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Northwood High School’s baseball team, with Coach Josh Keithly, after a game earlier this season. (File photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Northwood High School’s baseball team captured a 10-4 Pacific Coast League victory over Portola Wednesday at Portola to capture at least a share of the league crown, the first for the program since 2013.
The Timberwolves (19-5-1, 16-3-1) came into the game tied with Beckman for first place. But when Irvine defeated Beckman 2-1 and Northwood recorded the final out, the Timberwolves were able to celebrate a league title.
“I am completely stoked for the boys, they have worked hard all fall and spring to accomplish this goal and they have completely earned it,” Keithly said Wednesday night. “We have built a system this year and it took some time to develop but they completely bought into it. League champs was the goal we had set out for the year as a team and tried to keep that mindset throughout the year as we battled through each series and they executed through all the highs and lows.
“I am blessed to have worked with an awesome group of young men and everyone played a role in earning this awesome achievement. Like I said, they were grinding all season and they completely earned this together as a team. We look to carry this positivity and momentum as we move into the CIF playoffs.”
Northwood held a 3-2 lead going into the top of the fifth inning but the Timberwolves scored four runs to move out to a 7-2 lead. Portola scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth but Northwood scored two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Luke Hansen led Northwood, going 3 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored. Casey Euper was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a run scored and hit his first career home run. Kai Mo was 2 for 3 with a run scored, Paul Grossman scored three runs and Carter Liu was 1 for 2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Grossman pitched the first 4 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, three earned and struck out 12. Liu finished on the mound, allowing one hit in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out four.
Cooper Marinelli was 1 for 3 with three RBI and Rider Cooper 2 for 4 with a run scored to lead Portola (11-12-1, 8-12).
Northwood hosts Portola Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the regular season finale. Beckman plays at Irvine Thursday. Beckman would need to win Thursday and Portola would have to defeat Northwood for Beckman to earn a share of the title.
Send baseball news to timburt@ocsportszone.com
