Edison clobbers Lakewood

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Junior designated hitter Josh Lesinski went over a sort of checklist after Edison’s first-round CIF Southern Section Division I playoff game Friday.

“Good pitching, good hitting and we had just one error,” Lesinski said. “Good defense. I think it was a really good game.”

The Chargers were also dominant in the most important category of all — runs — as they routed Lakewood, 11-1, at Edison to advance to the second round.

Edison will play West Ranch, a 6-2 winner over El Dorado, in the second round Tuesday. The site will be determined by coin flip, but the Chargers left little to chance in their first-round win.

Sophomore center fielder Eric Snyder and senior left fielder Chris Czerniachowski led off with back-to-back singles, then both were driven in when Lesinski hit a double to the center-field wall.

An out later, Lesinski scored when senior second baseman Ryan Little connected on a two-run home run to left, giving Edison an early 4-0 lead.

“With the offense putting up four runs in the first inning, I knew they were ready to play,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “That was real impressive.”

Lesinski had a solo home run in the second, and the Chargers (20-5) scored at least once in every inning, giving senior starter Kurt Heyer plenty of support.

Not that the Arizona-bound Heyer needed it. He held Lakewood (19-12) to just two hits, struck out seven and walked just one.

Offensively, Snyder was three for four, and junior Tanner Phillips also had a two-run single in the sixth.

“I asked them to play the game and not worry about what’s going on on the scoreboard, and they scored every inning. That was probably one of the best baseball games we’ve played all season, [considering] the type of team that we played against. I’m proud of the effort. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the next round.”

West Ranch, the second-seeded team out of the Foothill League, was ranked No. 1 in Division I earlier in the season, although it was unranked in the final coaches’ poll.

Marina whacked Hueneme, 18-2, in its first round game and will face Vista Murrieta in the second round. Vista Murrieta upset Foothill League champion Valencia, 10-9, in another first-round game.

Ocean View also got past Paloma Valley on the road, 7-4. The Seahawks will play host to Downey in a Division III second-round game Tuesday.

Huntington Beach, which won a Division II wild-card game against John Glenn Tuesday and a first-round game at Chino Thursday, is also in the second round. The Oilers will play host to Arlington Tuesday.