Big First Lasts for Cal Lutheran

Brad Smith hit a three-run home run in a five-run first inning and Cal Lutheran made the lead stand up for a 5-4 nonconference baseball victory over The Master’s on Tuesday at Thousand Oaks.

Smith’s seventh home run of the season was one of seven hits in the first inning by the Kingsmen (30-7) off Heath McElwee (6-4), who went the distance.

Erik Kiszczak (9-2) pitched five innings and Marco Marquez pitched the final three innings to earn his second save.

Rich Hernandez had a two-run single for Cal Lutheran.

McElwee and Aaron Penberthy had run-scoring doubles for Master’s (21-25) in the seventh.

Pierce 13, Valley 12--Josh Morgan’s two-out, run-scoring double capped a six-run ninth inning for the Brahmas in a Western State Conference game at Pierce.

Seth Barkley had three hits, including two doubles, for Pierce (14-24, 6-15) and Kirk Mayer had five RBIs.

Bakersfield 3, Canyons 1--Jesse Daggett and David Soto each had two hits but the Cougars lost a WSC game at Bakersfield.

Soto singled home Daggett in the seventh.

The Cougars (26-13, 13-8) fell to third place behind Bakersfield (25-14, 14-7), which is tied for first with Glendale.

Hancock 4, Oxnard 0--Brent Egan singled in the sixth and eighth innings, the only hits for the Condors (17-17, 10-10) against Robert Anderson in a WSC game at Hancock.

Anderson (9-1) had four strikeouts and two walks.

Adam Springston (3-3) scattered six hits for Oxnard, striking out five and walking four.

VOLLEYBALL

Orange Coast d. Pierce, 8-15, 15-17, 15-12, 15-13, 15-7--Former Thousand Oaks High standout Scott Sheridan had 21 kills and Adam Clint added 16, but the Brahmas (16-4) came up short in the finals of the Southern California men’s volleyball regional.