The game was played on a nice day at Valencia with very little wind blowing for a change. In the 1st, Brian Howe started for Valencia. After Matt Valaika popped up foul to the catcher, Shane Carlson belted a home run over the left field wall to give Hart a 1-0 lead. Steve Burton had a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first. Andrew Briggs singled in the bottom of the 2nd but was stranded.

Burton had trouble in the 2nd when he walked the leadoff batter Chasen Barritt. Casey Mulligan grounded a perfect hit and run single to right center sending Barritt to 3rd. Justin Shults hit one up the middle, but Matt Valaika took a hit away from him going far to his left behind 2nd to get him at first, with Barritt scoring, Mulligan taking 2nd. Garrett Pascolla singled to right scoring Mulligan. With 2 out Armando Gallardo then slammed a homer to deep center and Hart was down 4-1.

Hart came out strong in the 3rd. Matt Valaika doubled down the left field line and took 3rd on a single to center by Shane Carlson. Ryan Gagnon singled to left scoring Valaika, Carlson taking 2nd. Pat Sarkissian sacrificed Carlson to 3rd and Gagnon to 2nd. Matt Sreden grounded to short scoring Carlson, sending Gagnon the 3rd. With Tyler Fick batting, a wild pitch scored Gagnon. Fick then blooped a single to right and Ryan Pettersen lined a double down the left field line sending Fick to 3rd. With Andrew Briggs batting, another wild pitch scored Fick, sending Pettersen to 3rd. Briggs ended the inning flying deep to left, but Hart had scored 4 to take the lead 5-4.

Donny Williams then came in to pitch in the bottom of the 3rd. He gave up a bloop single to left by Garrett Pascolla but then got a line drive with a great snag by 1st baseman Andrew Briggs for an unassisted Double play. At that point Briggs had made all 8 putouts. Chasen Barritt then blooped a ball to right center that was dropped but Barritt tried to take 2nd and Tyler Fick gunned him down.

With 1 out in the 4th Valaika lined a single to left. Carlson lined out hard to 3rd. Gagnon was hit by pitch to load the bases but the Hart threat ended on a strikeout. Donny Williams sailed through the 4th, 3 up 3 down. Matt Sreden opened the 5th with a single, but was caught stealing. Tyler Fick lined a single hard to right center but 2 straight ground outs ended that threat.

In the bottom of the 5th Williams recorded the only strikeout by Hart pitchers on the day, then gave up a 2 out single to Nick Margis, but got a force at 2nd to end the inning. At this point Hart had outhit Valencia 10-5 but only led 5-4. Hart got a little luck in the top of the 6th. With 1 out Valaika and Carlson were both hit by pitch. Ryan Gagnon singled to right loading the bases. An infield popup for the 2nd out and then the luck came. An easy grounder to short was fielded cleanly but a low throw was scooped by the first baseman, however his foot was not on the bag. Valencia players ran off the field believing the ump had called the play an out. Valaika scored, Carlson rounding 3rd was confused by all the celebrating players was trotting towards the mound. A Valencia player with the ball finally ran Carlson down for the 3rd out, but Hart had a run, and the Valencia team and coaches got in a big argument with the umpires.

The score was now 6-4 Hart. Williams took the mound in the bottom of the 6th, then walked the first batter. Hart Coach Jim Ozella then relieved Williams for their "Ace" Tyler Fick. Fick made quick work of the next 3 Valencia batters getting 2 deep flies to the outfield and an infield popup. Fick led off the top of the 6th with a long double to right center, his 3rd hit of the game. Pettersen sacrificed and the pitcher attempted to get Fick at 3rd but failed. Pettersen was safe on the Sacrifice/Fielders choice. Briggs scored Fick with a sacrifice fly to center. Baker sacrificed Pettersen to 2nd. Matt Valaika then hit a line drive single to left (his 3rd hit of the game), scoring Pettersen. Shane Carlson now hitting .556 also got his 3rd hit of the game sending Valaika to 2nd. Gagnon grounded to short, but the attempt to get Carlson at 2nd was late and Gagnon was safe on the fielders choice. The inning ended on a strikeout, but Hart had 2 more insurance runs and Hart now led 8-4.

In the bottom of the 7th Tyler Fick walked the 1st batter, but then got a nifty 6-4-3 double play on a great scoop out of the dirt by 1st baseman Briggs. A popout ended the game with a win for Hart.

Hart had 14 hits. Shane Carlson, Matt Valaika and Tyler Fick all were 3 for 4, and all scored 2 runs apiece. Carlson had a homer, Valaika and Fick had doubles. Carlson and Valaika were hit by pitch. Hart left 11 men on base, Valencia only left 2 on. Ryan Gagnon was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Ryan Pettersen 1 for 3 with a big double. Andrew Briggs was 1 for 3 with a RBI and had 11 putouts at 1st. Matt Valaika had 7 assists playing flawlessly at short.

Hart is now 6-1-1 (2-1) in the Foothill League. Hart next plays a Split Venue Double header against Bay League power West Torrance. The first game is at Hart at 3:15 PM. As soon as the game ends, both teams get on the 405 Freeway Southbound to Birmingham High in Lake Balboa on the corner of Victory and Balboa for the second game at 7:00 p.m.

Narrative courtesy of Mike Gaber.