Lightning lead early, but blown away

APPLE VALLEY — Hats blew off players’ heads. The home plate umpire needed more than a mask to protect his eyes.

Welcome to Apple Valley, home to mini dust storms Tuesday.

Sage Hill School’s baseball team expected 90-degree weather, but it faced a lot of dirt in the face.

The Lightning battled the elements for seven innings, but failed to weather the storm, losing to host Apple Valley Christian, 2-1, in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs.

Things never really settled down in the first second-round playoff appearance for Sage Hill (15-7).

The 25-mile per hour gusts were forceful, so was Apple Valley Christian left-hander Steven Messner.

Messner went into the game fresh off a no-hitter in the first round against Thermal Desert Mirage, almost finishing with a perfect game in a 17-strikeout performance if not for a passed ball on a strikeout.

From the start, Messner wasn’t as flawless for Apple Valley Christian (19-2).

This one took everything out of the Cal State Northridge-bound senior to lift the Warriors to their 17th straight victory.

Messner matched up with Sage Hill senior right-hander Travis Duncan. The two dealt throughout, Messner striking out 13, Duncan eight.

Messner improved to 10-0 after throwing a one-hitter, but he admitted that Sage Hill’s batters provided the biggest challenge he’s faced all year. This included pitching from behind.

“These are definitely the most disciplined hitters,” said Messner, who could hear Sage Hill’s coaches tell batters to lay off the curveball, making it cumbersome on Messner.

The wicked pitch failed to work for Messner as it had during the previous eight innings, a stretch where the opposition never recorded a hit.

Sage Hill didn’t break up the consecutive hitless streak in the opening inning, but it had two runners in scoring position with one out. But they stayed put.

Messner struck out back-to-back batters, getting out of the jam before things blew up on him. There was already enough debris blowing everywhere, creating havoc for everyone on the field and those watching the game.

After the Lightning missed out on their opportunity, the Warriors failed with runners in scoring position as well in the bottom half of the inning.

With the infield playing in, shortstop Sean Vogel fielded a grounder and fired it home, where catcher Dusty Orrantia blocked the plate, easily tagging out the runner for the second out.

Duncan (3-4) ended the inning by picking off a runner at first, keeping the game scoreless until the third inning. This is where Messner found himself in trouble because of his control (five walks in the game).

Messner walked Vogel, the leadoff man, for the second time. Vogel then swiped second base, and with two outs Christopher Griffin brought him in to give Sage Hill a 1-0 lead.

Griffin stroked a single to left field, becoming the first player to get a hit off Messner in 10 innings. A big-time at-bat in a crucial spot, all set up by Vogel being aggressive.

Sage Hill Coach Andy Berglund wanted it to put the pressure on Messner, just as the young Lightning players showcased during their first Academy League championship season and in their first playoff run since 2004.

“He didn’t have a pickoff move, so we were trying to get guys on base and have them move,” said Berglund, the first-year coach.

For the next four innings, Messner kept Sage Hill still. Two runners got on board via walks and reached second. One got as far as third. None scored.

Apple Valley Christian finally gave Messner run support, one run in the fourth and one in the fifth.

A bloop single, a stolen base, a sacrifice, and a suicide-squeeze play set up the Warriors’ first run.

It probably never should’ve happened. Duncan collided with third baseman Nick Ongaro near the foul line while both tried to catch an automatic pop-up off a bunt during the squeeze. No one caught the ball.

“The wind was blowing really hard right there,” said Duncan, who gave up only three hits in six innings. “Both of us were yelling, ‘Ball!’ Neither one of us heard the other one. That just really [hurt].”

What hurt more was the Sage Hill error on a grounder to open the bottom of the fifth. The runner eventually reached third with one out.

Tobbey Shoop’s blooper to right field gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead, enough support for Messner to be triumphant in the postseason again.

“It’s time to finish it,” Messner said he told himself. “No more hits. No more walks. Let’s do it.”

The dust eventually settled.

?

CIF Southern Section

Division VI playoffs

Second round

Apple Valley Christian 2,

Sage Hill 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Duncan and Orrantia; Messner and Ely. W – Messner, 10-0. L – Duncan, 3-4.

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