Northwood 10, Laguna Hills 5: On a hot afternoon at Laguna Hills, the first seven Northwood batters reached base fashioning three hits, a fielder’s choice, three hit batters and a sacrifice fly into five runs to start the game. In the bottom of the first Laguna Hills answered with four straight hits and two runs before senior starting southpaw Carter Liu settled down leaving the bases loaded and a 5-2 lead.
Northwood kept the heat on adding a run in the second, a pair in the fifth and single runs in the sixth and seventh. The Timberwolves parlayed 13 hits, seven hit batters, three walks, three sacrifice flies and a sacrifice bunt into a 10-5 win despite stranding a dozen base runners.
Senior designated hitter Paul Grossman led the Timberwolf offense going 4 for 4 with a walk and two runs.
The lefty is 7 for 8 with five runs in the postseason.
Senior lefty Liu added three hits while pitching five innings allowing just three earned runs.
Senior right fielder Joseph Harper did a bit of everything with a hit, two runs, two RBI, a walk, a sacrifice fly, a hit by pitch and a stolen base.
Table setter senior second baseman Koji Yoshimizu had a pair of hits and two runs while senior center fielder Roman Suarez reached base four times and scored two runs.
Senior DH cleanup hitter Nathan Ivey led Laguna Hills (15-14) with three hits, all ringing shots to center. Leadoff hitter sophomore shortstop Nate Medina also had a pair of hits. Laguna Hills managed eight hits, but also left eight men on base.
Senior Jake Kahl kept the Hawks in the game coming on in relief in the second inning. In 4 1/3 innings he allowed five hits and three runs while striking out three.
Northwood (14-15-1) has won nine of its last 12 games and will host Citrus Valley Friday in the quarterfinals.
—Courtesy Daryl Bogard, For OC Sports Zone
