Dana Hills Falls in Quarterfinals, 6-2

Dana Hills’ baseball team struggled with its bats Friday afternoon and was eliminated from the playoffs with a 6-2 loss to host J.W. North of Riverside in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

The Dolphins had only three hits, compared to four errors, but were still within striking distance until the bottom of the sixth inning, when North's junior first baseman, Gabriel Clark, broke open the two-run game with a two-run double that gave the Huskies a 6-2 cushion.

The Dolphins had tied the score in the top of the fourth inning with a one-out rally that started with a walk to junior first baseman Ryan Kehlet. Senior catcher Brian Choi was then hit by a pitch. Junior second baseman Nick Hsieh followed with a double to the left-center field gap to drive in one run and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Sophomore outfielder Grant Dyer followed with a sacrifice fly to center that plated Choi to tie the score at 2-2. Senior designated hitter Nick Redding delivered a solid line drive to the left-center field gap, but it was run down by the left fielder for the final out. North's starting pitcher, senior Mario Morales, was able to keep the Dolphins off balance after that.

“We didn’t protect the outer part of the plate and they took advantage of that,” Dolphin coach Tom Faris said.

The Huskies were able to strike right back in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double and a walk to put two runners on with one out. After a passed ball moved the runners to second and third, senior outfielder Steven Pena singled up the middle to drive in the two runs that would prove to be the game-winners.

The Dolphins would not get another hit until the seventh inning, when junior Nate Harris got a one-out, infield single to give the Dolphins some life. But a strikeout and a fielder’s choice groundout would end the game and send North on to the semifinals against Lakewood Tuesday night at Blair Field in Long Beach.

For the Dolphins, it was a disappointing end for a team that reached the Division 1 finals last season and appeared to have have what it would take to make another title run this season.

Dana Hills (19-14-1) finished as the No. 2 team out of the South Coast League and won two playoff games with an offense that scored eight runs in each game. Faris said the disappointment did not overshadow the effort put forth by his players.

“These kids have put in a lot of work and a lot of hours to prepare themselves and get better," he said. "So I’m proud of their hard work.”