SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

Every time Bud Murray steps onto the baseball field, he realizes how quickly it all could end.

But with victories like these, who needs to sweat it?

Hart High guaranteed its retiring coach at least one more game, defeating Santa Barbara, 10-3, in a Southern Section Division II second-round game on Tuesday at Hart.

Hart, seeded No. 2, exploded for 13 hits and rode the arm of Jamie Shields, who had 13 strikeouts, to its third quarterfinal appearance in six years.

The Indians travel to Royal on Friday.

In addition, the Indians (24-4) extended the season for Murray, who has said that his 23rd year at Hart will be his final one.

The victory wasn’t lost on Shields (9-0), who pitched a four-hitter.

“It’s one of the big things that we think about,” Shields said.

“It’s his last year. We’ve never won a championship. We want to win one for him.”

Shields made things much easier for Murray, giving up only one run before tiring in the seventh inning and allowing two more.

Murray said the end will come, well, when it comes.

“It’s going to end someday, whether it’s Friday or down in Anaheim [at the final] next Saturday,” Murray said. “Very few ever go out winning their final game. It would be kind of unique going out that way.”

Ryan Haag’s two-run home run sparked a four-run third inning and Tim Hutting’s two-run single highlighted a five-run sixth for Hart, which had little trouble against Matt Vasquez (12-3).

Santa Barbara (20-5), which set a school record for victories in a season, was trying to win for batting instructor George Rempe, who had triple-bypass surgery last week.

Rempe attended the game.

The Dons handled Rio Mesa with ease in the first round for their first playoff victory since 1986, but simply couldn’t muster any offense against Shields and Hart.

Their only hit through four innings was a bunt single by Morgan Peterson.