O.C. teams leap into CIF semifinals

A high school base runner cannot, by rule, bowl over the catcher as the runner approaches the plate to try to score. That left Jimmy Madden one choice, and one direction.

Up.

So Edison's Madden went up, and over, the Dana Hills catcher to score the winning run in the seventh inning as Edison defeated Dana Hills, 3-2, on Friday in a CIF-Southern Section Division I quarterfinal at Dana Hills.

Edison (23-5) will play Mater Dei (24-5) in the Division I semifinals doubleheader Tuesday at Blair Field.

Capistrano Valley (24-6) will play Riverside Poly (20-10) in the other semifinal at Blair on Tuesday. The CIF-SS will announce today which semifinal begins at 4 p.m. and which begins at 7.

Madden was on first base, having singled, with two outs in the top of the seventh when left-handed hitting Eric Snyder hit a chopper to third base.

The third baseman's throw to first skipped beyond the base and into foul territory. Madden rounded third and headed home, where Dana Hills (17-13) catcher Spencer Kuehn was waiting with the ball after taking a quick throw from first baseman Peter Tago.

"I just decided to jump over him," Madden said.

He vaulted, head first, up and over Kuehn who lunged upward, then Madden landed hands-first onto the plate and was called safe.

Dana Hills coach Tom Faris argued that Kuehn tagged Madden on the right thigh. After the game, Faris said he thought the plate umpire was out of position, but a meeting of all three umpires to discuss the play did not change the decision.

It was a well-pitched game played in front of an elbow-to-elbow crowd in conditions that started as a cool mist then became a drizzle that became steady by the sixth inning.

Edison senior Kurt Heyer gave up three hits and struck out 12 in seven innings. Dana Hills senior Eric Ehlow also went seven innings and struck out 11.

Dana Hills took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Ehlow walked, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on an error. Kuehn, who had walked, scored on single by Macaulay Anderson.

Edison tied it in the third. Madden singled, went to third on a double by Snyder, and both scored on a single by Chris Czerniachowski.

Also in Division I

Mater Dei 7, Norco 4: Cory Hahn homered twice for the host Monarchs (24-5), who will play Edison in the semifinals Tuesday at Blair Field in Long Beach. Norco is ranked No. 2 and Mater Dei is No. 8 in California.

In Division II:

Huntington Beach 10, Yucaipa 2: The Oilers (19-12) pulled off another playoff upset by beating the No. 1 ranked team in California. Huntington Beach beat two other league champions, Arlington of Riverside and Chino, in previous rounds.

Chino Hills 3, Foothill 2: Carson Aprato had pitched five consecutive scoreless innings for the visiting Knights (21-8) before giving up a homer in the bottom of the seventh.

In Division III:

Corona del Mar 6, Los Altos of Hacienda Heights 3: Mitch Sands hit a double and a triple for the visiting Sea Kings (18-10), who will have a home game in the semifinals Tuesday against South Hills of West Covina.

In Division VI:

Oxford Academy 4, Vasquez of Acton 3: The Patriots (20-5) advanced to the semifinals for the first time in school history. Luke Sardo drove in two runs and Cameron Bedard (9-0) had two hits and got the victory in relief.

In Division VII:

St. Michael's Prep 5, North County Christian of Atascadero 3: The visiting Pioneers (21-2) will have a home game in the semifinals Tuesday against Cate of Carpinteria.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com