Sage steals more than third with win

NEWPORT COAST — Two innings before Allen Brown entered in the bottom of the seventh inning as the go-ahead runner at second base, he sneaked out of the Sage Hill School dugout.

He went over to two friends sitting behind the backstop, where they watched the game on the grass while they ate pizza from two boxes. Brown didn’t stay long.

Brown grabbed a slice and hurried back, breaking off a piece to a bench player before looking like he wanted to go back for more.

Common sense kicked in. The freshman stayed put. Sage Hill possibly could’ve used his services in a vital Academy League home game, one for the history books against powerhouse Oxford Academy.

The Lightning made good use of Brown in the seventh.

He stole third base and scored the game-winning run on Sean Vogel’s walk-off single to right field as Sage Hill won, 4-3, Friday, taking sole possession of first place in league.

The Lightning celebrated as though they had just claimed the title. It made sense.

“[It’s the] first time ever [we’re] in first place [by ourselves] in our league,” said Vogel, who won the game with three solid innings of relief and with his bat.

The sophomore sure had a lot to do with the achievement.

So did Brown with Sage Hill (8-4, 6-1 in league) beating Oxford (8-9, 5-2), the defending league champion, for the second time this week. The Lightning won the series against Oxford for the first time, taking two of three games.

Brown came in with the game tied, 3-3, and no outs. He pinch-ran for Craig Jackson at second base after AJ Wolfson became Sage Hill’s second straight batter to reach base via walk.

Soon Brown looked more like someone delivering pizza by running crazy. On the second pitch to Vogel, Brown took off for third base, sliding in safely.

No one sent him. He went on his own. One pitch later things almost got crazier.

Zach Fountas, the second pitcher in relief after starter Cameron Bedard went six innings, threw a wild pitch. Brown began to motor down the third-base line before stepping on the brakes as catcher Chuck Heredia chased the ball to his right.

“I’ve only been here a year, but I’ve seen so many ricochets that go back right in the catcher’s mitt,” Sage Hill Coach Andy Berglund said. “In hindsight, I’m glad he didn’t go. Most guys would’ve.”

With the infield in, Vogel took care of business with a full count.

He went the other way, hitting a blooper to shallow right. Before the right fielder failed to make the catch, Brown was a step or two away from jumping on home plate.

The rest of the Lightning couldn’t wait to join him. They jubilantly stormed out of the dugout.

After it was all over, it hit Berglund. The first-year coach, taking over a program finishing in fourth place last season, stared at his players and felt proud.

Berglund has coached and played baseball all over the world, Sweden, Germany, Australia, but he’s more impressed with how far Sage Hill has come under his tutelage.

“For us, it’s just enormous,” Berglund said. “We lost to [Oxford, 12-7] the first [league] game of the season. To come all the way back to win six in a row [in league] is gratifying. We’ve really come together.”

The ride isn’t over yet.

Eight more league games remain before the regular season concludes. By then, Berglund is hoping the playoffs begin for Sage Hill, which has missed the playoffs the last three seasons.

There are some things Sage Hill needs to take care of beforehand. Protecting leads, like the 3-0 one in the fifth on Friday. Walking batters and hitting them hurt the Lightning.

In the fifth, starter Travis Duncan beaned back-to-back batters, one scored before the right-hander left. Vogel relieved Duncan, who allowed only one hit and struck out five. Vogel got into trouble when he walked two batters, who eventually scored, tying the game, 3-3, in the sixth.

“It was a little frustrating,” said Vogel, who has picked up two straight wins against Oxford in relief. “But we knew we could pull it out in the end. Allen did a good job. It’s good he stayed [at third on the wild pitch] so that way we had a chance to win at the end, because you don’t want to get an out there. It wasn’t worth the risk.”

Almost like getting caught eating pizza during a game.

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Academy League

Sage Hill School 4, Oxford Academy 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

Bedard, Plunkett (7), Fountas (7) and Heredia; Duncan, Vogel (5) and Orrantia. W – Vogel, 2-0. L – Plunkett.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA can be reached at (714) 966-4612 or david.carrillo@latimes.com.