DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:JJ comes through for Lightning

JJ Beruldsen’s game-winning hit last week has left Sage Hill School Coach Mark Talmo speechless.

A bases-clearing double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning can do that to a first-year varsity head coach.

Beruldsen’s walk-off hit to left-center field helped the Lightning beat Capistrano Valley Christian, 5-4, and finish in third place in their own tournament, the Sage Hill Classic.

The only classic thing for Sage Hill during the three-day, four-team tournament was Beruldsen.

If it weren’t for Beruldsen, the Lightning would have lost all three tournament games and be currently on a six-game losing streak.

But there are some reasons for Beruldsen to be happy about this season. The left-hander is second on the team with a .378 batting average, leads with 19 RBIs, and is tied for home runs (two) and doubles (two).

Sage Hill (5-8, 3-4 tied for second place in the Academy League) is also one win away from matching last year’s overall win total and two away from the league win total.

“I think this team is better than the last two teams I’ve been on,” said Beruldsen of teams going a combined 13-31 overall and 9-21 in league. “Our hitting was much worse. We should have won the game [at home Tuesday against St. Margaret’s].”

What hurt the Lightning in battling back in the 5-3 loss to St. Margaret’s was the defense. Beruldsen said errors have plagued the team all season. So much that Talmo said after the tournament-opening 5-4 loss to eventual champion Saddleback Valley Christian that it seemed as though his team sometimes has more errors than hits after games.

“We’ve been going through a bunch of errors every game,” Talmo said.

In the tournament win against league foe Capistrano Valley Christian, Sage Hill managed to get away with making five errors against the league leader.

Credit Beruldsen for that, as the junior had two of the team’s six hits. The last one proved to be the memorable one.

Reliever Derek Lim struggled with his command, walking the two batters before Beruldsen’s at-bat. The first two pitches were balls, giving Beruldsen the advantage with the bases loaded and Sage Hill trailing, 4-2.

Three pitches later, Beruldsen found himself in a full-count situation. He knew what came next.

“He threw a nice fatty down the middle,” Beruldsen said.

Beruldsen took advantage, taking the fastball the other way to drive in three runs to give Sage Hill the victory and himself his first game-winning hit.

“My dad was excited,” said Beruldsen of Arne, who saw his son go five for 10 with five RBIs and two doubles in the tournament. “He’s been pushing me to play.”

JJ BERULDSEN

Hometown: Newport Beach

Born: Aug. 2, 1989

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 170 lbs.

Sport: Baseball

Position: Right fielder

Coach: Mark Talmo

Favorite food: Steak

Favorite movie: “Gladiator”

Favorite athletic moment: Hitting a two-out, bases-loaded double in the bottom of the seventh, lifting the Lightning to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory against Capistrano Valley Christian in the third-place game of the Sage Hill Classic last week.

Week in review: Helped Sage Hill place third in the Sage Hill Classic with a walk-off, bases loaded clearing double in the seventh to beat Capistrano Valley Christian, 5-4.