Southern Section Baseball Playoffs : Esperanza Wins, 2-0, as Aztecs Again Are Able to Get Big Plays

Whatever it takes--excellent pitching, clutch hitting, big comebacks or just plain luck--Anaheim Esperanza High School has usually found a way to win. It’s a combination that led the Aztecs to the Southern Section 4-A title last year and it may do so again this year.

Last Friday, what the Aztecs needed was a rally, which they got, coming back from a 5-0 deficit in the sixth inning to beat Anaheim Servite, 7-5.

Tuesday, they needed fine pitching, clutch hitting and good luck, all of which they got en route to a 2-0 victory over Arcadia in a 4-A semifinal game at Cal State Los Angeles.

The pitching came from Jason Moler, who threw six innings of one-hit ball. The clutch hitting came from Doug Saunders, who hit a two-run home run in the third inning. Saunders also had the game-winning hit against Servite.

The luck came in the sixth inning, as Arcadia put together its only threat. Chris McCarn doubled to left for the Apaches’ only hit, and Charlie Emerson walked to put runners at first and second with two outs and cleanup hitter Dave Weckerle at the plate.

Inexplicably, with Moler obviously tiring, the runners tried to pull a double steal as Weckerle looked at ball three.

McCarn beat the high throw to third, but his slide carried him past the bag and Aztec third baseman Brent Bish tagged him out to end the threat.

Arcadia Coach John Meiers defended his decision to send the runners.

“He was safe--he just overslid,” Meiers said. “We’re not sitting around waiting for a three-run inning in a ballpark that’s 400 feet.”

It was the only threat Arcadia (21-6-1) mustered, as Moler (8-1) allowed no runner past second and struck out five in six innings. Saunders struck out two in the seventh to get the save.

Esperanza struggled offensively as Arcadia pitcher Eric Gruben held them in check for most of the afternoon. His only mistake came in the third inning when, with two outs, he walked Tom Redington to bring up Saunders.

With a 1-1 count on Saunders, Gruben tried to hit the outside corner with a slider, but Saunders took the pitch the other way. The ball barely made it over the right-field fence for Saunders’ sixth home run, all of which have gone to the opposite field.

Gruben (11-3) pitched a complete game, allowing five hits. He struck out six and walked four.

Esperanza (25-2) will defend its 4-A title against Lakewood Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Dodger Stadium.

Other semifinal games:

Lakewood 5, Placentia El Dorado 4--The Lancers took advantage of four Golden Hawk errors to score three unearned runs and advance to the 4-A final with a win at Valencia High in Placentia.

Lakewood (24-7) scored its first three runs with the help of El Dorado errors, including a run in the sixth to tie the game. In the seventh, a wild pitch by El Dorado pitcher Steve Gill allowed one run to score and Mike Nuez’s sacrifice fly made it 5-3.

A home run in the seventh by El Dorado’s Doug Yates made it 5-4, but Mike McNary (11-3) retired the next three batters for the win.

McNary allowed eight hits and struck out eight as he won his fourth straight playoff game. Second-seeded El Dorado finished the season 22-5.

Riverside Arlington 13, Villa Park 8--The Lions scored five runs in the first inning and Nate Miller hit a three-run homer in the second as Arlington raced out to an 8-1 lead and coasted to the win at Rancho Santiago College, Santa Ana.

Arlington (20-7) will play Fullerton Troy in the 3-A final Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Dodger Stadium.

Whittier La Serna 10, El Monte Mountain View 4--Manny Cervantes hit two home runs to lead the Lancers over the Vikings in a 2-A semifinal game at Arroyo High.

Cervantes went 4 for 4, with 3 runs batted in as La Serna (19-5-1) built a 6-0 lead through two innings and coasted from there. The Lancers will play second-seeded Capistrano Valley Saturday at 1 p.m. at Dodger Stadium for the 2-A title.

Playa del Rey St. Bernard 1, Baldwin Park 0--It was the Tim Williams show at Azusa Pacific, as the senior pitcher led the Vikings into to the 1-A final.

Williams fired a two-hitter, striking out 15 batters, and hit a home run in the sixth inning.

The home run was his 15th of the year, and gave him 25 for the season, a Southern Section record. Ed Pierce of Glendora held the old mark of 24, set earlier this year.

Whittier Christian 17, Covina Gladstone 5--Mike Goodcase hit two home runs and had six runs batted in to lead the Heralds over the defending 1-A champion Gladiators at La Palma Park in Anaheim.