Prep Baseball : Esperanza, Diamond Bar Advance to 5-A Final

Esperanza High School of Anaheim scored eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning Tuesday and went on to defeat Beverly Hills, 12-3, in a Southern Section 5-A semifinal playoff game at El Dorado High in Placentia.

Esperanza (21-8), which entered the playoffs after defeating Westminster in a wild-card game, earned its third consecutive berth in the large-division championship game.

The Aztecs, who won the 4-A championship in 1986 and were beaten by Lakewood in the 4-A final last year, will play Diamond Bar, a 3-1 winner over Riverside Poly, Saturday night at 7:30 at Anaheim Stadium for the 5-A title.

Beverly Hills (19-9), the No. 3 team from the Ocean League, had a 3-2 lead before Esperanza, the No. 3 team from the Empire League, sent 14 batters to the plate in the fifth. Doug Saunders had a run-scoring single and a two-run double to key the rally.

In the other 5-A game, senior left-hander Tony Darden struck out 13 and limited Riverside Poly (21-9) to three hits as Diamond Bar, the Sierra League champion, improved its record to 23-7. Diamond Bar center fielder Jimmy Edwards had three hits to raise his average to .530.

In the 4-A, Covina scored four runs in the first inning off previously unbeaten Redondo ace Scott Davison and went on to stun the Sea Hawks, 6-1, at Northview High in Covina. Davison (18-1) allowed 6 runs and 7 hits in 2 innings before he was ejected for allegedly exchanging words with an umpire.

Covina (24-5) will meet Valle Vista League rival South Hills of West Covina in the 4-A championship game Saturday at 4:30 at Anaheim Stadium. South Hills (20-6) eliminated Ventura, 2-1.

In the 3-A, Craig Fairbrother singled in a run in the bottom of the sixth inning at Cerritos College as La Mirada (21-6-1) stunned Chino (27-2) and previously unbeaten Mike St. Esteben, 8-7. The defeat snapped Chino’s winning streak at 21 and St. Esteben’s at 16.

La Mirada will play El Toro (18-13) for the 3-A title Saturday at Anaheim Stadium at 1 p.m. El Toro, a wild card entrant, defeated Saddleback, 10-7.

In the 2-A division, Norte Vista of Riverside (21-6) edged St. Bernard of Playa del Rey, 3-2, and Bloomington defeated Baldwin Park, 3-2, to set up an all-Sunkist League final Saturday morning at Anaheim Stadium at 10.

In the City 4-A semifinals, Bobby Corrales homered as San Fernando (14-6) snapped No. 1-seeded Chatsworth’s 24-game winning streak, 5-2, at Cal State Northridge. Chatsworth finished 25-2.

San Fernando will play Monroe (12-16), a 9-7 winner over Canoga Park, for the 4-A title Thursday night at Dodger Stadium at 7:30.

In the 3-A, defending champion Bell beat Wilson, 6-0, at East Los Angeles College, and University defeated Marshall, 4-2, on Jackie Robinson Field. Bell will meet University Thursday at Dodger Stadium at 4.