The Plot Thickens as Diablos Top Mustangs

The South Coast League baseball race tightened up Friday as host Mission Viejo defeated first-place Trabuco Hills, 8-3.

Two games now separate the top four teams in the league. Mission Viejo (13-7-1, 6-4-1) is in third place, 1 1/2 games behind Trabuco Hills (17-5, 8-3), which leads second-place San Clemente by one game and fourth-place Capistrano Valley by two.

Three walks, two hit batters, two singles and an error enabled Mission Viejo to score five runs in the first inning. Four singles, three stolen bases and another error by sixth-ranked Trabuco Hills produced three more runs in the second.

Dain Hanson (4-0) gave up two earned runs on five hits and struck out six in five innings to get the win for Mission Viejo.

Kyle Mura had three RBIs and Collin Ashton had two RBIs for the Diablos.