SOUTHERN SECTION ROUNDUP : Rosselli Shuts Down Final Millikan Rally to Key Alemany Upset

Alemany High Coach Jim Ozella tried to contain himself. Then he apparently figured that when his team had knocked off the second-seeded team in the Southern Section 5-A Division playoffs he had earned the right to crow a little.

“We came out and we swung the bats,” Ozella said. “In my seven years here that’s our biggest win ever, and that counts the time we beat Chatsworth when they were nationally ranked a couple of years ago.”

Despite a less-than-scintillating outing by senior left-hander Joey Rosselli, Alemany shocked Millikan, 11-8, in a first-round game at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Rosselli (8-3) went the distance, throwing 140 pitches. He allowed three earned runs, nine hits, struck out two and walked three.

“He didn’t have his best stuff, but he got the outs when he really needed it,” Ozella said. “He got us out of it when he had to.”

With Alemany trailing, 2-0, in the second, freshman outfielder Eddie Bushey tripled in two runs to tie the score. Alemany scored four times in the inning and added four more in the fourth.

Bushey added a run-scoring single in the seventh to help Alemany take an 11-5 lead.

Millikan (22-4) scored three times in the bottom of the seventh before Rosselli recorded the final out with the tying run on deck.

Greg Thompson had four hits for Alemany (14-14), which will play Katella in a second-round game Tuesday. Katella defeated Royal, 7-2, Friday.

In other first-round games:

5-A DIVISION

Katella 7, Royal 2--Royal (16-11) lost in its first appearance in the Southern Section playoffs since 1978 despite a three-for-three day from catcher Steve Talafus. Royal pitcher Ed Smith (2-2) allowed five runs on 10 hits in four innings.

Royal scored in the fourth and the fifth. Smith bunted home David Landaker in the fourth, and Landaker doubled home Jesse Rosen in the fifth.

Glendale 3, Rubidoux 2--Host Glendale managed just three hits, but they were enough to defeat Rubidoux (17-11).

Glendale (17-6-2) got two of its hits during a three-run third inning. Brent Overfelt doubled to drive in Rene Rangel, who had walked, and Danny Gray followed with a single to score Overfelt.

Gray moved to second on an error, to third when Marco Rivas walked, and scored on an error by the Rubidoux third baseman.

In the second round, Glendale will play Bishop Amat, which defeated Bosco Tech, 5-3.

West Covina 4, Crespi 3--The Celts slowed West Covina’s high-scoring offense but were unable to score in the final three innings at Valley College.

Crespi (18-10-1), which scored in the first, second and fourth, stranded runners on first and second in the fifth and left a runner on second in the seventh.

Celts Brodie VanWagenen and Rick Marino had two hits each. West Covina (18-4), which averaged more than 10 runs a game during the regular season, scored two runs in the second and two in the fourth.

4-A DIVISION

Notre Dame 9, Righetti 7--Behind a strong performance by right-handed reliever Eric Velozzi, the Knights overcame a five-run deficit at Notre Dame.

Trailing, 7-2, Notre Dame (18-10-1) batted around in the fourth and erupted for four runs.

Velozzi, who relieved starter Cary Wichmann in the fourth, struck out six and allowed one hit in 3 1/3 innings. Notre Dame’s Oscar Macias was three for four and Steve Collela and Chris Prince added two hits each.

On Tuesday, Notre Dame plays Glendora, a 9-2 winner over Villa Park.

Buena 4, Chaminade 2--Senior right-hander Sam Arroyo limited Chaminade to five hits and was two for three with a two-run home run in the first inning at Buena. Jason Isaacs was two for three with the game-winning RBI for Buena (20-5-2).

On Tuesday, Buena will play Anaheim Canyon, a 3-2 winner over Mission Viejo.

Justin Stark and Ted Corcoran each had two hits for Chaminade (16-9-1).

Covina 1, Rio Mesa 0--Dmitri Young’s infield single in the fourth inning was the only Rio Mesa hit off John Flynn. Covina (19-7) scored the game’s only run in the third when Jeff Seymour singled, was sacrificed to second and came home when Young threw wildly to first on Steve Chadwick’s infield single.

Dave Soliz (9-2) took the loss despite allowing just three singles over seven innings for Rio Mesa (18-6-2).

3-A DIVISION

Hesperia 4, Palmdale 0--Host Palmdale stranded nine baserunners, including three in the seventh inning. Palmdale’s Mike Payne grounded out with two on to end the game. Jeff Pica was two for four for Palmdale (12-9). Teammate Jim Ortega was two for three.

Victor Valley 5, Antelope Valley 0--The visiting Antelopes committed five errors to ruin a good performance by senior Kevin Branch, who scattered six hits and did not allow an earned run.

Branch (4-5), a senior right-hander, recorded 15 outs on ground balls. Tony Abrams was two for three for Antelope Valley (12-13).

1-A DIVISION

Village Christian 14, Templeton 9--Matt Henzie pounded two of Village Christian’s four home runs at Templeton. Matt Smay and Jeff Cortez also homered for Village Christian (16-6), which amassed 16 hits. Mark Vail, who relieved Smay in the second, struck out 12.

Montclair Prep 6, Brentwood 0--Senior right-hander Kevin Grant improved to 10-1, striking out 13 and allowing just four hits over seven innings. Consecutive RBI singles by Keyaan Cook, Brent Polacheck and Dylan Jones gave Montclair Prep (22-3) a 3-0 first-inning lead. Cook had two hits to pace Montclair’s seven-hit attack.

Paraclete 13, Twentynine Palms 5--Senior right-hander Tim Salado tossed a six-hitter, struck out nine and walked none to lead Paraclete at home.

Salado (8-3) allowed two earned runs and retired 15 batters in a row from the second inning through the sixth. Andre Matalon and Jeff Williams had two hits and two RBIs each for Paraclete (14-7).

Fillmore 12, Faith Baptist 3--Fillmore’s Anthony Chessani (9-1), a junior right-hander, struck out seven and walked two in six innings against visiting Faith Baptist. Pokey Sanchez was four for five with three RBIs and a double for Fillmore (18-3).

SMALL SCHOOLS DIVISION

Queen of Angels 5, Chadwick 2--Tony Garcia hit a three-run home run to key a five-run third, and pitcher Danny Herold (8-2) made it stand up for host Queen of Angels (13-4). Garcia was two for three with three RBIs. Chris Wilson also singled home a run, and Rolando Natareno had two hits.

Highland Hall 7, Avalon 6--Craig Ernst beat the throw to first on a potential game-ending double play while Bob Ramirez and Tommy Tominaga both scored on the play.

Ramirez (12-2) struck out nine, allowed 11 hits but no earned runs for Highland Hall (24-2).

Oakwood 8, Newbridge 0--Cassidy Pope, a junior right-hander, threw just 77 pitches, 60 for strikes, to pace host Oakwood (14-3).