SO. SECTION BASEBALL: REBELS ROLL TO SEMIS CULVER'S HR LIFTS QUARTZ HILL.

Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Special to the Daily News

TEMECULA -- Calvin Culver said he didn't think he got all of it.

But he apparently got enough to hit a mammoth homer that established the tone for Quartz Hill High's 8-3 Southern Section Div. III baseball quarterfinal victory over 2005 finalist Temecula Valley Friday.

Quartz Hill (22-5), which extended its winning streak to seven games and has won 13 of its last 14, advances to the semifinals for the first time in school history. The Rebels will play Gahr of Cerritos on Tuesday at a site to be determined.

Culver's homer, an opposite-field 370-foot plus tape measure solo shot to right center - his 10th - with one out in the fifth, extended Quartz Hill's lead to 4-2.

``I've always tried to take on a leadership role, and at the time I felt we needed something to get us going,'' said Culver, a senior outfielder who's signed with San Diego State - he's among four Div. I-bound Quartz Hill players - and is likely to be selected in next month's draft.

``At first I really didn't think I got all of it, but once I saw it was carrying I knew it was going out.''

Quartz Hill trailed 2-0 heading into the fourth, when senior pitcher Matt Hutchison's two-run single highlighted a three-run inning.

The UNLV-bound Hutchison (8-3), who struck out seven batters and allowed three runs on eight hits and one hit batsmen in seven innings, pointed to Culver's blast as the game's turning point.

Senior third baseman Kyle Harris was 3 for 4 with two extra-base hits including a triple that started a two-run seventh that extended Quartz Hill's lead to 7-3.

Temecula Valley led 2-1 in the fourth when starter Tyler Engler-Gaston (7-2) was struck in the foot by a Randy Reno line drive. He pitched the rest of the inning, but was pulled from the game and was scheduled to have X-rays performed later in the day.

Quartz Hill scored three runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings off freshman Anthony Calhoun.

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