Chino Outlasts Rival Damien

Luis Hernandez of visiting Chino out-dueled fellow left-hander Paul Applebee of La Verne Damien on Tuesday, lifting the Cowboys, who are ranked No. 15 in the Southland by The Times, to a 2-0 victory in a matchup of first-place teams in the Sierra League.

Hernandez, a senior, gave up four hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter to improve to 6-2.

“When they did hit the ball, they didn’t hit it hard,” Chino Coach Bob Sheehan said. “It was a very good win for us.”

Applebee, a junior who was the winning pitcher in a 5-3 victory over Chino on March 24, gave up no earned runs and two hits, struck out five and walked one to fall to 4-4.

“He had a really good curve ball,” said Chino second baseman Justin Jacobs, who walked and scored on one of three Damien errors in the fourth.

Matt Jaimes doubled in the first inning and scored on a two-out passed ball to give Chino (17-4, 7-3) the early lead. Damien falls to 10-9, 6-4.

Dan Arritt

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Softball

Etiwanda (19-2, 9-1), ranked No. 22, forged a tie for first place in the Baseline League with a 4-3 win in eight innings over No. 23 Rancho Cucamonga (16-3, 9-1). Danielle Spaulding scored the game-winner on a grounder by Rachel Andrade. Both pitchers, Rachel Lopez (14-2), who struck out 10, and loser Sarah Vertelka (16-2), gave up five hits. Rancho Cucamonga, which won the first meeting at home, will be the home team in the season finale.

Top Performers

* Ashley Arnett, Saugus: Pitched a four-hitter and hit a two-run double in 3-2 Foothill League softball win over No. 1 Valencia. It ended Valencia’s 11-game win streak and created a first-place tie.

* Hee Joo Son, Torrance, and Brandin Cohen, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa: Son shot a three-under-par 31 at Washington Golf Course and Cohen had a 32 as Mira Costa edged Torrance, 173-174, in a nonleague boys’ golf match.

* Kimi Wong, Goleta Dos Pueblos: Pitched a perfect game with 14 strikeouts for the No. 18 Chargers in a 1-0 nine-inning softball victory over Ventura Buena.