Skip to content
  • Yorba Linda's Alex Sorrells slides safely under the tag of...

    Yorba Linda's Alex Sorrells slides safely under the tag of Valencia's Laine Huffman during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

  • Valencia's Vicente Guzman delivers a pitch during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon...

    Valencia's Vicente Guzman delivers a pitch during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game against Yorba Linda at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

  • Yorba Linda's Sam Eggenburg delivers a pitch during Tuesday's Ryan...

    Yorba Linda's Sam Eggenburg delivers a pitch during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game against Valencia.

  • Yorba Linda's Robbie Espinosa swings at a pitch from Valencia's...

    Yorba Linda's Robbie Espinosa swings at a pitch from Valencia's Vicente Guzman during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

  • Valencia's Coby Kauhaahaa lays down a bunt during Tuesday's Ryan...

    Valencia's Coby Kauhaahaa lays down a bunt during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game against Yorba Linda at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

  • Valencia's Charlie Mayfield, right, tags out Yorba Linda's Alex Sorrells...

    Valencia's Charlie Mayfield, right, tags out Yorba Linda's Alex Sorrells during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

  • Valencia's Anthony Larrasquitu, right, fails to slide under the tag...

    Valencia's Anthony Larrasquitu, right, fails to slide under the tag of Yorba Linda's Robbie Espinosa during Tuesday's Ryan Lemmon Invitational semifinal game at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

of

Expand

Carter Kimberly was, as John Fogerty sang it, a-roundin’ third and headed for home.

Then he stumbled.

Kimberly righted himself to sprint the final 85 feet and score the winning run for Yorba Linda on Brent Schuber’s two-out hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Mustangs beat Valencia, 4-3, on Tuesday in a semifinal of the Ryan Lemmon Invitational baseball tournament at Windrow Park in Irvine.

Yorba Linda will play Trabuco Hills in the tournament championship game today at 7 p.m. at Windrow Park. Trabuco Hills beat San Juan Hills, 5-0, in the other semifinal.

Yorba Linda’s Robbie Espinosa was 3 for 3 with two RBI. Sam Eggenburg pitched a complete game for the Mustangs to even his record at 3-3.

Valencia’s winning streak ended at 12 games.

Yorba Linda (8-11-1) and Valencia (16-3) are Empire League teams. Last week, Valencia beat Yorba Linda twice to improve its league-leading mark to 6-1. The Mustangs are in fourth place with a 2-3 league record.

It would have been a more satisfying win for Yorba Linda on Tuesday if it had been a league game. But still …

“This is kind of a little bit of payback,” Kimberly said.

Kimberly hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh and stole second base. One out later and on a full count, Schuber sent a hard-hit ground ball between the Valencia shortstop and third baseman.

Left fielder Anthony Larrasquitu made a bullet of a throw that was on time but a couple of feet up the first-base line, enabling Kimberly to slide across the plate with the winning run after he regained his balance.

Kimberly gave no consideration to remaining at third base.

“I stumbled a little,” Kimberly said, “but I had my mind set on scoring and ending the game. I was going full throttle.”

Matt Ruff had two hits for Valencia and drove in a run. Andrew Natividad had a pinch-hit single to drive in a run to tie the score, 3-3, for the Tigers in the fifth inning.

Also in the Ryan Lemmon Invitational:

Woodbridge 4, Tustin 3: Kai Abe’s two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning advanced the Warriors (9-5-1) to today’s consolation championship at 4 p.m. at Windrow Park.

In the Hard 9 National Classic:

No. 1 Huntington Beach 2, No. 9 Santa Margarita 1: The Oilers (14-2) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat the Eagles (9-6) and advance to today’s semifinal at Cal State Fullerton.

Jake Bodt had the winning two-run double for Huntington Beach. JD Carr had a solo home run for Santa Margarita.

In the Sea View League:

No. 3 Dana Hills 3, No. 6 Aliso Niguel 2: With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Luke Williams doubled and scored on Zach Wolf‘s base hit for the Dolphins (15-4, 5-0).

In the Academy League:

Crean Lutheran 8, Oxford Academy 1: The Saints (14-3, 5-0) took over sole possession of first place.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com