Western Slugs Its Way Into Final

Western pounded Orange Lutheran, 13-4, on Tuesday at Brookhurst Park to advance to the championship game of the Anaheim Lions’ baseball tournament. Western faces Lakewood at 7 tonight at Glover Field in Anaheim.

Western’s Kyle Stanley gave up only two hits, but gave up four runs thanks in part to seven walks. Stanley, making his second appearance of the season, featured a sharp breaking ball and struck out six in six innings.

“[Stanley] is definitely more comfortable throwing the curve,” Western Coach Steve Green said. “It’s great when you can throw it for strikes on a 3-0 count.”

Stanley, Western’s No. 3 hitter, singled in the first, doubled in two in the sixth, and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh for his third RBI of the game.

“I saw the ball well tonight and felt very comfortable [at the plate],” Stanley said.

After Western (12-5-1) took an early 2-0 lead, Orange Lutheran (9-6-1) came back with two runs in the third, highlighted by Brett Miller’s RBI single.

Western took the lead for good in the fourth when Casey Simpson hit his second double to drive home Adam Kline, and later scored on Daniel Jorgensen’s single. Simpson finished with three RBIs. Jorgensen and Rick Devinney, Western’s catcher, each had three hits and scored twice.