BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Valencia Races by Magnolia to Title

Valencia combined aggressive baserunning and solid pitching by Ben Esque to clinch the Orange League championship with a 7-1 victory over Magnolia Friday at Valencia High School.

The victory allowed the Tigers (14-10, 9-5) to finish alone atop the standings after sharing the title last year with Brea-Olinda. Magnolia (9-14, 7-8) lost a bid for third place and probably a playoff berth.

For a change, the Tigers were supported by strong pitching. Esque (7-0) pitched out of jams several times before being replaced by Art Francis in the seventh inning, when the Sentinels scored their run.

Magnolia’s leadoff batter reached in five of the seven innings, but Esque pitched out of trouble, leaving 10 Sentinels stranded.

“That was Esque’s best performance of the year,” Valencia Coach Mike Scheetz said. “He’s a fighter. He got himself in jams and he wormed his way out of it.”

Chris Draft opened Tiger scoring by tripling in Mike Mebane in the first inning.

Rob Petko singled in another run in the second. A pickoff throw from Magnolia pitcher Brian Knutson caught Petko in a rundown between first and second, but first baseman Rich Hughes’ throw to second went into left field, allowing Bill Eubanks to score from third.

Valencia added four runs in the third. Eubanks’ bases-loaded single to left drove in two runs. Eubanks took second on a double steal, but Franklin Jefferson was thrown out at third. Eubanks scored on shortstop Dustin Martin’s throwing error on Petko’s grounder.

Another baserunning gamble resulted in a Tiger run when Epi Ramirez was caught in a rundown between second and third. But Petko came home from third before Ramirez was tagged out at second for the final out.