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El Dorado coach Matt Lucas knew his team had the top of the order coming up in the bottom of the 12th inning.

“If this is going to happen,” Lucas said in the dugout, “it’s going to happen right here.”

It did. Leadoff batter Brandon Mulrooney started the 12th with a single and eventually scored on Rob Diaz’s hit up the middle as the Golden Hawks beat Esperanza, 3-2, in a Crestview League baseball game Wednesday at El Dorado High.

The Golden Hawks remained undefeated in the four-team league with a 5-0 league record. Ranked No. 8 in Orange County, El Dorado is 10-3 overall.

Esperanza is 5-7 overall, 1-4 in league.

El Dorado senior pitcher Skyler McMillan entered in the eighth inning and threw five shutout innings. He is 4-1 with a 1.27 ERA.

The Golden Hawks had chances to win the game earlier. Derek Reilly led off the eighth with a double, the game’s only extra-base hit, but was thrown out at third on a fielder’s choice. El Dorado later in the inning had runners on second and third but could not score.

Esperanza had runners on second and third in the ninth but could not get a run. The Aztecs had runners on second and third in the 12th and could not score the go-ahead run.

The teams play each other again Thursday at Esperanza. Then it’s on to the National Classic, which they co-host. The tournament starts Monday.

El Dorado starter Jake Mahood allowed two earned runs and struck out six with no walks through the first seven innings.

Esperanza took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Eric Bigani’s RBI single and a double-steal on which Haydon Nix scored.

The Golden Hawks scored one in the first. A second run was deleted when it was discovered that they batted out of order. Diaz tied the score in the third with an RBI single.

Diaz remembered the last time El Dorado played a game that lasted so long.

“Last year, 14 innings against Foothill,” he said. “They won it on a walk-off hit, 2-1.”

It was Diaz’s turn to deliver the walk-off hit Wednesday.

In the Anaheim Lions Tournament:

No. 3 Dana Hills 14, Eisenhower of Rialto 2: Luke Williams homered twice, including a grand slam, and drove in a school-record 8 runs for the host Dolphins (15-2-1).

Anaheim 3, Heritage of Menifee 0: Anthony Lopez pitched a three-hitter and struck out nine with no walks for the host Colonists (9-7).

No. 5 Aliso Niguel 4, Valencia 3: Hunter Jump doubled and drove in a run for the visiting Wolverines (12-5).

In the Golden West League:

Ocean View 2, Segerstrom 0: Braydon Salzman pitched six shutout innings and drove in a run for the visiting Seahawks (8-4, 5-0).

In the Sea View League:

No. 1 San Clemente 8, Laguna Hills 2: Tanner Lawson had two RBIS for the visiting Tritons (14-1, 3-1) who lost to Mission Viejo on Tuesday.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com