PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Oilers Give Big Game to Westminster

Chris Sorce, Westminster High School’s first-year baseball coach, had just about given up any hope of beating visiting Huntington Beach on Saturday in a battle for third place--and the final Southern Section playoff berth--in the Sunset League

Westminster was down to its final out and trailing by two runs in the seventh inning when catcher Kirk Pierce came to the plate with runners on first and third. Pierce trickled a grounder to second that should have ended the game, but instead it was the beginning of the end for Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach committed two errors on the play, which allowed two unearned runs. The Oilers eventually lost, 7-6, in the 10th inning when another error allowed the winning run to score.

But it was Pierce’s grounder that will serve as a painful reminder for Huntington Beach (11-12, 4-6) that there are no routine plays in baseball. Just ask second baseman Matt Hess, who threw the ball wildly to first on the play or third baseman Brian Feathers, who dropped what should have been the game-ending out when Westminster’s Hugo Espinoza went from first to third on Hess’ throwing error.

Espinoza would have been out by 10 feet at third, but when Feathers failed to handle the throw, Espinoza went on to score the tying run.

It was only fitting that Westminster won the game in the 10th with another unearned run. This time, Jeff Clausi scored from second when Hess fielded a slow roller hit by Eric Clavo and then threw the ball away.

Afterward, Sorce shook his head and said, “We were deader than dead. We were trying to force things offensively in the seventh. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Today, it worked.

“This puts us in a good position for the playoffs. It was a must-win situation for both of us, but more so for us because they beat us in the first round (of league play).”

The victory also boosted Edison’s playoff hopes. Edison (13-11, 5-6) has one game remaining against Ocean View on Tuesday, and Westminster (11-11, 5-5) will play Fountain Valley and Santa Ana.

Huntington Beach will try to rebound against Ocean View and Marina next week, but it won’t be easy, judging by Coach Mike Dodd’s reaction to Saturday’s loss.

“That was the toughest loss I’ve ever had,” he said. “We outplayed them the entire game and then gave the game away in the seventh. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In Angelus League baseball:

Servite 5, Loyola 2--Servite (12-11, 6-7) scored three runs in the fourth inning, capped by Joe Vargas’ two-run single.