Hubbard Muscles L.A. Baptist Into Final

Catcher John Hubbard of L.A. Baptist High couldn’t have picked a better time for one of his best hitting performances of the season.

The senior went four for four, with a home run and three doubles, and drove in five runs for the Knights in an 11-5 victory over second-seeded Lancaster Desert Christian in a Southern Section Division V semifinal Tuesday at the Hangar in Lancaster.

The Knights (18-6), who finished third in the Alpha League, will play in their first section championship game Friday against top-seeded Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Although Hubbard did most of the damage for L.A. Baptist, left fielder Joseph Chavez contributed three hits and three runs batted in, and three players had two hits each in an 18-hit attack.

“We knew they were a good team and they could hit the ball, so we knew we’d have to hit the ball hard,” Hubbard said.

Pitcher Scott Swenson (6-0), who missed two months of the season because of a shoulder injury, shut out Desert Christian (24-2) for the last five innings after allowing five runs in the first two innings.

Brandon Morgan had two hits for Desert Christian, which was bidding to reach its first final.

Dustin Schramm (13-2) took the loss.