CITY SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

Determined to gain respect for the East Valley League, No. 13-seeded Grant High pulled off the biggest upset in the first round of the City Championship baseball playoffs.

The Lancers relied on power hitting and two shutout innings from reliever Frank Amaya to defeat No. 4-seeded Granada Hills, 7-6, on Tuesday at Granada Hills.

Michael Marble hit a three-run triple in a four-run first inning and added another triple in a three-run sixth to help Grant (18-9) advance to a quarterfinal game Thursday at No. 12 South Gate, which upset No. 5 Wilson, 10-9.

Granada Hills (20-7), North Valley League champion, started No. 2 pitcher Peter Tuber after ace Kameron Loe (10-1) decided he could not pitch because of a sore right arm.

The Highlanders rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the score in the fifth, but Grant chased Tuber in the sixth, getting a run-scoring double from Marc Soulema, who scored the winning run on a botched rundown play.

Consecutive home runs by Jon Bringuier and Dan Frisbee in the sixth pulled Granada Hills to within 7-6, but Amaya, the third Grant pitcher, came in and picked up the save.

Granada Hills stranded 11 baserunners.