Beckman tripped up by South Hills

ANAHEIM - Beckman had allowed just seven runs in the four playoff victories that got it to a CIF championship game.

The Patriots finally ran into a team that could score a lot against them. South Hills of West Covina beat Beckman, 8-2, in the CIF-Southern Section Division III championship game Saturday at Angel Stadium.

It is the sixth CIF championship for the South Hills baseball program that has produced major-leaguers Jason Giambi, Cory Lidle and Shawn Wooten.

Beckman (26-5) had the most victories of any team in the CIF finals. The Patriots won their first baseball league championship, as they went 14-1 in the Pacific Coast League, and they never lost two or more in a row.

Among their losses was one to South Hills, 6-3, in the Beach Pit Classic tournament in April.

South Hills had 13 hits and made no errors. Beckman got six hits.

"We just couldn't execute our offense the way they did," said Beckman senior Kyle Boudreau, whose third-inning double drove in a run. "It's a good feeling just to get here, but it's a tough pill to swallow that we weren't able to win it."

Beckman coach Kevin Lavalle also was pleased with the Patriots players' effort but disappointed in the outcome.

"These kids competed the whole time, and they lost to a very good team," he said.

South Hills (24-8) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. A double by freshman Tyler France drove in two runs, and a sacrifice fly by pitcher Derek Klena drove in the other.

Beckman scored a run in the bottom of the inning. Junior Brandon Trinkwon tripled to center field and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Riley Yang.

The Huskies pushed their lead to 5-1 in the second. An infield fly, near first base, that was lost in the sun and fell safely to drive in Dakota Behr, running on contact with two outs, from second base. Cody Doyle followed with a run-scoring single.

The Patriots got a run in the third when Boudreau's double off of the right-field wall sent home Yang to trim the South Hills lead to 5-2.

South Hills made it 7-2 with two runs in the fourth on back-to-back sacrifice flies.

The Huskies put up another run in the fifth on an RBI single by designated hitter Tommy Rodriguez to extend their lead to 8-2.

Beckman was shut out over the final four innings as Klena pitched a complete game for the Huskies.

It was a historic season for Beckman baseball.

"We won more games this year than we did over the previous three years combined," Boudreau said.

Lavalle said, "As long as there is a Beckman High School, this 2009 team will be remembered."

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com