Aliso Niguel first baseman Evan Fitterer slides into home plate to score during a 5-4 win over San Clemente in a Sea View League game between the two teams on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Kevin Fitzer makes it safely to first base during a Sea View Leage game at San Clemente High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Michael Davinni dives back to first base on a errant throw from the pitcher’s mound that sent him scrambling safely to second base during a 5-4 win against San Clemente in a Sea View League game between the two teams on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente second baseman Trenton Brail throws the ball to first base for a double play during a home Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Kevin Fitzer bunts the ball during a Sea View League game at San Clemente on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Quinn Mathews, who will play next year at Stanford University, pitches during a Sea View League game at San Clemente High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel first baseman Evan Fitterer slides into home plate to score during a 5-4 win over San Clemente in a Sea View League game between the two teams on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Connor Wilford pitches during a home Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente catcher Matt Masotto hits the ball during a Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Kyle Grier pitches during a Sea View League game at San Clemente High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Andrew Herbert pitches during a home Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Matt Nelson hits a single during a Sea View League game at San Clemente on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Trenton Brail slides safely into second base during a home Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday afternoon, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Connor Wilford pitches during a home Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel shortstop Noah Sudyka throws to first base for a double play during a 5-4 win in a Sea View League game at San Clemente High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel’s Quinn Mathews, who will play next year at Stanford University, pitches during a Sea View League game at San Clemente High School on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente shortstop Kyle Stevens bunts the ball during a Sea View League game against Aliso Niguel on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
SAN CLEMENTE – The Aliso Niguel baseball team continued its roll through the Sea View League by beating San Clemente 5-4 Tuesday at San Clemente High.
The Wolverines, who are ranked No. 5 in Orange County, are 6-0 in league play and one win away from clinching at least a share of its first league championship since 2013.
“This is huge. To be 6-0 and to sweep a talented team like San Clemente is always good,” said Aliso Niguel coach Craig Hanson, whose team also beat the Tritons. 7-1, on Monday. “I’m proud of our guys for competing and finding ways to win baseball games.”
Aliso Niguel (18-3, 6-0) trailed by three runs in the fifth inning after San Clemente (10-9-2, 3-4) scored three runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. The Wolverines answered with four runs to regain the lead for good.
Ethan Hoopingarner, a USC commit, reached base via an error to lead off the Wolverines’ half of the fifth inning and advanced to second base on a single by Quinn Mathews. After a walk, UCLA commit Evan Fitterer hit a RBI single to cut the San Clemente lead to two.
Mathews scored on a wild pitch on the ensuing at-bat to make it 4-3. After a strikeout, Kevin Fitzer drove in two runs with a single to put Aliso Niguel ahead 5-4.
Fitzer drove in three runs for the Wolverines in the win.
“A couple of days ago he (Fitzer) had another similar situation that he came through clutch and got a couple RBIs. He did it again today and that was the turning point of the game,” Hanson said. “We haven’t had to battle back from behind too many times this season, so putting up four after we gave up three was huge.”
Mathews, a Stanford commit, pitched the remaining three innings for Aliso Niguel. He struck out six batters and allowed just two base runners, both via a dropped third strike.
“He had 11 outs in three innings and sometimes that happens,” Hanson said. “He has been terrific all season. He’s a Stanford commit that we get to bring out of the pen in crunch time and not a lot of teams have that luxury.”
San Clemente made four errors on defense which led to a pair of unearned runs for Tritons pitcher Connor Wilford. He struck out five in 4 2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs, all in the fifth inning.
The Tritons took the lead in the first inning with a double-steal that resulted in Logan Phillip scoring. Dylan Carter drove in a run and Ryan Baxter hit a two-run single in the fourth inning to give San Clemente its final runs of the game.
Aliso Niguel’s next game is Tuesday against Laguna Hills, which is winless in the Sea View League.
San Clemente will play a two-game series against San Juan Hills next week. The Tritons are one game behind the Stallions for second place in the league standings.
