Eagles pound 10 hits in playoff victory

REDLANDS – Thursday was calm at Arrowhead Christian Academy and the ball was flying.

The ball flew hardest and most often for the Arrowhead Christian baseball team, which overwhelmed Dana Hills 7-2 in a CIF-Southern Section Division 3 opening round playoff game.

“We had a great day at the plate,” ACA coach Clint Toth said. “That’s what won this game. Their pitcher was pretty good but we’re starting to get a little momentum now and some guys who should have been hitting in some of those tougher games like against Aquinas and (Orange Lutheran) came through.”

The victory catapults the Eagles (18-11) into the second round at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at Warren of Downey.

Down 1-0, ACA struck back in the first inning with two runs. A run-scoring double by Deegan Martinez and an RBI single by Brayden Bennett did the damage.

“Deegan is consistent,” Toth said. “That’s why he’s in the 4-hole.”

“I was feeling it,” Martinez said. “I was just trying to stay smooth up there. I got a couple on the hands, but it worked out I guess. It gets contagious when we start hitting like that. I think we can go along way. We have decent pitching and good hitting. We have a chance.”

 Dana Hills (12-16-1) tied the game 2-2 in the second inning, but ACA spurted away with two runs in the third and three in the fourth.

Diesel Toth hit a home run to start off the third. Bennett added another run-scoring single later in the inning.

The Eagles really broke it open in the fourth. Tyler Young, the No. 9 hitter in ACA’s lineup, homered with one out. Martinez brought in the other two runs with a double.

“I thought I got jammed,” said Young, surprised that his drive went out. “But it felt great. I think we have a really good chance in the playoffs.”

Bobby Mahoney pitched well after a shaky start. He yielded two runs on four hits in five innings. Ethan Estrada pitched the final two innings, giving up no runs and two hits.

Arrowhead Christian will attempt to advance further than last year’s team which defeated Tahquitz of Hemet and Centennial of Corona before falling to South Torrance in the quarterfinals.

Toth, Moses Trejo, Martinez, and Bennett all had two hits to highlight’s ACA’s 10-hit attack. Tommy Burke had two hits for Dana Hills and Brody Bateson hit a home run.