SOUTH COAST BASEBALL : Cougars Fall Short of Playoffs

Pete Zamora pitched Capistrano Valley to a 7-1 victory over Mission Viejo Thursday at Mission Viejo, leaving the teams tied for third place in the South Coast League final standings.

The Diablos (13-11, 7-8 in league), however, clinched the league’s final playoff berth with two victories over the Cougars (14-10, 7-8) in three league games.

Zamora (8-3), a junior left-hander, struck out seven, walked one, gave up five hits and was backed by a 12-hit attack.

Capistrano Valley led, 3-1, in the fifth inning after Levi Roquemore hit a home run to left center field, his second of the season.

The Cougars broke the game open with a four-run outburst in the sixth inning. Scott Shone drove in the first run with a bases-loaded infield chopper that Diablo third baseman Scott Neuhausen was unable to get to in time to make a play.

Brian Benner lined a single to left to drive in two runs, and Roquemore singled in a run.

In another South Coast League game:

Dana Hills 10, El Toro 0--Scott Maynard allowed three hits in four innings and also had two doubles for the Dolphins. Seth Etherton pitched the final three innings and also hit a three-run home run in the sixth for host Dana Hills (17-9, 10-5).