Prep baseball: Sage Hill in wild win, 4-3

NEWPORT COAST - Sage Hill High scored two runs on wild pitches in

the bottom of the seventh inning and Tim Wilkins pitched three perfect

innings of relief to key a 4-3 season-opening baseball win Friday over

nonleague visitor Saddleback Valley Christian.

Sage Hill, competing in the school’s first varsity baseball game, took

a 2-1 lead in the second, when Scott Cho scored on a fielder’s choice.

Down, 3-2, entering its final at-bat, Sage Hill’s Marty McKee hit a

one-out single, stole second and came around to score on two wild

pitches. Cliff Swanson walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went

to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch to reward Wilkins,

who fanned five, with the win.

Starter Zach Friedrichs. who also doubled in a run, struck out 10 in

four innings, yielding just three hits.

Saddleback Valley pitchers walked eight.

Sage Hill hosts Whitney Wednesday at 3 p.m.

NONLEAGUE

Sage Hill 4, Saddleback Valley Christian 3

Saddleback Valley Christian 102 000 0 - 3 3 2

Sage Hill 110 000 2 - 4 5 1 Atkinson, Alderete (7) and Fait; Friedrichs, Wilkins (5) and

Kornswiet. W - Wilkins, 1-0. L - Alderete, 0-1. 2B - Alderete (VC),

Friedrichs (SH).