Southern Section Baseball : Diamond Bar Gets Another Title on 3-2 Victory

For a school that is three years old, Diamond Bar is building quite an athletic legacy.

Diamond Bar won the 2-A baseball championship Saturday night--its third Southern Section title of the school year--with a 3-2 win over Mission Viejo in front of 3,187 fans at Blair Field. Diamond Bar also won a conference football title and a girls’ team tennis title.

Diamond Bar managed just three hits, but two came in the Brahmas’ three-run, second-innning rally.

Two walks sandwiched around a single loaded the bases with no outs, and Marc Coker’s ground out to second brought home one run. But Mission Viejo pitcher Sean Campbell appeared to be on his way out of the inning when he struck out James Wolfe.

However, second baseman Scott Faurot, batting ninth, surprised left fielder Ray Reinders, who was playing shallow. Faurot drove a fastball over Reinders’ head, scoring Tony Scorfini and Larry Vladic with the runs that proved to be the difference.

Mission Viejo had a chance to get back into the game in the sixth. With Bob Brucato at first and one out, Reinders drilled a Rich Gonzales pitch just inside first base and down the line for a triple to make it 3-1. Reinders scored when Marc Preston grounded out.

But Reinders’ hit turned out to be Mission Viejo’s last of the game as Gonzales retired the Diablos in order in the seventh for his 11th win against only one defeat.

Left-hander Campbell fell to 6-4. Two walks in the second inning proved to be his downfall as both runners scored.