Woodbridge gets ready for PCL opener with a doubleheader sweep vs. Valencia

Lucky Ramanathan (left) and Luke DeVries led Woodbridge to a victory in the second game. (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Woodbridge High’s baseball team looks like it’s ready for the start of Pacific Coast League play.

The Warriors swept a non-league doubleheader against Valencia 12-0 and 6-5 at Ryan Lemmon Stadium Tuesday night to improve their record to 5-2. Woodbridge opens league play Friday night, meeting Irvine at 6 p.m. at the stadium.

“I was proud of our guys, the last few games, they’ve found ways to fight back and never give up, so that was a good win for us, especially heading into Friday because we know they’re going to be a grind in the PCL like they always are,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker.

Valencia (4-4) struck for four runs in the fourth inning to move ahead 5-3. Titan Chau and A.J. Santa Maria each drove home two runs with singles. The Tigers had three hits in the inning and benefited by two hit batters.

But Woodbridge tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Matt Spear drove home one run on a groundout and Jack Bunnell had a sacrifice fly.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, Dylan Kim reached on a walk. With one out, Grant Martine singled and the two runners moved over a base on a wild pitch. Then, center fielder Luke DeVries drove home Kim with the eventual game winner on a groundout. DeVries was 2 for 3 with two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI.

In the seventh inning, Lucky Ramanathan blanked Valencia, striking out two. He pitched three perfect innings, striking out six. Bunnell pitched the first two innings striking out three and allowing one hit. Mekhi Wright pitched in the third and fourth innings.

Jakob Trestik also had an RBI double and scored two runs for the Warriors.

“The top of our lineup did really well for us,” Brucker said. “When Martine and DeVries are getting on base we’re pretty dangerous with those guys hitting behind them. And we’ve been having real unselfish at bats and putting the ball in play when they need to. In the sixth, to get the go-ahead run, we had a guy pound the ball into the ground. DeVries came through with a real unselfish at bat. It’s good team baseball.”

Brucker was also pleased with how Ramanathan closed the game on the mound.

“That’s huge when you can rely on him out of the bullpen to close the door,” Brucker said. “I’m very proud of his progress coming out of basketball. He’s a competitor for us.”

Brucker said his team, which had 15 hits, played well in the first game.

“I think everybody in our lineup had a hit, our guys just competed really well offensively,” he said.

Martine was 3 for 5 with three runs scored and an RBI and Bunnell was 2 for 2 with four RBI and a run scored. DeVries and Trestik also scored two runs each.

The Warriors got a strong effort from sophomore lefthander Drew Blakey, who threw five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven.

“Our sophomore Dylan Blakey threw five really good innings for us,” Brucker said. “He was commanding the zone. It was a really good first win for him. I’m happy for him to get that first varsity win.”

Ian Hardy and Yohann Byun each had a scoreless inning to finish the game on the mound for the Warriors.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com