La Quinta Walks to Victory
A bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning enabled Westminster La Quinta High to pull out an 8-7 victory over Lakewood on Tuesday night at Cal State Fullerton and give Coach Dave Demarest his 600th career victory in a quarterfinal baseball game of the Toyo Tires National Classic.
Lakewood (13-3) had taken a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh on a two-out, two-strike, two-run home run by David Balandran.
La Quinta (14-1) tied the score on a run-scoring single by Charlie Cortez. Zack Blanchard’s bunt single loaded the bases with one out. Andrew Hill then drew the game-winning walk from reliever Jamie Hillis. Ian Stewart hit his ninth home run for La Quinta and fourth in four games. The Aztecs advanced to today’s 5 p.m. semifinal at Fullerton. Shortstop Blake Crosby, who had to leave the game in the first inning with a bruised right wrist after being struck by a pitch, is not expected to play.
Eric Sondheimer
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In other National Classic quarterfinal games:
Anaheim Esperanza 3, West Hills Chaminade 2--Matt Lawson had a two-run double in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie and lift Esperanza (9-5).
Bobby Paschal struck out nine for Chaminade (9-3).
La Puente Bishop Amat 8, San Diego El Capitan 7--Adam Simon hit a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning to cap a three-run rally for No. 2 Bishop Amat, which trailed 6-4 entering the inning. Anthony Hidalgo doubled in a run for Bishop Amat to trim the lead to 7-6 before Simon’s double.
Placentia El Dorado 14, Foothill (Palo Centro) 4--Chris Wilson had three hits, including a three-run home run, and four runs batted in for No. 14 El Dorado (11-3). Sophomore Kyle Rucker (1-0) pitched four innings in his first varsity start. The Golden Hawks play Bishop Amat tonight at 7 at Cal State Fullerton in a semifinal game.
In boys’ golf:
Atascadero 218, Santa Barbara San Marcos 220, Westlake 221--Cory Powell and Mike Paglialonga each shot even-par 72 and Jeremy Gearhart shot 74 for No. 6 Atascadero in its own tournament at Chalk Mountain Golf Course and the Greyhounds won their second tournament in as many days.
