Birkeland, Griffin Lead Saddleback in Baseball

Lars Birkeland had four hits and Brian Griffin drove in four runs as Saddleback beat visiting Golden West, 10-6, in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Thursday.

Griffin, a sophomore center fielder, had key hits in the seventh and eighth innings.

His fly-ball single to right in the seventh put Saddleback ahead, 7-3. The lead shrunk to 7-5 when Mike Greenberg drilled a two-run homer well over the center-field fence for Golden West in the top of the eighth.

But Saddleback rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning with a big assist from the soggy outfield.

Birkeland drove in the first run of the inning with a two-out single up the middle and Griffin followed with a what should have been a single down the right-field line driving in one run. But a second run scored and Griffin got a triple when Golden West’s Reuben Gulledge fell because of the wet grass as he chased after the ball.

Saddleback starter Ryan Poe’ performance was far from some of the dominating outings he has had this season but was good enough to pitch a complete game and improve to 8-1.

Kevin Stuart hit his seventh and eighth home runs and Jarrad Jones also homered for Golden West. Greg Pines hit his ninth homer for Saddleback (20-7, 9-6), which has won at least 20 games for the last six seasons under Hodges.