Freeway League Baseball : La Habra Finishes With a Share of First

No one felt worse than Graham Staines, Sonora High School’s hard-luck catcher, after the Raiders’ 4-3 loss to cross-town rival La Habra Thursday in the Freeway League regular-season finale for both schools at La Habra.

Staines had dropped a third-strike pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, but all he needed to do was throw to first base to erase La Habra’s Mike Morris for the first out of the inning.

Instead, Staines elected to chase Morris down the basepath, but when he realized he wasn’t going to catch him, he threw to first baseman Kyle Schaetzl.

Staines’ throw sailed well over Schaetzl’s glove, and the error allowed Tim Moore to score from second base with the winning run.

The improbable play was good enough to give La Habra (15-8, 11-4) a share of the Freeway League championship with Fullerton, giving the Highlanders their first league title since 1983.

Fullerton (18-7, 11-4) advances to the Southern Section playoffs as the league’s No. 1 team because the Indians defeated La Habra twice in league play. Sonora (14-11, 10-5) advances as the league’s No. 3 team.

“There aren’t many teams that win 10 league games and finish third,” said John Link, Sonora coach. “It’s just too bad this game had to end on a play like that. Graham feels as bad as anybody.”

At the start of the season, La Habra wasn’t considered a serious contender for the league title with only two starters returning. But the Highlanders showed Thursday that they are capable of coming back in tight games.

The Highlanders trailed, 3-2, going into the bottom of the seventh inning. Winning pitcher David Stevens (6-2) bounced a single through the middle that scored teammate Mike Morris, sending the game into extra innings.

Stevens and opposing pitcher Brent Smith (4-3) staged a wonderful pitching duel into extra innings. Smith struck out 10 batters and allowed only 6 hits. Stevens struck out 6 and gave up 8 hits.

“Both pitched their hearts out,” Link said. “That was the only league game that Brent lost. You have to credit La Habra. They’ve played good defense all year, and that’s how they won the title.”

Paul Thomas, La Habra coach, was the first to console Staines after his errant throw and offered a warning to Sonora’s first opponent in the upcoming playoffs.

“I wouldn’t want to be a league champion and run into Sonora in the playoffs,” Thomas said. “They have two excellent pitchers, a great hitter in Mitch Kaylor and an outstanding power hitter in Kyle Schaetzl.”

La Habra scored its winning run without the benefit of a base hit. Moore walked to open the inning, and went to second on a wild pitch.

Troy 3, Buena Park 1--Dave Dyas threw a 4-hitter to lead host Troy (9-13-1, 6-9). Dyas (1-0) struck out 8, walked none and didn’t allow an earned run. Rob Russell, Bob Julian and Pat O’Curran each drove in a run. Buena Park is 1-18 and 0-15.

Fullerton 3, Sunny Hills 2--Host Fullerton (18-7, 11-4) clinched the league’s No. 1 spot in the the Southern Section 3-A playoffs over Sunny Hills (11-14, 7-8).