Lions are back in the championship hunt

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers HUGS AND HAND POUNDS-Oaks Christian's Nick Kimball taps fists with head coach Mike Maio following a home run during the Lions' first-round playoff victory over Carpinteria. On Tuesday, the Lions defeated La Caada, 11-4, to keep their hopes for their program's first CIF championship alive. Oaks Christian and La Caada each entered Tuesday's CIF-SS Division V second-round playoff game riding a nine-game win streak, and as the old adage goes, something had to give.

Well, it was the Lions that gave-and just kept on giving.

Scoring four runs in third and six more in the fifth, the versatile Oaks Christian lineup looked as deep as ever in an 11-4 victory that wasn't even that close. In the game, seven out of nine Lion starters collected a hit and every one of them reached base safely.

Head coach Mike Maio said a well-rounded lineup is one of his team's most important assets.

"It's a tremendous advantage when every guy is a tough out because that pitcher has to work harder. He has to concentrate more and make more pitches," Maio said. "When that happens, it really gives you a chance to have success."

Headlining the offensive showing was fabulous freshman Brent Keys, who continues to show why he might be one of the toughest outs in all of Division V.

The young leadoff hitter went 3-for-4 with three RBI, a double and a home run. His round tripper came in the third off La Caada starter Kelson Brown, who entered the game boasting a regular-season ERA of less than 1.00.

Maio said Keyes is sharpening his baseball knowledge with each passing day.

"He's starting to mature now in his thinking and that's making him that much tougher," Maio said. "We only hope he continues to improve because he is an incredible athlete."

Designated hitter Nick Kimball and leftfielder Casey Lee also had productive days at the plate. Lee went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a ground-rule double that fell just a few feet short of clearing the fence, while Kimball went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run, his second of the playoffs.

With the win, Oaks Christian advances to the quarterfinals of Division V for the second time in as many years. The Lions (17-7) will take on Serrano (19-4), winners of the Mojave River League and the defending Division V champion.

"They've got good pitching, good hitting . . . they're a very good ball club," said Maio, now in his second season with the Lions.

After junior pitcher Tommy Grillo threw six strong, but sometimes erratic, innings in Tuesday's victory, expect Oaks Christian to go with senior Tim Johnston on the mound against a Serrano lineup that averages 10 runs a contest and has scored over 20 runs in a game three times this season. Serrano has piled up 33 runs in their first two postseason victories over Linfield Christian and La Salle.

Johnston is 8-1 this season with a 2.13 ERA in 56 innings of work.

Because both Serrano and OCHS played their first two playoff games at home, location of their quarterfinal matchup was decided

by a coin flip. Oaks Christian won, and will play, improbably, its third straight postseason game at home.

"That's two coin flips in a row that we've won and we'll take it," Maio said.

Not only did the successful coin flip keep Oaks Christian at home, but it forced the ballplayers from

Serrano to endure a three-hour bus ride to Friday's ball game from their homes in Phelan, Calif.

"We're just happy we're not the ones who have to make the drive," Maio said.

Last year the Lions advanced all the way to the Division V semifinals before bowing out to St. Paul.