LA VERNE – Alex Sosnowski went 3 for 4 with a go ahead two-run home run as visiting Villa Park knocked off third-seeded Bonita of La Verne, 8-1, on Thursday in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 baseball playoffs.
Cole Wiens pitched six shutout innings and allowed six hits for Villa Park (15-14), which advances to face Dos Pueblos of Goleta on Tuesday.
“We knew this team (Bonita) was a fantastic team,” Villa Park coach Chris Van Camp said. “We had to be perfect defensively, and come up with some timely hits.”
The Spartans did just that.
Sosnowski hit his homer in the fourth and had an RBI single in the fifth that extended the lead to 3-0.
Bonita loaded the bases in the sixth inning before Wiens escaped with a groundball out to end the inning.
Villa Park sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth, and had eight consecutive singles, as it built its lead to 8-0.
“We put the ball in play, and today it fell our way,” said Van Camp.
The Bearcats had their chances. Bonita left runners stranded on second and third in the third and fourth innings, and bases loaded in the sixth, without knocking in a run until the bottom of the seventh when the game was out of reach.
The Spartans will be at home for its game against Dos Pueblos, which beat Arcadia, 13-2, on Thursday.
Brandon Bradshaw led Bonita with four hits, including a double, and a stolen base.
