Diving Catch Preserves Santa Margarita Victory

Santa Margarita’s Tim Dean gave up only three hits and center fielder Chris Rix made a game-ending defensive play in a 3-2 victory over El Toro in the first round of the Loara baseball tournament Friday at El Toro High.

With one out and a man on first in the bottom of the seventh, Rix made a diving catch, then threw to first to double off the runner.

Eric Walsh pitched a complete game and gave up just one hit for El Toro (0-1).

In other first-round games:

Canyon 10, Savanna 2--Mike Whipple had two hits, including a home run, and five RBIs, and Jon Holato had a home run and three RBIs for visiting Canyon (1-0).

Katella 8, Marina 7 (9 innings)--Aaron Castaneda’s two-run double in the bottom of the ninth won it for Katella (1-0).

San Clemente 14, Los Alamitos 13--Chase Stroupe hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh and earned his first save for San Clemente (1-0).

In the Costa Mesa baseball tournament:

Bolsa Grande 13, Estancia 11--Mike Johnstone went four-for-four with six RBIs and four runs for Bolsa Grande (1-0).

Garden Grove 3, Costa Mesa 2 (8 innings)--Felipe Garcia and Greg Benoit had RBI singles in the bottom of the eighth for Garden Grove (1-0). Billy Halverson’s RBI single in the top of the eighth put Costa Mesa ahead.

Joe Harkey struck out 10 for Garden Grove.

Santa Ana 12, Laguna Beach 3 (6 innings, darkness)--Pitcher Derek Castle had 12 strikeouts and hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth for Santa Ana (1-0).

In the first round of the El Segundo tournament:

Brea Olinda 4, North Torrance 0--Mike Davern (1-0) pitched a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and John Pohlen and Mike Salazar each hit two-run home runs for Brea Olinda (1-0).

Westminster 7, Gardena 5--Freddie Rodriguez had three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs and struck out six in 3 2/3 innings to earn the victory for Westminster. Phillip Jenkins went four-for-four with a home run and three RBIs for the visiting Lions (1-0).

In the Foothill tournament:

Esperanza 4, Capistrano Valley 3--Kent Carpenter’s sacrifice fly scored Matt Lawson in the bottom of the seventh for Esperanza (1-0).

Foothill 6, Mater Dei 3--Matt Meadows had a double, home run, a sacrifice fly and three RBIs for visiting Foothill (1-0).

In pool play at the La Habra tournament:

Whittier California 6, Whittier Christian 0--Vince Cordova pitched a no-hitter for host California, striking out 10.

In the North Orange County tournament:

La Quinta 5, Riverside 4--Catcher Arnulfo Arroyo’s second home run tied the game in the seventh and freshman Ian Kennedy hit a sacrifice fly to lift the host Aztecs (1-0).

Mission Viejo 1, Murrieta Valley 0--Shawn Stacy managed the only hit for the Diablos (1-0), a seventh-inning single that made a winner of John Hudgins, who struck out 11.

Huntington Beach 15, La Serna 0 (5 innings, mercy rule)--Joey Huskins had a grand slam in the third for Huntington Beach (1-0).

In nonleague softball:

Laguna Hills 2, San Clemente 0--Julie Davison and Katie Oliver had RBIs and freshman pitcher Brittany Fait gave up five hits for the Hawks (1-0).

In nonleague boys’ volleyball:

Marina 3, North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake 0--Jeff Wootton had 12 kills for host Marina (1-0), which won, 15-5, 15-3, 15-4.

Corona del Mar 3, Fountain Valley 0--Greg Stampley had 26 kills and setter Evan Burden had 58 assists for visiting Corona del Mar (1-0), which won, 15-10, 15-12, 15-4.