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Yorba Linda baseball slips past Sonora with rally in seventh inning

April 9, 2026

Nathan Schneider (2) of Yorba Linda looks back to see the umpire’s call after Schneider beat the throw at home to Sonora catcher Derek Castro (4) in a game at Sonora High School in La Habra on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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LA HABRA — Without the benefit of a hard-hit ball, the Yorba Linda baseball team still found ways to score runs, including two in their final at-bat, in a come-from-behind victory over Sonora 5-4 in a North Hills League game Wednesday at Sonora High School.

The victory is the fifth in a row for the Mustangs (12-5-1, 3-0), who are alone in first place in the five-team league. The Raiders (10-7, 3-2) are tied for second with Sunny Hills.

“We did it the ugly way,” Yorba Linda coach Marcus Jones said. “There is no doubt about it.”

Yorba Linda scored three runs (two earned) against Sonora’s ace, Robby Blane, who gave up three hits with five strikeouts and six walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Blane came away with a no-decision.

“They had their guy on the mound who is super talented,” Jones said. “But we had a plan. Our guys are pretty good with the bat and we worked the count all day long.”

The Mustangs trailed by a run going into their final at-bat.

With one out and the bases loaded, Mustangs freshman Andrew Churney hit a dribbler towards third on a check swing. The tying run scored on the play when the throw home pulled the catcher off the plate.

Two batters later, Vaughn Sharp scored the eventual winning run on a ground out.

“I was trying to drive something to find the outfield,” Churney said of his soft grounder. “But it got in a little on me and got low and I was jammed. It was a check swing.”

Starter Troy Radomski earned the victory for the Mustangs, giving up four runs, but only one earned, with six strikeouts and one walk over six innings.

Tucker Hunnicut hit an RBI double to key a three-run third for the Raiders, who took a 4-2 lead.

Vaughn Smith walked to lead off the fifth for the Mustangs and made it to third on a pair of wild pitches.

Smith then scored on a ground out to get Yorba Linda to within a run and Radomski shut out the Raiders over the next two innings, setting up the Mustangs’ two-run seventh.

“I just feel like that’s our team,” Churney said. “Even though it doesn’t go as well for our team, we find ways to scrap out wins.”

The Mustangs took advantage of Blane’s control issues in their first at-bat.

The left-hander walked the first three hitters but came close to getting out of trouble by striking out the next two hitters.

Jackson Lang then singled home Smith from third for the game’s first run.

The Raiders tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Lietzau scored from third on a balk.

Nathan Schneider singled to lead off the third for the Mustangs and then made it to third when an errant pick-off throw sailed into right field.

Schneider came in to score on a ground out to give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.

The Mustangs came away with the victory despite committing five errors.

“I don’t know if we’ve had five errors in the last 10 games,” Jones said.

Yorba Linda baseball slips past Sonora with rally in seventh inning Orange County Register

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Yorba Linda baseball slips past Sonora with rally in seventh inning

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