Area baseball teams go 5 for 6 in second round of CIF-Southern Section playoffs

If there wasn't the preferred ending for the Royal High baseball team in the regular season, a much happier conclusion is in the works for the Southern Section playoffs.

Two postseason games and two decisive victories have the Highlanders dreaming big.

"We think we can win it all," says senior shortstop Riley Feigenbaum. "We're playing with confidence and we're playing well. It's our goal to win a championship."

The No. 3-seeded Highlanders certainly look the part of title contenders after securing a berth in the CIF-SS Division 4 quarterfinals with a big win Tuesday.

Troy May hammered a three-run home run and run-scoring triple and finished with four RBIs and two runs scored, Andrew Hall went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored and Feigenbaum notched two hits and scored four runs as Royal routed visiting Montebello, 11-3.

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The Highlanders spotted Montebello a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, then roared back to take control. May landed a three-run home run among the trees beyond the center-field fence in the bottom of the first, and Royal tacked on three more runs in the second to hike the lead to 6-2.

May, a senior catcher, was happy to deliver the clutch blow in the first inning.

"Just trying to make contact and hopefully get a run home," he said. "I got a fastball and I knew I hit it pretty hard."

May wasn't done yet. His line-drive triple in the bottom of the second drove in Hall from first base and set up another three-run inning.

"Everybody is hitting," said May. "We know we have a good team. It was disappointing to end the regular season the way we did. But now we have another chance."

Royal needed one victory in its final two league games vs. Moorpark to clinch second place in the Coastal Canyon League. Instead, Royal lost both games, found itself at the wrong end of tiebreakers to Moorpark and Simi Valley, and needed an at-large berth to qualify for postseason.

Good news followed. The Highlanders indeed got a berth in Division 4, and were also awarded the No. 3 seed. They opened the playoffs on the road with a 9-1 victory over Nogales.

It's still one step at a time, but Royal is just two victories away from playing for a division championship. Royal improves to 20-5 and has a road game Friday vs. Charter Oak in the quarterfinals.

The Highlanders lineup is on a definite roll. The nine-hit attack led to 11 runs. The top three batters accounted for nine runs scored.

Feigenbaum, in his leadoff role, had two hits, reached base all four times and scored four runs.

"I'm doing whatever I can to spark the offense," he said. "I know if I can get on base, the guys behind me are going to deliver." 

Ace pitcher and sophomore Trevor Hansen wasn't at his sharpest in yielding three runs and five hits through four innings. He left after yielding a leadoff double in the fifth, but still struck out six batters.

Matt O'Brien retired six consecutive batters in the fifth and sixth and Daniel Anselmo pitched a hitless seventh to close out the victory.

Luke Piazza posted two hits and three RBIs and Nathan Hamburger ripped a two-run double for Royal.

Division 2

Thousand Oaks 6, Mission Viejo 2: Max Muncy went 2 for 4 with his 10th home run of the season — setting a program single-season record — and two RBIs, Dylan Jackson hit a two-run homer, and Roc Riggio and Easton Rulli each went 2 for 3 to lead the top-seeded Lancers to second-round home victory.

Collin Adams earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs in 5.1 innings, as Thousand Oaks improved to 26-1 on the season. The Lancers will play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Marantha and San Dimas in Friday’s quarterfinals. The Lancers will be at home against Marantha and on the road against San Dimas.

Camarillo 6, Corona del Mar 3: Brian Uribe allowed three hits and one earned run in five innings, JT Schardt went 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Brandon Hiji was 3 for 4 with an RBI as the Scorpions advanced to the quarterfinals with a road victory.

Matt Lopez was 3 for 4 with a run scored, Boston Bateman went 1 for 3 with an RBI, Alex Sadowsky and Brandon Contreras had hits, and Eldridge Armstrong picked up the save on the mound. Camarillo will host Yorba Linda on Friday.

Division 3

Calabasas 4, Lakewood 1: Jordan Kingston allowed five hits and no earned runs while striking out six in five innings, Chase Call had three hits, Sam Grunberg had two hits, Phoenix Call finished with a hit and two RBIs, and Jordan Jaffe had a hit and an RBI as the Coyotes advanced to the quarterfinals with a home win. Calabasas will play at Hart on Friday.

Division 4

Monrovia 3, Grace Brethren 0: The Lancers lost the second-round game on the road to finish the season at 15-6.

Division 6

Buena 10, de Toledo 0: Braydon Kimble finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI, Nathan Sherman was 2 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs, Ricky Ricardez went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, and Tanner Beltowski was 2 for 3 with an RBI as the Bulldogs finished with 16 hits in the second-round home victory.

Gavin Morales and Nathan Sherman combine for the shutout on the hill. Buena will host Aquinas in a quarterfinal game Friday.