SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO >> The JSerra baseball team got production from up and down its lineup Wednesday in a 12-5 victory over St. Augustine of San Diego in a second-round game of the Boras Classic South at JSerra High School.

The Lions (14-9) batted around in the first, third and fifth innings, and eight of nine starters reached base at least once and scored at least one run.

“I thought we swung the bats well,” JSerra coach Brett Kay said. “It started in the first inning. We put some pressure on them.”

JSerra won the Boras Classic South the last time it was played in 2019, and it is a victory away from getting back to the championship game.

The Lions, who are ranked No. 9 in Division 1 of the CIF Southern Section, will take on Orange Lutheran or La Mirada in semifinals Thursday at 6 p.m. at JSerra.

A two-run double from No. 5 hitter Jonathan Mendez highlighted a four-run first inning for the Lions.

“It was important to get on them early,” said Mendez, who went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. “He was throwing all fastballs. I just jumped on fastball.”

The Lions added three in the fourth and then broke the game open with five in the fifth.

The top of the Lions’ lineup did most of the damage.

No. 2 hitter Trent Caraway, No. 3 hitter Rysuei Fujiwara and No. 4 hitter Owen Fuller were all 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

JSerra starting pitcher Matt Champion, a sophomore, retired the side in order in the first, but then left the game due to shoulder soreness, Kay said.

“I’m really concerned about Champion because he is one of our horses and he is a horse for years to come,” Kay said. “Offensively, we picked him and picked up the rest of the staff.”

Kay used three pitchers to complete the game after Champion left, including Casey Coady, who allowed one hit and a run over the final 3 2/3 innings.

JSerra pitchers allowed two hits, but gave up six walks, including five in the fourth, which led to three runs for the Saints.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t great on the mound today but Casey Coady came in and closed the door,” Kay said. “My hat goes off to him. He was really great and weathered the storm a little bit.”

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The Lions will look for more of a team effort in the semifinals, Fuller said.

“I think one of the cool things about our team is that when somebody has been down, the other side has picked each other up,” Fuller said. “Today the pitching was down and the hitting was able to pick us up. So, we’ll look for the pitching tomorrow and put both of them together.”