CONTACT US

Contact Form

    News Details

    Orange Lutheran baseball overpowers Villa Park to reach Division 1 semifinals
    • May 13, 2023

    ORANGE – It was not a situation where a high school baseball freshman usually thrives.

    Brady Murrietta is not a typical freshman.

    Orange Lutheran center fielder Derek Curiel reacts after scoring a run against Villa Park in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Orange Lutheran’s Casey Borba, center, score a run against Villa Park in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. Villa Park catcher Nate Pone is at right. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Villa Park shortstop Gavin Grahovac, center, is helped off the field after suffering an injury going after a ground ball against Orange Lutheran in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Orange Lutheran starting pitcher Jordan Cole delivers a pitch against Villa Park in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Villa Park starting pitcher Brandon Luu delivers a pitch against Orange Lutheran in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Villa Park shortstop Gavin Grahovac lets out a yell after hitting double in the first inning against Orange Lutheran in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Orange Lutheran center fielder Derek Curiel, left, high-fives teammates after the Lancers won the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff against Villa Park in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Villa Park first baseman Josh Santangelo can’t dig out a throw in the dirt allowing Orange Lutheran’s Justin Lopez to reach first in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Villa Park third baseman Justin Tims keeps his eye on the ball as he fields an Orange Lutheran grounder in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Orange Lutheran players cheer for their teammates during the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    Orange Lutheran’s Justin Lopez, right, gets a handshake from teammate Derek Curiel after scoring a run against Villa Park in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

    of

    Expand

    Murrietta’s three-run double in the fourth inning expanded Orange Lutheran’s lead to a comfortable point Friday and the Lancers defeated Villa Park 6-1 in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal at Hart Park.

    Orange Lutheran (22-10-1) will play at Santa Margarita (26-6) in the semifinal round Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. Santa Margarita beat La Mirada 9-4 Friday.

    Murrietta is a catcher with excellent catcher DNA. His father, Jason Murrietta was an All-Orange County catcher at Esperanza in the 1990s and is a member of the Cal State Fullerton baseball coaching staff.

    The younger Murrietta has been in big situations before, having played on age-group baseball teams that have competed for national championships.

    Orange Lutheran had a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning. Ben Reiland was hit by a pitch, Derek Curiel was intentionally walked and Casey Borba walked to load the bases. Murrietta pulled a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line to drive in Reiland, Curiel and Borba to make it 6-1.

    The Lancers scored two runs in the top of the first inning. JJ Robles drove in one of the runs with a single and the other scored on an error.

    Josiah Hartshorn’s sacrifice fly drove in Justin Lopez for a 3-0 lead.

    Villa Park got its run in the third inning. Robby Wiens was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

    Orange Lutheran used five pitchers and limited Villa Park to two hits.

    Murriett said he tried to maintain a simple approach to his key at-bat.

    “You can’t think a lot,” Murrietta said. “Just go up there with ‘see ball, hit ball.’ ”

    Murrietta is happy for the rematch opportunity against Santa Margarita, which swept three games against Orange Lutheran in early March.

    “We’re pretty fired up to get a rematch with them,” Murrietta said, “to show them what we can do.”

    Orange Lutheran freshman catcher Brady Murrietta talks about his three-run triple that helped the Lancers beat Villa Park 6-1 and set up a rematch with Santa Margarita… pic.twitter.com/HvOV8LoBlC

    — Steve Fryer (@SteveFryer) May 13, 2023

    “He’s a special kid,” Orange Lutheran coach Eric Borba said. “He’s caught at a very high level. He’s mature beyond his years.”

    Three Trinity League teams are in the Division 1 semifinals: Santa Margarita, Orange Lutheran and JSerra, which beat Sierra Canyon 6-3 Friday.

    JSerra will play at Corona in the other semifinal Tuesday. Corona defeated No. 1 seed Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 2-1 in 10 innings Friday.

    Villa Park finished the season 21-11. The Spartans won the Crestview League championship and in the playoffs had wins over Damien and Huntington Beach.

    A bad moment for Villa Park happened in the sixth inning. Senior shortstop Gavin Grahovac went down after making a back-handed attempt at a ground ball to his right. He aggravated an oblique strain, a muscle injury that affected him the past two weeks.

    Related Articles

    High School Sports |


    CIF-SS baseball playoffs: Friday’s scores, updated pairings and schedule for the semifinals

    High School Sports |


    Linfield Christian baseball team uses 6-run rally to top Brea Olinda in CIF-SS quarterfinals

    High School Sports |


    Aquinas baseball gets boost from its bats in playoff win over Ocean View

    High School Sports |


    Aliso Niguel baseball ends La Serna’s streak and season in the CIF-SS quarterfinals

    High School Sports |


    Yorba Linda baseball holds off Long Beach Poly to grab spot in CIF-SS semifinals

    ​ Orange County Register 

    News