Valencia Pitcher Hit in Head

The game Wednesday between Magnolia and Valencia meant a great deal in the race for the Orange League baseball title, but a couple of freak plays that sent a player and an umpire to the hospital left few concerned with the result.

Magnolia won, 9-1, at Brookhurst Community Park to pull into a first-place tie with Valencia and Western, but most were concerned with Valencia pitcher Matt Reese after a hard line drive struck the junior just behind his right ear in the bottom of the second inning.

Scott Henry’s line drive ricocheted off Reese’s head and landed in foul territory behind third base.

Reese immediately dropped to the ground grabbing his head and lay still for nearly 20 minutes, but he never lost consciousness. Paramedics arrived and stabilized Reese and transported him to St. Joseph Hospital in Orange.

Reese, holding his head and protecting his eyes from the bright sun, waved to applauding fans as paramedics rolled him toward the ambulance.

Hospital officials said Reese was treated and released Wednesday night.

In the bottom of the fourth, plate umpire Gary Sample was hit in the hand by a mishandled pitch and left the game with what appeared to be a broken left hand. Sample, despite swelling, drove himself to get X-rays.

“It’s a real shame those two people had to get hurt,” Magnolia Coach Larry Stephenson said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, not in person. I’ve gone to major league games and never seen that.”

Other unusual plays--such as a two-base, run-scoring passed ball and a 1-3-6-5-2-3 putout at home--made it a game many won’t soon forget.

Magnolia pitcher Wes Strader (7-2) pitched a six-hitter and struck out seven for the Sentinels (11-10, 8-4 in league), who led 4-1 before scoring five runs in the sixth inning--four of those came in with two out.

Strader, despite the two injury delays that totaled more than 45 minutes, stayed sharp and pitched out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings with a three-run lead.

“It kind of gets tiring waiting around, but I’m normally pretty focused,” he said. “Especially when you’re playing for first place.”

Valencia (13-9-1, 8-4) and Magnolia meet again Friday at Valencia.