Wow!!! it was really Hart's day today. We had 2 great games in the Split Venue Non League Double Header vs West Torrance. In the first game: Donny Williams pitched a masterful complete game shutout 4-0. The game took only 1 hour 30 minutes and we were then quickly on the way to Birmingham High in Lake Balboa for the 2nd game. Williams gave up only 4 hits, 3 of the infield variety, and only 1 single to left. There were only 2 fly balls to the outfield. He struck out 3 walked 1. He only left 2 men on base, both in the 3rd when he left men on 2nd and 3rd. The Hart runs were all unearned. West Torrance made 4 errors in the first 2 innings. A fly ball was dropped after a long run, and 3 overthrows to the first baseman: one that allowed a baserunner to get 2 extra bases and the other 2 resulted in 2 base errors.

In the first Matt Valaika singled to left and was quickly erased on a double play. Ryan Gagnon was safe when the left fielder dropped a flyball, stole 2nd and scored when the shortstop threw away Matt Sreden's ground ball that would have ended the inning. Hart led 1-0. Hart picked up 3 more unearned runs in the 2nd. Brian Charnock easily beat out a grounder to 3rd, but the 3rd baseman attempted a throw that went down into the West Torrance Bullpen and Charnock wound up on 3rd. Ryan Peterson scored Charnock with a sacrifice fly. Andrew Briggs shot a liner off the pitcher into center field for a hit. Kevin Baker grounded to short and the shortstop sailed the ball into the bullpen again, Briggs scoring all the way from 1st, Baker taking 2nd. Baker took 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Valaika. Shane Carlson lined a sharp single to right center but the inning ended on a fly to left.

After that it settled into a pitching duel as only Matt Valaika was able to garner another hit, a single to center in the 4th. West Torrance pitcher Philip Hons pitched a 5 hitter, but the left side of his infield did him in, during the first 2 innings. Shane Carlson made another spectacular play at 3rd in the 6th inning, something he has been doing with regularity the whole season.

Because the 1st game ended very quickly everyone scampered to their cars and going against rush hour traffic on the 405 made it quickly to Birmingham High. Unfortunately the umpires decided to stop for dinner, so the game started only an hour earlier than was hoped for.

In the 2nd game: Derek Sedam started for Hart. Derek pitched 4 very good innings He gave up 2 runs in the 1st and 2nd. In both innings a runner scored on a balk and then he got the batter out on the next pitch to end the inning. Hart got on the board in the 3rd Pat Sarkissian singled to right. Tyler Fick walked. Brian Charnock sacrificed and beat out the bunt loading the bases. Donny Williams was hit by pitch scoring Sarkissian. Andrew Briggs beat out a squibber to the pitcher scoring Fick. Chris Manent hit into a double play scoring Charnock. After 2 innings, Hart had cut the lead to 4-3.

Sedam was in trouble in the 3rd giving up 2 straight singles but got a hard lineout to center and then got a nifty 6U-6-3 double play. He pitched a good 4th, and Hart was still in the game. West Torrance brought in a new pitcher to start the 4th named Mark Oslund, and for the next 3 innings struck out 6 Hart batters, only allowing a infield single by Brian Charnock.

Jason Rehhaut relieved Sedam in the 5th and had a 3 up 3 down inning with 1 strikeout in the 5th. He got the 1st out in the 6th on a great play by Andrew Briggs at 3rd base. Then gave up a double, walk and wild pitch. With 2 out, both runners scored on a single by James Hess who was 2 for 2 and hit by pitch in the game.

Nick Streit came in to pitch for Hart and gave up another run on 3 straight singles to West Torrance in the 7th. So with Mark Oslund pitching the way he was, it looked a bit hopeless for Hart as they came to bat in the bottom of the 7th down 7-3.Andrew Briggs was hit by pitch. Kevin Baker hit for Chris Manent and walked. Matt Valaika was hit by pitch loading the bases. Shane Carlson came to bat, and West Torrance relieved Oslund for Mike Mehegan who had a .000 ERA for 4 innings pitched. Carlson belted a ball that just missed clearing the left center field wall, but it cleared the bases. Carlson was at 2nd with the tying run with none out. Ryan Gagnon sacrificed but the pitcher was on it right away, Carlson holding, then the pitcher dropped the ball, Gagnon was safe on the error. Mehegan then unleashed a wild pitch, Carlson and Gagnon moved to 3rd and 2nd. Pat Sarkissian hit a sharp single to left scoring Carlson to tie the game 7-7 and Gagnon was at 3rd. Matt Sreden pinch hit for Tyler Fick. On the first pitch Mehegan let go of another wild pitch and Ryan Gagnon slid home with the winning run and an improbable victory for Hart.

Hart's next game will be on Saturday 4/2/05 at 12 Noon at Canyon of Anaheim against Canyon Springs of Moreno Valley in the opener of the Caliber Motors Orange County Select Easter Tournament.

Narrative courtesy of Mike Gaber.