By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
With ace Wyatt Loncar on the mound the Palisades High baseball team entered last Tuesday’s home finale against Hamilton needing one win to repeat as the Western League champion.
Loncar gave up three runs in the first inning but the Dolphins answered with two of their own, added four in the second to take the lead and exploded for five more in the third on their way to a 15-5 victory. Jared Brecher went four-for-four with a double and four RBIs. Lucas Braun ended the game with an RBI single in the sixth.
Two days later, Braun threw a three-hitter with eight strikeouts as Palisades shut down the Yankees 4-1 to end the regular season with 24 wins—the most in 12 seasons under Coach Mike Voelkel, who has piloted the program to eight league titles and three second-place finishes.
Now the Dolphins turn their attention to the playoffs where they hope to make a deep run in the City Section’s 12-team Open Division.
Palisades is seeded No. 3 behind Marine League champion San Pedro and West Valley League winner Chatsworth and had a bye in yesterday’s first round. The Dolphins host No. 6 Granada Hills or No. 11 Carson in the quarterfinals Friday at 3 p.m. at George Robert Field.
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