Cappuccilli Ties, Sets County Record

Edison senior catcher Tony Cappuccilli became the county’s all-time leading home run hitter Tuesday. And he did it with flare.

The second of Cappuccilli’s two home runs, a two-run blast to left with two out in the bottom of the sixth, was the game-winning hit in Edison’s wild 10-8 victory over visiting Los Alamitos.

Cappuccilli, who had four hits and drove in four runs, has 12 home runs this season. He has 30 in his career, passing La Quinta’s Gerald Laird, who set the record last year with 29. (One of his home runs came off Laird during Cappuccilli’s sophomore season.)

He had tied Laird’s mark in the third with a bases-empty homer to left. Both blasts came off Griffins’ starter and loser David Smith (2-2).

“I can’t describe the feeling,” said Cappuccilli, who was mobbed by teammates after crossing the plate. “It’s just so awesome to have the record. But the most important thing was getting the win.”

Los Alamitos (10-9, 4-4) had overcome an early 2-0 Edison lead. Catcher Ryan Hanson slammed a three-run homer off Bryce Popoff to cap a five-run third. Edison tied the score in the fourth, but Los Alamitos first baseman Nick Fitzgerald hit a three-run homer to right off reliever and eventual winner Glenn Hedgpeth (4-3) to put his team back in front.

But Smith could not hold off the Chargers (13-6, 5-3), who scored at least one run in every inning. Their biggest outburst came in the sixth with two outs.

Edison designated hitter Jon Bates began the rally with a homer to left. Brent Roumeliotis walked on five pitches. Smith, after talking with Coach Rob Wigod, turned to face Cappuccilli.

Hanson set up his glove on the inside corner. But Smith’s fastball went over the middle of the plate and Cappuccilli crushed it. Griffin left fielder Jerod Ball took one step toward the fence then watched the ball sail over.

Popoff completed the comeback with his seventh home run, a bases-empty shot to left.

Wigod, who said before the game the Griffins would pitch to Cappuccilli, did not second-guess himself.

“If there had been an open base we might have walked him,” Wigod said. “But with a one-run lead and a man on first, I did not want to put the tying run on second. We knew Tony was capable of doing what he did. I tip my hat to him.”