South stars turn in dominating effort

ANAHEIM - The South dominated every facet of the game in a 9-0 victory over the North in the 42nd Kiwanis Orange County All-Star Baseball Game on Tuesday at Glover Stadium.

Six South pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts and allowed just three hits while South hitters peppered North pitchers for 14 hits.

"When you've got 24 of the greatest athletes in Orange County … guys who are great athletes and great competitors, you want to win," South coach Mike Gonzales of El Toro said. "They've got some quality guys and we've got some quality guys. It was an honor being a part of it."

Dana Hills' Eric Ehlow took home the MVP trophy, going 2 for 2 with a double and triple and a run scored.

Ehlow also caught four innings and pitched two innings. He struck out five, walked one and didn't allow a hit.

"I wish we could be a team and play all summer," Ehlow said of his South teammates. "This is the best baseball around."

The South took the lead on an unearned run in the bottom of the first and then teed off in the second on North pitcher Brett Gerritse of Pacifica.

After Laguna Hills' Robert Refsnyder singled to start the inning, Aaron Wirsch of El Toro drilled the next pitch over the left-field fence to make it 3-0.

Consecutive singles by Beau Amaral of Huntington Beach, J.J. Altobelli of Woodbridge and Anthony Hutting of Tesoro resulted in two more runs and a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, a triple from Ehlow was followed by a single from Corona del Mar's Michael Bloom to to give the South another run.

The North was without several players. Some were attending graduation ceremonies and others chose not to play because of the MLB draft.

North coach Steve Gullotti of El Dorado coached his final game after 28 years.

Contact the writer: lponsi@ocregister.com