Derek Klena all smiles after complete game victory
By Tim Peterson
(Anaheim) – South Hills ran out to a 5-1 lead after two innings and rolled to an 8-2 win over Beckman Saturday to win the CIF Division III Championship at Angel Stadium.
While the offense was knocking hits around the Big A, (12 total), Derek Klena was doing the job on the hill. Klena fired a complete game, scattered six hits, struck out three and walked three. He struggled in the first inning but settled down in the middle innings and seemed to be stronger at the end. The senior right hander retired the side in order in the fifth and allowed just two hits over the final four innings.
“I just had to make sure they weren’t making solid contact. I had them off balance most of the game,” Klena said. “My curve ball and my off speed pitches were working pretty well. I was hitting my spots and towards the end of the game I was able to find my spots with the fastball and everything started working.”
South Hills Coach Kevin Smith was impressed with the way Klena finished.
“We have tried to establish an attitude that if you start something you finish it and fortunately he did. Dakota (Behr) did the same thing in the semis,” Smith said. “They did what we asked them to do. I just can’t say enough.”
Tyler France ripped a double to the gap in right field in the first inning to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. Christian Ibarra walked to lead off the game and Hugo Atienzo bunted into a force play. Cody Doyle single to right and France delivered the two run double. France then scored on a sacrifice fly by Klena.
“That was huge. It takes so much pressure off the defense and let’s us relax a little bit. We had heard about how good their pitching was and to get three runs right away was huge,” Smith said.
Beckman got one back in the bottom of the first on a triple by Brandon Trinkwon and a sacrifice fly by Tyler Carso.
But the Huskies were just getting started. Behr singled with one out in the second and Corey Dehner reached on an error. Base hits by Atienzo and Doyle made it 5-1. It also spelled the end for Patriot starter Ryan Harris.
Leading 5-2 after Beckman picked up a run on an RBI double by Kyle Boudreau in the third, the Huskies put it away in the fourth with two more. Behr double to left and Dehner beat out an infield bouncer. Sacrifice flies by Atienzo and Doyle scored both runners.
Beckman used three pitchers in all. Harris was relieved by Carso who pitched into the fourth. Edgar Zamora and Trinkwon finished up but none of them were able to slow down the South Hills bats.
Behr had three hits and scored twice and Doyle also had three knocks, an RBI and a run scored. France, only a freshman, had a double, drove in two runs and scored twice.
South Hills was in the title game last year but lost to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 4-2. It is the Huskies first title since 1998 when they defeated Irvine and fifth overall. It is the first championship at South Hills for Smith.
“I’m just numb right now. The school has so much tradition and we’ve been so close so many times and then today we finally got it. I can’t tell you enough about this team. My kids, my coaches, and everything that went into winning this thing- it’s just unbelievable,” Smith added.
SH 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 8 12 0
B 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 1
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