SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: Morning Briefing, Saturday, May 6th, 2023
Millikan narrowly defeats Maranatha; La Mirada prevails over Ayala; Sterling Patick throws a one-hitter for South Hills; Two La Habra pitchers combine for a no-hitter.
BASEBALL
Game of the Day: Maranatha vs. Millikan
Eric Zdunek lays down a bunt in the second inning that scores Dylan Zdunek for Maranatha in a second inning of a CIF-SS 1st Round game on Friday. (Escarcega)
PASADENA – When it comes to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs, everything matters. Make a critical error at the wrong time, your season is over. Throw the wrong pitch, your season is over. In the case of Maranatha, if you don't cash in on your opportunities, your season will come to an end.
That was the case for the Minuteman in a 3-2 loss to Millikan on Friday at Jackie Robinson Park. The Minuteman had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with two outs. However, Noah Everly grounded into a force play that ended the inning and the scoring threat.
Millikan’s Austin Paul. (Escarcega)
Millikan's Austin Paul tossed a complete game and held the Minuteman to two runs on five hits and struck out three. His last strikeout was to Dougie Zuniga on a slider that ended the game.
Maranatha opened the scoring in the second inning when third baseman Ben Keisler failed to cleanly field a grounder from Eric Zdunek which allowed Dylan Zdunek to score for a 1-0 lead. Millikan scored all of their runs in the third inning. After Demetri Syrengelas was hit by the pitch and Anthony Pack walked, Cameron Hegamin connected on a double off of starting pitcher Zach Strickland to tie the game at 1-1.
Maranatha’s Zach Strickland. (Escarega)
Strickland was then pulled for Jackson Hisey, who then gave up an RBI single to Anthony Minton and a sacrifice ground out to Wyatt Ormonde that allowed Hegamin to score for a 3-1 lead.
Maranatha responded in the bottom of the inning when Cider Canon drove in Bryan Richman on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Strickland, a UCLA commit, had a tough time with his control. In the first inning, he allowed two walks, and one other batter was hit by the pitch. However, he regained his control and struck out two hitters before inducing Ormonde to fly out to right fielder Richman to end the inning. Strickland finished the game throwing 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on one hit, and striking out four.
Millikan will take on Santa Margarita in a second-round game on Tuesday. Maranatha finishes with a 21-6 record.
Maranatha’s Cider Canon. (Escarcega)
Millikan 3, Maranatha 2
Millikan 3 6 1
Maranatha 2 5 0
WP: Austin Paul 7IP, 5H, 2ER, BB, 3K
LP: Zach Strickland, 2.1IP, 1H, 3ER, 3BB, 4K
2B: Richman (Ma), Hegamin (Mi)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
- Maverek Russell, a UCLA commit, was walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning that allowed Cole Smith to score the eventual winning run as La Mirada defeated Ayala, 4-3, in a Division 1 first-round game. Eugene Jeon, a Columbia University signee, allowed two earned runs on six hits in six innings of work to pick up the win. Walker Calvo, an Orange Lutheran transfer, closed out the game by tossing a scoreless seventh inning to pick up the save.
- Sterling Patick, a UC Santa Barbara signee, pitched a complete-game one-hitter and stuck out nine as South Hills shutout visiting Great Oak, 6-0, in a Division 2 first-round game. Steven Jimenez hit a home run and Noah Malone had a huge day as he went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. Matt Moreno also had two hits and drove in two runs.
- Charter Oak rallied from a 4-1 deficit by scoring seven runs in the sixth inning to defeat host Woodbridge 11-5 in a Division 2 first-round game. It was also the 100th win for coach Eli Chavez in his coaching career. Athen Malone had three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs. He also tossed 5 scoreless innings in relief and struck out six in earning the decision. It will be South Hills at Charter Oak on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
- Flintridge Prep scored three runs in the first inning, off of La Salle starter Val Gomez, and scored four more in the third to earn a 10-6 win in a Division 3 first-round game at the Glendale Sports Complex. Max Brunngraber allowed two earned runs on six hits and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings of work and picked up the win.
- Jeremy Vargas scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth inning as Montebello pulled out a 2-1 win over Kennedy in a Division 1 first-round game. Isaac Solorzano struck out four in six innings of work and picked up the win.
- Jarden Day and Matt Viveros combined for a no-hitter as La Habra defeated Malibu, 3-0, in a Division 4 first-round game. Andrew Gandara had two hits and an RBI.
- In a game that lasted 10 innings, Los Altos scored two runs in the top of the 10th to defeat host Nogales, 4-2, and putting to an end the coaching career of the great Donnie Monantez. Jake Ruelas scored one of the runs of the 10th inning on a ground out. Jordan Garcia came in out of the bullpen to hold Nogales scoreless in the bottom of the 10th inning and picked up the win.
