5-A ROUNDUP : Pullen’s First Two Home Runs of Season Help Esperanza Roll

Esperanza’s baseball team was very economical Friday in the first round of the Southern Section 5-A playoffs.

The Aztecs got just seven hits--including two home runs by Reid Pullen--to beat Santa Monica, 9-1, at Esperanza.

The first five runs came on two hits and three walks for Esperanza.

Pullen, the No. 9 batter, hit a three-run home run in the second inning to give Esperanza a 5-1 lead. It was his first home run of the season.

Pullen, who plays center field, hit a two-run home run in the sixth to cap Esperanza’s scoring.

“He picked a good time didn’t he,” Esperanza Coach Mike Curran said about Pullen.

The home run took Santa Monica (10-16) out of a game the Vikings had led.

Mark Smith had hit a home run in the first for Santa Monica.

The Vikings loaded the bases with two outs in the second, but Esperanza starter Ryan Filbeck struck out leadoff batter Paul Casillas to end the threat.

Esperanza’s four-run second started with a one-out walk to Jon Pitts. David Newhan then singled to right, sending Pitts to third. He scored on a wild pitch.

Brian Harman walked, then Pullen drove a fastball down the left-field line for a homer.

Filbeck (4-0) allowed four hits, walked four and struck out five in five innings for the victory.

Esperanza built the lead to 7-1 in the fifth. Erickson Dumaual and Poncho Ruiz had back-to-back singles to open the inning. Each scored on an error.

Newhan had a bunt single to open the sixth, stole second and scored on Pullen’s home run, this one in the left-center power alley.

Pullen was two for three with five runs batted in, and Newhan and Dumaual had two hits, stole two bases, and scored two runs, each also for Esperanza.

The Aztecs (24-2) will play Loyola in second round Tuesday.