Harbor Wins Fifth Consecutive SCAC Title With 10-2 Victory

It was business as usual for Los Angeles Harbor baseball Coach Jim O’Brien on Thursday.

O’Brien watched L.A. Harbor defeat Mission College, 10-2, and clinch its fifth consecutive Southern California Athletic Conference championship.

O’Brien has won 11 conference championships in 15 seasons at the school. L.A. Harbor is 37-5 and 16-0 in the conference. Mission is 22-10-1 and 12-5. Mission remains in second place in the conference.

“We’re just coming along right on schedule,” O’Brien said. “This is a very determined group.”

The Seahawks combined strong pitching with potent hitting to remain undefeated at home this season. Starting pitcher Pat Ahearne allowed only two runs and three hits in seven innings to improve to 9-1. The sophomore right-hander from St. Bernard High tied a school record of 20 victories in a career set by Rod Van Lue in the 1976-77 seasons. John Rodriguez and John Matich combined for two innings of perfect relief.

L.A. Harbor had 14 hits, including eight doubles, a triple, and a pair of home runs, both from first baseman Ryan Karp. Shortstop Tony Liebsack had two doubles and left fielder George Baker had a double and a triple.

Karp, a sophomore, hit a two-run homer in the fourth and a solo homer in the sixth. He has four homers.

Mission used three pitchers, but L.A. Harbor did most of its damage against starter Nino Romo (5-2), who surrendered four doubles and a home run in the fourth inning to give the Seahawks a 4-0 lead. Romo, who didn’t give up a hit in the first three innings, left the game in the sixth with Mission trailing, 7-0.

“This is a good team we played today,” said Mission Coach John Klitsner, a former Sylmar High coach. “And when you have any kind of breakdown against them you’re going to pay for it.”

Mission first baseman Eddie Chavez hit a two-run homer in the seventh.