Buena Park Wins North County Title

It’s still early, but Buena Park could join Fullerton and Sonora as contenders for a Freeway League title when league play begins next week.

The upstart Coyotes (4-2) got a major confidence boost Friday by winning the North County Classic tournament, holding off Valencia, 6-5, in the championship game.

What makes Buena Park an intriguing sleeper is a potent lineup that was responsible for beating the Tigers (2-2) twice during the eight-day tournament. The top half of the order is especially powerful.

On Friday, the first four batters--Ernesto Jaime, Neil Flores, Richie Pohle and Cesar Carillo--had seven of Buena Park’s nine hits, as well as scoring and driving in all the Coyotes’ runs.

Jaime had the best night, with three hits--including his first home run--and two runs scored. Flores had an RBI double, and Pohle and Carillo socked two-run homers. It was Pohle’s third; Carillo’s fourth.

First year Coach Russ McHale isn’t ready to declare his team as a league contender.

“We’ve still got a long way to go,” McHale said. “The kids are still getting used to [the new staff]. But we are playing some confident ball right now. They believe in what they’re doing.”

McHale could be hedging his bets until he has a better sense of his pitching depth. On Friday he used No. 3 starter Chris Perry, who was unable to get out of the second inning when he had control problems. Perry walked four in the inning, was victimized by a fielding error and was charged with all five Valencia runs (four earned) before Shane Ellison could quell the uprising.

But Buena Park, which scored three in the first, scored three in the second and did not relinquish the lead. Ellison posted his first victory; Brent Andrew pitched three scoreless innings for his first save.

Valencia starter Matt Hutchinson (0-2) was charged with all six runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings to take the loss.