By Lou Ponsi | Correspondent / Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Loara players congratulate each other after beating Los Amigos 9-4 in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Adrian Ramirez tries to bunt against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Loara’s Damian Lopez collides with Los Amigos third baseman Steven Esteves during a rundown in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Chris Betancourt crosses the plate to score a run against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Loara starting pitcher Alexis Ceja delivers a pitch against Los Amigos in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Carlos Herrera fouls off a pitch against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Loara third baseman David Poe chases down a grounder against Los Amigos in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Diego Matuzima (#18) is congratulated by Steven Esteves after scoring a run against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Loara outfielder Damian Lopez chases down a double by Los Amigos in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Adrian Ramirez (#1) slides into second base against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos’ Adrian Ramirez tries to bunt against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos pitcher Xaiel Esteves throws a pitch late in the game against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Los Amigos shortstop Chris Betancourt tries to grab the ball against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
FOUNTAIN VALLEY — One big inning helped the Loara baseball team overcome a shaky start and beat Los Amigos 9-4 in a Garden Grove League game Friday at Los Amigos High School.
With the victory, the Saxons (6-6, 5-2) won two of three games against the Lobos (9-6, 5-3) to clinch the season series.
Loara defeated Los Amigos 7-5 on March 7 and the Lobos defeated the Saxons 12-10 on Tuesday.
That could be a factor in determining which team finishes higher in the league standings if the Saxons and Lobos finish with identical league records.
Loara is alone in first place and the Lobos dropped to second.
“Two out of three is key,” Loara coach Todd Rolph said. “This puts us in first and we also have the tiebreaker now.”
Bolsa Grande is alone in third after its 9-1 victory over Rancho Alamitos on Friday. The league’s top three finishers earn guaranteed spots in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Loara starting pitcher Alexis Ceja allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over six innings, but only one run was earned.
After the Saxons scored five in the third to take a 5-3 lead, Ceja settled down and gave up one hit and an unearned run during the third through sixth innings.
Ceja also went 1 for 4 at the plate, including a clutch at-bat in the sixth which accounted for two runs.
With runners on second and third, Ceja hit a sacrifice fly that enabled Ethan Castro to score from third.
An error the play allowed a second run to come in, capping a three-run inning that essentially put the game away.
Chris Betancourt singled home Diego Matuzima in the second to give Los Amigos a 3-0 lead after two innings.
Loara then sent nine batters to the plate in a five-run third, with Matthew Hernandez delivering a clutch two-out, two-run double to give the Saxons their first lead and all the runs they would need.
In the fourth, Ethan Castro doubled home Kenny Navarro to make the score 6-4.
Navarro, the Saxons’ No.1 starter, pitched the seventh to nail down the victory.
The Lobos had runners on first and second with two outs when Navarro retired the final hitter on a pop up to right to end the game.
“I think it is just a big game for momentum going forward,” Ceja said.