Pacific Coast League Baseball

Mike Smedes of Laguna Hills High School went to the pitcher's mound Tuesday knowing that he didn't have his good stuff. His curve wasn't sharp, and the location of his pitches was erratic. Smedes just wanted to survive it. He did, but not without a little work. Smedes, in fact, labored through seven innings but still came away with a 5-1 victory over Trabuco Hills at Laguna Hills.

The headline is a stopper: "Angels Clout Nine Homers, Win 22-5." It was June 22, 1957, and Roger Osenbaugh still remembers every pitch. He should. He was the opposing pitcher. "It's the best memory I have," he said of the game between the Sacramento Solons and the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field, which stood at 42nd Street and Avalon Boulevard and was the West Coast copy of the Chicago Cubs' home. "Twenty-two runs, 18 earned runs, nine home runs, five home runs in one inning," he recalled.

Mike Helm's grand slam in the top of the sixth innning helped Laguna Hills High School to a 16-4 Pacific Coast League victory over host Laguna Beach Friday. Helm's slam broke a 4-4 tie as Laguna Hills (20-4 overall, 12-1 in league play) scored five runs in the sixth and seven in the seventh. Aaron Scheid had three hits and an RBI for Laguna Beach (7-13, 3-9). Orange 8, Costa Mesa 0--John Emigh (5-1) pitched a three-hitter, striking out three, for Orange (13-10, 8-5) at Costa Mesa.

In the Pacific Coast League: Corona del Mar 8, Costa Mesa 2--Alissa Zoelle hit two triples and a home run for the Sea Kings (14-10, 7-3), who finished second in league. Costa Mesa (12-10-1, 6-4) finished in third place. In Pacific Coast League baseball: University 13, Estancia 4--Jay Nichols went four for four with two home runs, a double and six runs batted in for University (17-8-1, 11-3-1). In the Serra League: Servite 9, No.

Left-hander Tom Drees threw his second consecutive no-hitter, the first in league history, as the Vancouver Canadians defeated the Edmonton Trappers, 1-0, in a seven-inning Pacific Coast League baseball game.

Laguna Hills High School's Ron Kortman was five outs away from a perfect game Friday against Costa Mesa, when Rich Schones got an infield single. Kortman settled for a three-hitter and Laguna Hills defeated Costa Mesa, 6-1, in a Pacific Coast League baseball game at Laguna Hills. Kortman, who hit a solo home run in the second, struck out eight and walked none to improve his record to 7-1. Chris Sheff was three for four with one RBI for Laguna Hills (16-4, 8-1).

Outfielder Chris Sheff had four hits Friday to tie the Orange County career-hit record and help Laguna Hills High School to an 18-0 victory over Orange in a Pacific Coast League baseball game at Orange. Sheff's four hits give him 116 to tie La Quinta's Jeff Osborn (1982-84). Sheff, a four-year varsity starter, also scored five runs and has 101 in his career. Rob Milo hit two home runs for Laguna Hills (18-4 overall, 10-1 in league play). Ron Kortman (8-1) allowed three hits over the first five innings for the victory.

In the Pacific Coast League: Corona del Mar 8, Costa Mesa 2--Alissa Zoelle hit two triples and a home run for the Sea Kings (14-10, 7-3), who finished second in league. Costa Mesa (12-10-1, 6-4) finished in third place. In Pacific Coast League baseball: University 13, Estancia 4--Jay Nichols went four for four with two home runs, a double and six runs batted in for University (17-8-1, 11-3-1). In the Serra League: Servite 9, No.

Orange High School took advantage of several Costa Mesa errors Thursday to defeat the Mustangs, 4-2, and win the Pacific Coast League baseball championship. The Panthers finished the regular season with an 11-4 league record (17-8 overall) and will open the Southern Section 2-A playoffs at home next Friday. Costa Mesa closed at 3-11, 6-18. Orange needed three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday to come back from a 2-1 deficit and defeat the last-place Mustangs.

Before the Rams arrived from Cleveland in 1946, Pacific Coast League baseball, college football, boxing and horse racing were the sports staples in Los Angeles. In 1926, Bill Lane moved his Salt Lake City Bees to Los Angeles, and the team became the Hollywood Stars, who in those early days were also called the Sheiks. The Stars shared Wrigley Field with the Hollywood Angels through the 1935 season. Then Lane moved his Stars south to San Diego, where they became the Padres.

The last line of defense. That's how senior Sean Stutzman has defined his athletic career at Aliso Niguel High, where he has excelled in soccer and baseball. He has been starting goalkeeper on the Wolverines' soccer team the last three seasons. The last two years, he has been selected to the All-Pacific Coast League's second team. Stutzman has been the starting catcher on the school's baseball team the last two seasons. Last year, when he batted .

In other league games: Estancia 5, Century 2--Art Martinez had three hits, scored two runs and stole three bases and Pedro Arceyut had two hits, two RBIs and two stolen bases for Estancia (11-12, 7-6). The Eagles' Jose Cabrera pitched a complete game, striking out six and giving up four hits. Laguna Beach 6, Costa Mesa 2--Sean Bill had two hits and two RBIs, and pitched a six-hitter, striking out six, for host Laguna Beach (6-15, 2-11). Ian McDonald had two hits and two RBIs for the Artists.

Trabuco Hills lost its first Pacific Coast League game this season when Laguna Hills rallied for a 4-3 victory Friday. Coming off Tuesday's 15-0 loss to the Mustangs, the Hawks scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to retain their playoff hopes. They won by combining the pitching of Ryan McDermott, the baserunning of Ron DeVito and the hitting of Brett Nista and Matt Evans. "McDermott pitched a beautiful game," Laguna Hills Coach Pete Tereschuk said.

Laguna Hills catcher Casey Bennett lined a two-out, bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in the winning run and give the Hawks a 5-4 victory over Estancia in a Pacific Coast League game Friday at Laguna Hills High School. Bennett's hit capped a two-run rally that handed Estancia pitcher Vic Martinez his first loss.

In a matchup between two of the county's best high school softball pitchers on two of its top softball teams, Foothill right-hander Leeann Gonzalez got the upper hand on Canyon's Sara Roberts, and the host Knights upset the Comanches, 2-1, in a Century League game Thursday at Hillview High School in Santa Ana. Gonzalez, a junior, gave up six hits and struck out six. She improved to 8-2 and kept Foothill (11-2), ranked sixth in the county, atop the league standings with a 2-0 record.

In a matchup between two of the county's best high school softball pitchers on two of its top softball teams, Foothill right-hander Leeann Gonzalez got the upper hand on Canyon's Sara Roberts, and the host Knights upset the Comanches, 2-1, in a Century League game Thursday at Hillview High School in Santa Ana. Gonzalez, a junior, gave up six hits and struck out six. She improved to 8-2 and kept Foothill (11-2), ranked sixth in the county, atop the league standings with a 2-0 record.

The last line of defense. That's how senior Sean Stutzman has defined his athletic career at Aliso Niguel High, where he has excelled in soccer and baseball. He has been starting goalkeeper on the Wolverines' soccer team the last three seasons. The last two years, he has been selected to the All-Pacific Coast League's second team. Stutzman has been the starting catcher on the school's baseball team the last two seasons. Last year, when he batted .