Santa Margarita Falters, Then Wins in 7th

Second-ranked Santa Margarita blew a five-run lead but came back in the bottom of the seventh to win a 7-6 thriller over Woodbridge.

Andy Hopper’s bases-loaded single with one out gave the Eagles (19-4, 11-1) a two-game lead in the Sea View League over the second-place Warriors with three games to play.

It was also their second victory over Woodbridge this season, giving Santa Margarita the tiebreaker advantage (head-to-head victories) if the two tie for the league championship.

Santa Margarita led 5-0 in the sixth with the Warriors (15-7, 9-3) scored four runs. And in the seventh, Chad Okuma hit a two-run double to right off reliever Jeff Kuno (1-0), giving Woodbridge the lead.

But in the seventh, the Eagles loaded the bases with one out against Woodbridge starter Kevin Beavers (6-2). Steve Terwiske came in to relieve, but walked Matt Strickroth to force in the tying run, then gave up the hit to Hopper.

“He jammed me, but I got enough of the ball to get it over the infield,” Hopper said.

“This was big for us,” Eagle Coach Tip Lefebvre said. “Three of our four losses have come in the last inning when we were ahead by a run. Today was big not only because we won a close game, but we came back to win it.” Woodbridge Coach Dave Madrid said he does not expect his team to dwell on the tough loss.

“We’ll be ready to play them again on Friday,” Madrid said. “The first game we didn’t know if we could play with them. But today we stood toe-to-toe with them.”