SEA VIEW LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Surprise Homer Sparks Saddleback

There’s something about Corona del Mar’s cozy baseball field that turns Saddleback’s line-drive hitters into sluggers.

Saddleback had hit only two home runs all season going into its Sea View League game Friday against Corona del Mar, but first baseman Erasmo Ramirez found the friendly right-field fence to his liking.

Ramirez drilled a two-run homer in the sixth inning that broke a 1-1 tie and Saddleback went on to defeat Corona del Mar, 4-1. The victory kept Saddleback (15-4, 8-1) atop the league standings and had Coach Bobby Mangram wondering what it might be like to play its games at Corona del Mar.

“We need to play over here more often,” Mangram said. “We hit all of our homers here. Today, it was Erasmo’s turn, and you’d never think he would hit a homer.”

Ramirez, who also had a run-scoring single in the second, was as surprised as anyone when the ball sailed over the fence.

“I never hit a homer in my life, not even in Little League,” he said. “Yeah, I was surprised that the right fielder didn’t catch it. I wasn’t sure if I had hit it far enough.”

Ramirez’s homer was just enough to help pitcher Tony Zuniga (6-1) beat Corona del Mar for the second time this season. Zuniga allowed only two hits and struck out eight.

“He throws a knuckleball that works like a screwball,” Mangram said. “The bottom drops out.”

Corona del Mar (10-7, 4-5) scored its only run in the fifth inning. Zuniga got into trouble by walking the leadoff batter and hitting the next hitter. Dave Angeloni, who had both of the Sea Kings’ hits, drove in pinch-runner Justin Goff with his second hit.

“Ramirez shut us down again,” Corona del Mar Coach Scott Magers said. “That’s the second time he’s limited us to one run. They always seem to get up for us.”

Despite lacking consistent power, Mangram thinks his current club is one of the best he has had at Saddleback.

“My ’85 team got to the (Southern Section 3-A) semifinals, and man-for-man, this is a better team,” Mangram said. “This is one of the best teams I’ve ever had.”

In other league games:

Tustin 16, University 0--Zach Elliott hit a grand slam during a 10-run fifth and Phil Cutti pitched a three-hitter, striking out seven for the visiting Tillers (12-6, 8-1).

Newport Harbor 7, Woodbridge 6--Justin Ketchum hit a two-run home run in the sixth to tie the score, 6-6, and the Sailors scored the go-ahead run later in the inning on a throwing error. Newport Harbor (8-9-1, 2-6-1) committed 10 errors and all of Woodbridge’s runs were unearned. Woodbridge is 0-8-1 in league.