Harbor Loses Lead to Valley, Tie Game Suspended

Harbor College couldn’t hold a 6-2 ninth-inning lead Thursday against Los Angeles Valley College as the Monarchs scored four times to send the Southern California Conference baseball game into extra innings.

The umpires suspended the game because of rain at 6-6 with Valley batting in the 10th at Harbor. The contest will be continued April 26 from the point of suspension. Harbor pitcher Eddie Lopez went 8 innings, struck out a season-high 12 batters, yielded seven hits and walked six.

Valley, aided by two walks, two singles and a double, tied the game with two outs in the ninth on a two-run double by Mike Caputi.

Harbor (21-12 overall and 11-2 in conference) was led by first baseman Dave Kushan’s three singles. The Seahawks had six hits.

Valley (14-7-2, 6-6-l) was paced by right fielder Sean Thompson, two singles and a home run.

“We shouldn’t have let this one slip away,” said Harbor Coach Jim O’Brien. “Valley did a good job of battling back while our bats went to sleep.”

Harbor scored two runs in each of the second, fourth and fifth innings to take a 6-1 lead. Matty Maestas hit a fly ball that was lost in the rain for an RBI single in the fourth.

The Seahawks scored three unearned runs as the result of two Valley errors.