SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Ferguson, Servite Get a Break, Beat Notre Dame, 1-0

With Servite High School and Notre Dame receiving a pair of superb pitching performances Friday afternoon, extra innings seemed likely.

But an error in the bottom of the sixth was all Servite needed to score the game’s only run as the Friars defeated Notre Dame, 1-0, in a Southern Section 4-A first-round playoff game at Anaheim.

Notre Dame pitcher Tim DeGrasse allowed only two hits and struck out six.

Servite (20-5-1) countered with its own ace, Jim Ferguson, who also struck out six and gave up four hits. He improved his record to 9-1.

“Any playoff team has one outstanding pitcher and we saw theirs,” said Mike McNary, Servite coach. “He had us tied in knots.”

Neither team was able to score through the first five innings, but in the sixth, Servite got the only break it would need. With one out, Mike Robertson walked and tried to steal second base. The throw by catcher Bobby Hughes bounced off Robertson and rolled into the outfield, allowing him to go to third.

Servite catcher Brian Criss followed with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Notre Dame (13-10-1) had a final chance in the seventh. DeGrasse opened the inning with a walk. But one out later, he was caught stealing after pinch-hitter Bruce Heicke struck out for a game-ending double play.

“I told the team the only way we would get beat was by errors and that’s what happened,” said Bobby Mandeville, Notre Dame coach. “I thought Tim DeGrasse carried us through, but we did a few things we shouldn’t have done.”

Both teams had earlier scoring chances ended by outstanding defensive plays.

In the fourth inning, Criss walked and stole second. Two outs later, third baseman Andy Roschman singled to right field, but a strong throw by Greg Haptor easily got Criss at home.

Notre Dame’s only legitimate scoring opportunity was in the fifth inning, when Hughes led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Steve Hamilton. Hamilton advanced to second on a sacrifice, but was thrown out by center fielder Tom Szymanski while trying to score on a single by Haptor.

Servite advances to Tuesday’s second round, where it will meet Westlake, a 5-2 winner over Santa Monica.