Hazard's hit pushes Beckman past CdM

The early innings looked like batting practice for Beckman.

The Patriots scored five runs on 10 hits over the first three innings against Corona del Mar. But Corona del Mar fought back to tie the score in the seventh inning.

Beckman's Justin Hazard then drove in the winning run in the eighth as the Patriots won, 6-5, on Thursday in a Pacific Coast League baseball game at Corona del Mar.

Beckman coach Kevin Lavalle said momentum swings can happen in a league game.

"They've got us scouted; we've got them scouted," Lavalle said. "They made the adjustments; we didn't."

Hazard said Corona del Mar sophomore pitcher Andrew McCormack made the most significant alterations.

"He didn't make as many mistakes later in the game," said Hazard, a junior catcher. "We handled his fastball early, and then he didn't throw it as much."

Beckman, ranked No. 1 in CIF-Southern Section Division 3, is 11-1 overall and in first place in the Pacific Coast with a 5-0 league record through the first third of league play. Corona del Mar is in second place with a 3-2 league record. The Sea Kings are 5-7 overall.

The Patriots had a 5-0 lead after three innings. Zack Rivera had an RBI single in the first. Will Barring, Tyler Cook and Hazard delivered run-scoring singles in the second, and Cook had another RBI single in the third.

Two Beckman errors (they made one over the previous five games) helped Corona del Mar score a run in the fifth. The Sea Kings' Clark Cashion hit a solo home run in the sixth, and another Beckman error started Corona del Mar's three-run seventh inning that tied it. Brent Lawson's two-out single, on a 1-2 count, drove in Cashion with the tying run.

In the Beckman eighth inning, Brandon Twinkwon reached on an error and scored on Hazard's double to give the Patriots the 6-5 lead.

Beckman lost several top players from last year's team that won the Pacific Coast championship with a 14-1 league record and advanced to the Division 3 championship game at Angel Stadium; the Patriots lost that game, 8-2, to South Hills of West Covina.

On Thursday they had four sophomores, three juniors and two seniors in the starting lineup, and starting pitcher James Kaprielian (5-0), is a sophomore.

Beckman and Corona del Mar play in the Beach Pit Classic tournament that begins Saturday. League play resumes April 13.

In the Empire League:

Pacifica 6, Valencia 0: Jason Deitrich pitched a no-hitter for the host Mariners (7-5, 3-2). Pacifica's Kyle Davis drove in three runs.

In the Freeway League:

Sonora 6, Troy 0: Bryan Jew hit a three-run home run, and Garrett Levsen pitched a shutout for the host Raiders (7-5, 4-1).

In the Garden Grove League:

Rancho Alamitos 2, La Quinta 0: Justin Zielinski pitched a two-hitter and struck out 12 for the host Vaqueros (8-3, 4-1).

In the Sea View League:

No. 4 El Toro 3, Trabuco Hills 0: Tyler Brashears pitched a shutout to improve to 4-0 for the host Chargers (9-3, 4-1). Garrett Donohoe hit a two-run home run.

Woodbridge 8, Northwood 3: Ben Wylly homered and drove in three runs, and Brandon Horth threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts for the visiting Warriors (8-4, 3-2).

In the Sunset League:

No. 6 Edison 4, Newport Harbor 3: Jimmy Madden hit a homer and a double for the visiting Chargers (8-4, 4-1).