By Steve Breazeale and Kevin Dahlgren
For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dana Hills High School spring sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.
Top-ranked Dolphins Baseball in Tournament Mode
A convincing 9-1 win over El Toro in the semifinals of the Loara Tournament on March 12 pushed the Dana Hills baseball team into the tournament finals, to be played against rival San Clemente at Glover Stadium on March 14 at 7 p.m.
Dana Hills (7-0) jumped out to a big 6-0 lead in the third inning, when they tacked on five runs on five hits. Senior pitcher Zach Wolf threw six innings, allowed one hit and one unearned run to get his third win of the season.
The Dolphins, the No. 1 team in Division 1, have received strong performances from its pitching staff early on this season, including efforts from the hard-throwing duo of Marrick Crouse and Hans Crouse. Dolphin pitchers have allowed only three earned runs through eight games this year.
On offense, the team has been led by senior Luke Williams. The Dolphin bats have exploded for 61 runs in six games, including a 23-0 victory over Saddleback Valley Christian on March 3.
The Dolphins advanced to the quarterfinals of the Loara Tournament on March 10. Under the lights of Glover Stadium in Anaheim, the Dolphins overcame a late two-run deficit to defeat Vista Murrietta 5-3. Marrick Crouse started for the Dolphins and got off to a rocky start, but settled down in the later innings. Crouse finished the game with a complete game, giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight batters.
The Dolphins were set to play league rival El Toro in the tournament semifinals on March 12. Results were not available at press time. –Kevin Dahlgren and Steve Breazeale
Pitching Leading the Way for Softball Team
The Dana Hills girls softball team is off to a hot start in 2015.
While many believed the top of the Dana Hills batting order would carry the Dolphins, pitching has led the way so far this season. Led by sophomore Serafine Parrish, Dana Hills pitching has allowed only 10 runs in five games this year. Parrish, who has appeared in three games, has given up two runs while striking out 12 batters through 11 innings pitched this year.
Earlier this week, the Dolphins took part in the Saddleback Valley Tournament hosted at Alicia Sports Park. In the opening game of the tournament, the Dolphins lost 4-2 to Orange Lutheran.
In the tournament’s consolation bracket, the Dolphins defeated Santa Margarita 6-3 on March 11.
Samantha Williams went 3-4 with a triple and two RBI. Madison Killebrew hit a two-run home run. –KD
Coppi Sets Top 1600 Mark in State
Dana Hills junior Mason Coppi put his best foot forward at the San Juan Hills Friday Night Lights track and field meet on March 6, setting the current state-best mark of 4:16.97 in the 1600-meter run.
Coppi’s mark in the event was nearly six seconds better than fellow Dolphins junior Jake Ogden’s time of 4:22.58.
The Dolphins had several standout performances at the event, including a victory for reigning league champion Grant Bayr in the 110-meter hurdles. Chloe Gaynor won the girls 100-meter dash and Paul Romero won the boys 100-meter dash. Jennifer Daly and Keaton Smith both won the girls and boys 800-meter run, respectively.
The Dolphins girls 4×400-meter relay team won the event by four seconds with a time of 4:06.12.
Nash Parker finished first in both the boys shot put and discus throw. Sophomore Joy McArthur won the girls shot put and teammate Evelyn Roberts won the discus.—Steve Breazeale
Boys Golf Topples Beckman
The Dana Hills boys golf team pulled off consecutive match wins over Beckman to start their season on March 3 and March 4, posting one impressive low number along the way.
Dana Hills fired off a collective score of 178 at Tustin Ranch Golf Course in a 178-187 win on March 4. Senior Alex Diaz carded a 32 (-4) and Tanner Podres turned in a 34 (-2) to lead the Dolphins.
Dana Hills finished of the week with a 182-199 win over Laguna Beach on March 11. –SB
Boys Lacrosse Falls to Lions
In their third game of the young season, the Dana Hills boys lacrosse team lost on the road to JSerra, 17-2, on March 10.
The loss came after the Dolphins (1-2) captured their first win of the season, a 9-6 victory over Northwood, on March 5.
Junior attach Colton Brown has been the Dolphins leading goal scorer through three games. Brown has seven goals in three games played. –SB
Girls Lacrosse Keep it Close but Lose to Eagles, Tritons
The Dana Hills girls lacrosse team lost back-to-back one-goal games against Santa Margarita and San Clemente on March 4 and March 5, respectively.
The Dolphins jumped out to an early 6-4 lead but watched as the Eagles took command by going on a 4-1 run to cap off an 8-7 victory.
Dana Hills was set to play Murrieta Mesa on March 12, results were not available at press time. The Dolphins will travel to play regional rival St. Margaret’s on March 19. –SB
Boys Volleyball Off to Perfect Start
The Dana Hills boys volleyball team has won nine straight matches to start their 2015 campaign.
The Dolphins (9-0) have played almost exclusively against Trinity League competition in the early going, pulling off two wins over Santa Margarita and Servite and notching wins over JSerra and Orange Lutheran.
Dana Hills is in the midst of a run through the Redondo Union preseason invitational, where they defeated Notre Dame, Redondo Union, Servite and Orange Lutheran in clean sweep victories. –SB
Boys Tennis Beats Edison
The Dana Hills boys tennis team improved to 2-2 on the season following an 11-7 nonleague victory over Edison on March 11.
Battling the flu, the Dolphins No. 1 singles player, Kyle Alexander, went 1-2 on the day and lost a closely contested set to Edison’s No. 1 player, according to first-year head coach Mike Story.
Corey Stephens and Alec Phong, filling in as a substitute, won all three of their doubles matches.
Story was hired just weeks before the start of the season and said he has been upping the Dolphins frequency of practices.
The Dolphins were set to play Mission Viejo on March 12. Results were not available at press time.—SB
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