Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament: Northview continues hot start, beats South Hills, 5-3, to claim title

By Steve Ramirez
twitter.com/SteveRRamirez
WALNUT —
Northview High School coach Darren Murphy said before the season he believed the Vikings could be very good.
Northview continues to live up to that billing.
Jake Grijalva and Alex Labor had two RBIs each and Nick Chico was solid on the mound to lead the Vikings to a 5-3 victory over intra-district rival Northview to take the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament championship on Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.
Chico gave up three hits and struck out nine for Northview, which improved to 5-0.
South Hills, which dropped to 4-1, cut the lead to 5-3 in the seventh on a RBI single by Conor Pearson before reliever Kolby Oriti retired Jon Ayala to end the game.
The Vikings scored three runs in the fourth to take the lead.
Dom Baca reached on a hit-by-pitch and Anthony Amaya walked before a Gabe Rojo followed with sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third.
Jake Grijalva then doubled to left for a 2-0 lead. Grijalva scored after back-to-back wild pitches for a 3-0 advantage.
Northview made it 5-0 in the fifth. Baca and Amaya had back-to-back singles before advancing to second and third on a wild pitch. Alex Labor then followed with a soft line drive to center for the 5-0 lead.
South Hills rallied to cut it to 5-2 in its half in the fifth.
Niko Contreras singled nd took second after a walk to David Denson. A balk was called on Chico before Contreras scored on wild pitch. Adrian De Horta, after a walk to Tony Muniz, doubled home Denson to make it 5-2. Muniz also scored on the play after he knocked the ball loose from catcher Gabe Rojo.
But, per high school rules, Muniz, was ruled out for running into the catcher to keep the score at 5-2.
Earlier, Northview missed a chance in the second after Baca walked and Amaya had a bunt single to lead off the inning.
But De Horta ended the chance by striking out Rojo and Labor before inducing Grijalva to fly out to left field.
South Hills put runners on first and second with one out in the third. But Muniz struck out and De Horta lined out to left field.

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