Magnolia Survives a Few Subpar Performances to Defeat Valencia, 11-8

After spotting visiting Valencia a three-run lead in the first, Magnolia used a six-run third as the catalyst for their 11-8 victory Wednesday.

By winning, the 10th-ranked Sentinels (12-1-1, 5-1) are primed for their Friday showdown here against Brea Olinda for first place in the Orange League.

Friday’s game is important to Magnolia. Brea Olinda is the only team to beat the Sentinels this season, recording a 4-0 shutout at home two weeks ago, and should the Wildcats win again, it gives them a tie-breaker should both teams end the season deadlocked.

Even if Coach Manny Rodriguez did not like parts of the game, he did like the results.

“It may have been our sloppiest game, but a win is a win,” Rodriguez said. “This was a big test for us. Even down 3-0, we never got rattled and came back swinging.

“The last time we played Brea we were flat and too confident, and they stuck it to us. But that won’t be a problem this time. If we play our game at our level, I feel we will be OK.”

The game Magnolia plays best is the hitting game, and it played it well Wednesday.

Sentinel starter Greg Young was bailed out from his rocky performance on the mound. After giving up only two earned runs in his first 35 innings this season, the senior left-hander was pelted for four runs in 2 1/3 innings, a pair coming on David Towery’s first-inning triple.

But reliever Rich Michelson (2-0) not only pitched Magnolia out of trouble he lifted them with the bat. His three-run homer in the third was the centerpiece of the six-run outburst in the third; it also gave Magnolia the lead for good, at 7-4.

Michelson said the team never lost faith when it was down, 3-0 and 4-2. “This is by far the best team I’ve played on here, and it is a very confident team,” he said.

The loss dropped Valencia to 10-6, 3-3.