La Habra Slams Fullerton With 15-Run Third Inning

La Habra cruised to its ninth consecutive victory by defeating host Fullerton, 22-4, in a Freeway League baseball game Friday that was called after five innings because of the mercy rule.

It was the second one-sided victory for the Highlanders against Fullerton this week. On Tuesday La Habra won, 10-1.

La Habra (11-5, 5-1) hit five home runs Friday, including Ryan Hall’s grand slam in the Highlanders’ 15-run third inning.

“Not that we didn’t hit the ball well, but there are some aided home runs in this ballpark,” La Habra Coach Mate Borgogno said. “Without a question this is a rather small park.”

Dave Cosato was the first to benefit from the dimensions. In the first inning, he hit a line-drive over the left-field fence for a 2-0 lead. Rob Morales started the second with a high fly off Fullerton starter Phil Girod (2-3) for his second homer of the season.

Fullerton (9-7, 3-4) got a run back in the second to make it 3-1, but disaster struck in the third.

Girod walked Ryan Huff to start the inning, then gave up a hard single to Cosato. With runners on the corners, Jesse Delgado’s bunt was misplayed by first baseman Luke Smude, who tried to pick off Huff at third. Smude’s throw sailed over the head of third basemen Peter Ramirez. That allowed Huff to score and put runners on second and third.

Reliever Chad Staffieri got Shaun Beutner on a sacrifice fly before walked the next three.

Ramirez replaced Staffieri and gave up a grand slam to Hall. Three more walks, two hit batsmen, two errors and two base hits added up to eight more runs for La Habra.