Sunny Hills Defeats La Habra

Nathan Hochgesang couldn’t beat La Habra on the mound. So the Sunny Hills junior pitcher-first baseman decided to win Friday’s Freeway League game with his bat.

Hochgesang’s leadoff home run in the top of the eighth inning gave the Lancers their fifth lead and a 6-5 victory over host La Habra.

“I wasn’t sure I’d hit it out,” said Hochgesang, who belted a 1-2 curveball from reliever Ryan Huff, and threw his left arm in the air in triumph as the ball cleared the fence. “I knew I’d gotten a good piece of the [bat] barrel on the ball.”

It was Hochgesang’s first home run this season and it could not have come at a better time for Sunny Hills (6-4, 2-1), which had lost its last six meetings with La Habra, the defending league champion.

Hochgesang started the game for Sunny Hills and was ably supported by the Lancer bats. Brent Templeton and Jared Bruce, who had three hits each, also homered for the Lancers. Five of Sunny Hills’ 10 hits were for extra bases, and the Lancers forged leads of 1-0, 3-1, 4-2, and 5-4 only to see the Highlanders (7-2, 2-1) come back each time.

Huff--who began the game at third base--had a big day with four hits, including his third home run, and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Kyle Ballard, who started on the mound before being replaced by Huff in the fifth, had three hits.

The Highlanders never led but tied the score three times: 1-1, 4-4 and 5-5. The last tie came in the bottom of the seventh, when Huff scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Hall.

Although the Highlanders succumbed in the eighth, they did not go out quietly. La Habra had runners on second and third before David Coughlin, who relieved Hochgesang in the sixth, struck out Al Estrada on a 2-2 fastball to end it.

“That’s La Habra baseball at its best,” said Coach Mate Borgogno, whose team had only lost to Mater Dei before Friday. “We never want to give in or give up. Not one bit.”

Sunny Hills Coach Doug Elliott was relieved to get the victory.

“If we had given that game back after leading that many times, it could have been devastating to our confidence,” Elliott said. “And confidence for kids is so important at this age.”

In other Freeway League games:

Buena Park 6, Troy 4--Brian Cook was four for four with a double, scored twice and knocked in two runs for host Buena Park (4-5, 1-2). Earl Parker (2-0) struck out seven in six innings and had two hits and two RBIs. Troy is 4-5, 0-3.

Fullerton 8, Sonora 3--Sophomore Matt Reynolds struck out six and picked up the victory in his first start for Fullerton (4-5, 2-1). Center fielder John Pate had two stolen bases and three runs scored for Fullerton.