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Tim Burt. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 31, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

IRVINE – It was quite a 17th birthday for Woodbridge first baseman Zak Baayoun on Friday night.

The junior had a bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Woodbridge to a 2-1 Pacific Coast League victory over Northwood at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

Baayoun’s single scored Jackson Lyon, who had singled.

The victory put Woodbridge in a three-way tie with Northwood and University for third place. All three teams are 5-6 in league.

“There was lots of pressure,” Baayoun said. “It was really important that I got over my last three at bats. I didn’t have the best three at bats and didn’t swing as hard as I could. But in the end, I got done what I needed to do, and it’s very exciting.”

Jake Larson went the distance to record the win for Woodbridge (8-15, 5-6). Larson (2-4) allowed five hits and struck out seven.

“We knew how important that game was for us,” said Woodbridge coach Tim Murray. “They had beaten us twice and we had to come out and take one back if we wanted to have a chance.”

Woodbridge pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth when pinch-runner Caleb Anderson, running for Spencer Weston, who had doubled, scored on a passed ball.

Northwood (12-10, 5-6) tied it in the top of the seventh. Brandon Kim led off with a single and eventually scored on a single by Garrett O’Connor.

Kim was solid on the mound for Northwood, striking out nine.

“It was a great high school baseball game; entertaining, well played, a pitchers’ duel,” said Northwood coach Rob Stuart.

Contact the writer: tburt@ocregister.com