at Glover Stadium. Aliso Niguel is 8-5-1.