Huntington Beach Turns Back Cougars
Huntington Beach rallied to defeat Capistrano Valley, 10-6, in the first round of the Big West Invitational baseball tournament Saturday at Windrow Park in Irvine.
Capistrano Valley (3-12) led after two innings, 5-3, but the Oilers, who scored in all but the third and seventh innings, capped the comeback with five runs in the sixth inning.
Jeff Ruziecki homered in the fifth inning for the Oilers (9-6). Freshman pitcher Justin Keadle (2-1) picked up the victory and Mike Miller pitched two innings of scoreless relief.
Ryan Hubbard had four stolen bases for Huntington Beach and Shawn Donoho had two hits and scored two runs. Huntington Beach will play Lakewood, a 2-0 winner over Ocean View, at 1 p.m. Monday. Capistrano Valley will play Ocean View at noon.
Three first-round games were rained out and will be played Monday.
In other Big West invitational games:
El Toro 11, No. 3 Servite 8--Dave Fischer had two hits and four RBIs for Servite (10-3). Ben Francisco had two hits and four RBIs for the Friars.
Long Beach Millikan 11, Aliso Niguel 10 (9)--Millikan scored a run in the top of the ninth to win.
Aliso Niguel, which led after three innings, 8-6, fell behind 10-8, when Millikan scored three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth. The Wolverines (10-4) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score.
Los Alamitos 3, Irvine 2--James Whitted had two singles and a run scored for Irvine (4-11).
In the Pride of the Coast tournament:
Lakewood Artesia 8, Costa Mesa 1 (6, rain)--Artesia took advantage of a five-run third inning. Costa Mesa’s only run came in the second inning. The Mustangs are 5-8.
Newport Harbor 5, Bolsa Grande 1--Sean Rorden and Justin Jacobs limited Bolsa Grande (2-11) to one run. Jacobs had one hit with an RBI and Scott Crane hit a two-run double. Newport Harbor is 4-10.
Bolsa Grande plays Simi Valley Royal at 11 a.m. Monday at Newport Harbor. The Sailors will play at Costa Mesa at 11 a.m.
In the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman Easter Classic:
Tustin 7, Hillcrest (Utah) 6--The Tillers scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, Danny Trujillo’s single to left scored Chad Lloyd to win it. Tustin tied the score, 6-6, when the Hillcrest pitcher balked with a runner on third.
Pitcher Quin Brumbaugh got his first victory of the season after relieving starter Chad Chop in the fourth inning. Tustin’s Brian Burns hit a home run in the fourth inning.
Chad Lloyd’s single to center field drove in two runs and keyed a six-run fourth inning as the Tillers defeated Las Vegas Chaparral, 7-6, earlier in the day. Tustin had to come back from a four-run deficit. Lloyd (1-0) relieved Trujillo in the third inning and picked up the victory.
In the Santa Ana Elks baseball tournament:
No. 1 La Quinta 16, Saddleback 4 (5, mercy)--Gerald Laird had three hits, with two home runs, three runs scored and five RBIs, for La Quinta (16-0). Laird, 36 for 55 this season, also had three stolen bases. Jason Garcia had four hits and three RBIs for the Aztecs.
La Puente Nogales 17, Santa Ana 0 (5, mercy)--J.R. Mora pitched a four-hitter for visiting Nogales (9-4). Alex Roman had two hits and two RBIs. Teammate Mike Flores had a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Santa Ana is 3-9-1.
Hacienda Heights Los Altos 5, Santa Ana Valley 4--Mark Ruiz scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning for Los Altos (5-1-1). Ruiz reached second on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Ruiz had two hits and two run scored. Teammate Steve Aguirre had two doubles and two runs scored.
Villa Park 10, Century 3--Sophomore Brandon Averill (1-3) pitched a five-hitter for Villa Park. Matt Swearingen had three hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases for the Spartans (4-9). Six players had hits for Century (2-11).