Area Roundup: Long Beach Poly baseball upsets Lakewood, Millikan takes share of Moore League

Despite being in fourth place in the Moore League, Long Beach Poly had a hand in deciding the league title with a 3-2 upset win over Lakewood on Monday night at Blair Field.

Instead of the Lancers (20-9, 8-3 Moore League) playing first-place Millikan in the regular-season finale on Wednesday with the outright title on the line, the Rams watched from the stands as they clinched at least a share of the championship, thanks to the win by the Jackrabbits (15-11, 6-5 Moore League).

“Always nice to see the football school beating the baseball school,” Poly coach Toby Hess said. He’s been at Poly for 10 years and this is only his fifth win over Lakewood.

Poly’s plan was to use pitchers Micah Wallette, John Vozzella and Jacob Gregg for each time though the Lakewood lineup. The Lancers took a 2-0 lead in the second iing on Wallette thanks to RBI hits from Mason Mota and Kevin Kolb.

Vozzella pitched 3 2/3 hitless iings while striking out five batters, and after a Lancers error helped Gaven Palagonia score in the fifth iing to make it 3-2, Gregg stranded two ruers in the seventh to record the save.

“I’ve been catching these guys all season, so I was ready when they came in,” said Poly catcher AJ Renteria, who tied the game in the second iing with a two-out, two-run double. “Even though we’re in fourth place (in the Moore League), it’s always a big deal when we beat Lakewood.”

—JJ Fiddler

High school softball

ST. ANTHONY 27, ST. BERNARD 0 >> The Saints (16-5) got another phenomenal performance from Angelica Ponce, who pitched a one-hit shutout while hitting for the cycle and driving in 12 runs. Freshman Fayth McQueary had four RBIs. St. Anthony will celebrate senior day on Wednesday when it hosts St. Genevieve.

Boys golf

Moore League individual champion Tyler Schafer, his Wilson teammate Tyler Allen and Long Beach Poly senior Jericho Betts all advanced at the CIF Southe Section individual regionals at Skylinks Golf Course on Monday. Betts finished tied for third overall with a 1-under par 71 while Schafer carded an even-par 72. Allen shot a 74 and birdied the first playoff hole against 11 other golfers. The CIF-SS individual finals will be held on May 19.

—JJ Fiddler

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