Saddleback Comes Close, but Loses

Saddleback came within catching a fly ball of clinching second place Thursday, but instead lost to host Rancho Santiago, 5-4, in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game.

Saddleback led, 3-0, going into the fifth but Rancho Santiago’s Rick Gonzalez and Kevin Duck singled up the middle to start the inning. One out later, Chad Baum doubled in a run and David Ayala walked to load the bases.

Reliever Ryan Poe got leadoff hitter Josh Reding to pop up for the second out and appeared out of the inning when Joe Secoda sent a high fly into the right-center field alley.

But a combination of the bright sun and a miscommunication between center fielder Ryan Ruiz and right fielder Greg Ferrell allowed the ball to drop and three runs scored. Poe was then called for a balk and Secoda scored to give Rancho Santiago a 5-3 lead.

Corrie Willkie homered in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4 but Rancho Santiago held on. Heath Bell worked the ninth for his conference-leading eighth save. Bell is also 8-0.

Matt Ward (10-1) gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings for the victory for Rancho Santiago (37-5-1, 19-4). The combination of Bell and Ward has been awesome in conference for the Dons. Bell is 5-0 with seven saves and Ward is 7-1.

Jason Radwan hit his eighth home run for Saddleback, which ends the regular season, 33-8, 16-8. In order for the Gauchos to earn a share of second place, Rancho Santiago must defeat Cypress in the final game of the regular season Saturday.

In other conference games:

Cypress 12, Orange Coast 4--Craig Kuzmic hit two home runs to give him 12 on the season, including nine in conference, for visiting Cypress (33-9-1, 16-7).

Pat Kelleher, who started in left field because Greg Jacobs was pitching, had three hits, scored three runs and stole two bases.

Riverside 7, Golden West 4--Casey Flanigan had two doubles and a single and Ken Sundstrom had three singles for host Golden West.

In the men’s swimming and diving state championships:

Golden West leads after Day 1--Felix Sutanto, Audy Oktavian, Albert Sutanto and Jeremy Pope won the 400-yard medley relay in 3 minutes 25.09 seconds for Golden West, breaking the state record (3:25.34) set by De Anza in 1989.

Golden West swept first through fourth in the 200 individual medley with Felix Sutanto winning in 1:50.80.

Albert Sutanto won the 500 freestyle (4:30.40) for Golden West.

Wisnu Wardhana won the 50 freestyle (21.06) for Orange Coast. Wardhana also anchored OCC’s winning 200 freestyle relay team.

Golden West leads second-place Diablo Valley, 213-160, with Orange Coast a distant third at 111.

In the women’s swimming and diving state championships:

Orange Coast in second place--Sandy Zubrin won the one-meter diving event with 372.95 points for Orange Coast, which trails first-place Diablo Valley, 115-91.

Elsa Nasution won the 100 individual medley (58.47) for Chaffey, breaking the state and national record of 58.60 set last year by West Valley’s Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen.

Pipes-Neilsen won the 500 freestyle (4:56.09), breaking the state record of 4:57.35 set in 1995. Hilary Cox finished a distant second (5:11.47) for Orange Coast.

Rori Rangel placed third in the 100 individual medley (1:01.19) for Fullerton.

Orange Coast finished third in the 400 medley relay (4:09.52).