Halbert Helps Western Beat Brea to Pull Even

Before heading to next week’s spring break and the West Anaheim Lions Tournament, the Western baseball team had some unfinished business on Friday.

The chore awaiting the Pioneers: keep Brea Olinda from taking a step away from the rest of the Orange League. If the Wildcats had won Friday’s game, they would have established a two-game lead after the first round of play.

But a 5-1 Western victory not only kept the Pioneers close to the Wildcats, it put them side by side. Both are 4-1 in league. Western is now 7-5 overall; Brea fell to 7-4.

Senior left-hander Bret Halbert (4-0) pitched and hit Western to the victory. He held the Wildcats to five hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking four. He continually wriggled out of trouble; Brea, retired in order only once, left the bases loaded twice and stranded 11 runners.

Halbert also had the pivotal hit, a two-run double off Brea starter Aaron Hough (0-2) during a four-run sixth inning. Also driving in runs that inning were Frank Quintana and pinch hitter Justin Herbert.

“The hit probably meant more to me today,” Halbert said. “I didn’t have much out there--my arm was sore--so I had to dig deep. I think that’s the sign of a pretty good pitcher when you can do that.”

Hough, making only his second start this season while recovering from back problems, also went the distance, walking one and striking out eight.

But in addition to little offensive support--Brea’s lone run came in the fifth on a bunt single, stolen base, and Wayne Shuplock’s hard smash off second baseman Garrett Bridge’s glove--Hough did not get much defensive help. The Wildcats acted as if they were already on vacation, making three errors of commission and a couple more of omission.

“We have to play efficient baseball to win and we weren’t very efficient today,” Brea Coach Steve Hiskey said. “I have to give Western and their pitcher credit, too; but we didn’t take advantage of what the game gave us today.”

In other Orange League games:

Magnolia 12, Savanna 8 (9)--Joey Camarillo hit a grand slam with one out in the top of the eighth for Magnolia. Camarillo (two for three, five RBIs) tied the score in the seventh with a single that drove in Ryan Hieman.