- El Rancho scored five runs in the sixth inning which proved to be the difference in a 5-3 win over visiting Chino in a Division 4 first-round game. Noah Rios had the big hit of the inning with a triple that brought in three runs.
- San Marino got their offense going early as they scored five runs in the first inning and four more in the third and they throttled Xavier Prep, 11-3, in a Division 6 first-round game. Coleman Morning had two hits and drove in three runs. Michael Liquori surrendered two runs on five hits and struck out five to earn the win.
THE SCOREBOARD
DIVISION 1
La Mirada 4, Ayala 3
Ayala 3 7 0
La Mirada 4 5 1
WP: Eugene Jeon 6IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 4BB, 2K
LP: C. Gates .2IP, 1ER 3BB, K
S: Walker Calvo 1IP, 0R, 1H, K
2B: Torres (A)
Villa Park 3, Damien 0
Sierra Canyon 2, Bishop Amat 1
DIVISION 2
South Hills 6, Great Oak 0
Great Oak 0 1 3
South Hills 6 8 0
WP: Sterling Patick 7IP, 1H, 0ER, 2BB, 9K
LP: Wauschek 3IP, 4H, 2ER, R, BB, 3K
2B: Malone (SH), HR: Jimenez (SH)
Charter Oak 11, Woodbridge 5
Charter Oak 11 11 0
Woodbridge 5 7 4
WP: Malone 5IP, 2H, 0ER, 6K
LP: Kuromoto 5.2IP, 7R, 1ER, 4BB, 3K
2B: DeMarco (W), Kuromoto (W), Gramlich (W), Vasquez (CO), Malone (CO), Medrano (CO), HR: Malone (CO)
DIVISION 3
Flintridge Prep 10, La Salle 6
La Salle 6 7 3
Flintridge Prep 10 11 3
WP: Max Brunngraber 6.1IP, 6H, 5R, 2ER, 2BB, 4K
LP: Val Gomez 1.1IP, 4H, 4R, 1ER, 3BB
3B: Myzsa (LS) 2
DIVISION 4
Los Altos 4, Nogales 2, 10 innings
Los Altos 4 5 2
Nogales 2 12 2
WP: Jordan Garcia 1IP, 0R, 0H, K
LP: Salazar, 2.2IP 2H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K
2B: Ruelas (LA)
El Rancho 5, Chino 3
Chino 3 8 2
El Rancho 5 7 1
WP: Cardenas 1IP, 0R, 0H, K
LP: Alexander .2IP, 3H, 4ER, 2BB, K
2B: Felix (C); Martinez; 3B: Rios (ER); HR: Sena (C)
La Habra 3, Malibu 0
Crean Lutheran 24, Pasadena Poly 3
Barstow 2, Glendora 1
Santa Barbara 8, South Pasadena 4
DIVISION 5
Montebello 2, Kennedy 1
Kennedy 1 6 0
Montebello 2 6 0
WP: Solorzano 6IP, 6H, 1ER, 3BB, 4K
LP: N/A
2B: Roman (M)
St. Anthony's 20, Schurr 3
DIVISION 6
San Marino 11, Xavier Prep 3
Xavier Prep 3 7 2
San Marino 11 8 3
WP: Michael Liquori, 5IP, 5H, 2ER, BB, 5K
LP: N/A
2B: Giddings (SM)
Alhambra 12, Beverly Hills 1
Mayfair 2, Gabrielino 1
Norwalk 9, Arroyo 3
DIVISION 7
San Bernardino 4, Edgewood 3
Ganesha 8, South El Monte 4
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SOFTBALL
THE HIGHLIGHTS
- Hannah Moreno went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Elisa Gulfin (a Nebraska commit), allowed four runs on six hits and struck out six as St. Paul defeated Fountain Valley 8-4, in a Division 3 first-round game.
- Emily McCoskey yielded one run on four hits and struck out nine in Diamond Ranch's 4-1 win over visiting Arlington in a Division 3 first-round affair. She also hit a three-run home run.
- Mary Sinclair went 3 for 4 with 5 RBIs and connected on a home run in Flintridge Prep's 9-7 win over Hueneme in a Division 7 first-round game.
THE SCOREBOARD
DIVISION 1
Murrieta Mesa 9, South Hills 2
DIVISION 3
Diamond Ranch 4, Arlington 1
St. Paul 8, Fountain Valley 4
Aquinas 10, Charter Oak 6
DIVISION 4
Foothill 7 Arroyo 5
Highland 5, Rio Hondo Prep 3
DIVISION 5
Ocean View 4, South El Monte 0
DIVISION 6
Mayfield 13, Riverside Notre Dame 0
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 6, El Monte 2
Azusa 8, AB Miller 0
Valley Christian 15, Edgewood 2
DIVISION 7
Flintridge Prep 9, Hueneme 7