SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: Morning Briefing: Saturday, March 25, 2023
La Serna softball rallies to beat California; Bonita's Justin Santiago strikes out 12 in a win over Ayala; Suriyaniel tosses a three-hitter for Bishop Amat over St. Paul.
Kyli Hernandez of La Serna connects on a 2-run double in the fourth inning that proved to the difference in the Lancers’ 8-4 win over California. (Escarcega)
SOFTBALL
DEL RIO LEAGUE
La Serna 8, California 4
California 4 9 1
La Serna 8 11 1
WP: Torres 5IP, 8H, 3ER, 2BB, 4K
LP: Ramirez 3.1IP, 7H. 5ER, 2BB, 2K
2B: Acevedo (C), Ritto (LS) 3, Hernandez (LS); 3B: Hernandez (C); HR: Guerrero (LS)
Isabella Salas connects on a double that brought in a run for the Condors in their game against La Serna on Friday. (Escarcega)
Recap: The top two teams in the Del Rio League hooked up again at La Serna on Friday, but despite the fact that the result was the same as the first matchup, the way it developed was a bit different. When La Serna won its first game, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead and broke the game open with a huge inning. In game two of the three-game series, it was the Condors that jumped out to a 3-1 lead. However, the Lancers once again produced a big inning, scoring four runs in the fourth inning, which proved to be the difference. The big hit of the inning was a double by Kyli Hernandez that scored two runs to give La Serna a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish.
La Serna also played a little long ball as catcher Elissa Guerrero hit a solo home run in the second inning. The Condors got their offensive started immediately when Ashley Hernandez, a Boise State commit, connected on a double that just hit inside the third base line that scored Isabella Salas for a 1-0 lead. Mia Martinez followed that with a single to right field that brought in Hernandez for a 2-0 lead. Salas also collected an RBI when he banged a double to right field that scored Shiann Gil. La Serna’s Sabria Ritto helped put the game away for the Lancers with a 2-run double in the sixth inning.
Olivia Torres threw five innings, allowing three runs and striking out four to pick up the win. La Serna (10-2, 5-0) are two games up on California (8-6-2, 3-2) in first place in the league standings.
(Photos: Escarcega)
Santa Fe 13, Whittier 1, 5 innings
Santa Fe 13 15 1
Whittier 1 8 3
WP: Razo 5IP, 8H, 1ER, 3BB, 7K
LP: Ocampo 3IP, 13H, 8ER, K
2B: Gonzalez (SF) 2, Macias (SF), Coppin (SF), Galvan (SF), Pacheco (SF)
Recap: The third inning proved to be the nemesis for Whitter as the Chiefs (11-5, 3-2) posted 11 runs and cruised to an easy win to move into a second-place tie with California in the Del Rio League standings. Miranda Gonzalez went 3 for 3, with two doubles, and drove in two runs. Brooklyn Coppin also had three hits and scored two runs.
ALMONT LEAGUE
Schurr 4, Keppel 2
Schurr 4 4 0
Keppel 2 5 2
Recap: It was another solid outing for Schurr pitcher Emma Mendizabal as she allowed one earned run on five hits in a complete-game performance as the Spartans swept the two-game series from the Aztecs. Kayla Rodriguez and Sarah Cervantes each had two hits with Cervantes driving in two runs.
HACIENDA LEAGUE
Walnut 4, Rowland 2
Rowland 2 4 2
Walnut 4 6 6
WP: Hahalolo 7IP, 4H, 2R, 0ER, 2BB, 5K
LP: Phong 4IP, 2H, 2ER, 2BB, 6K
2B: Rubio (W); HR: Murrieta (W)
Recap: It was a big day for Walnut’s Isabella Murrieta as opened the scoring for Walnut with a solo home run in the first inning and also brought in a run on a single in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Mustangs defeated the visiting Raiders. Sela Hahalolo struck out five in a complete-game effort and picked up the win.
OLYMPIC LEAGUE
Whittier Christian 9, Providence 1, 5 innings
Providence 1 3 2
Whittier Christian 9 9 4
WP: Laygo 4IP, 3H, 0ER, K
LP: Workman 2.1IP, 7H, 6ER, 2BB, K
2B: Garcia (WC), Hinostro (WC); 3B: Laygo (WC); Jung (WC).
Recap: The Heralds scored three runs in the second and fourth innings to easily capture an Olympic League win. Riley Laygo played a huge role in the win as she went 2 for 3, with a triple, and drove in two runs. She also pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, to secure the decision.
NONLEAGUE
El Monte 7, Bell Gardens 1
El Monte 7 9 2
Bell Gardens 1 2 2
WP: Peralta 4IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB, K
2B: Rodriguez (EM), Angon (EM); HR: Rodriguez (EM)
Recap: Naima Rodriguez had a huge day as she connected on an inside-the-park home run in the first inning and a two-run double in the third inning that helped propel the Lions to an away nonleague win over the host Lancers. Giselle Peralta allowed one hit in four innings of work in the circle and picked up the win.
Other Scores
St. Paul 18, Bishop Montgomery 1 (5 innings)
Ontario 8, Baldwin Park 0
Maranatha 17, Glendale 0
Alhambra 17, San Gabriel 3
South Pasadena 14, Beverly Hills 0
Arroyo 19, Gabrielino 3
BASEBALL
DEL REY LEAGUE
Bishop Amat 5, St. Paul 0
St. Paul 0 3 2
Bishop Amat 5 9 0
WP: Sean Suriyaniel 7IP, 3H, 0ER, 5K
LP: Aidan Bravo 4IP, 6H, 3ER, 2BB, 4K
2B: Casado (BA)
Recap: For the second time in the three-game series, the Lancers kept the Swordsmen scoreless in a Del Rey League win. Lancer pitcher Sean Suriyaniel was superb as he tossed a complete-game three-hitter and struck out five. Moises Escobedo, Luke Viola, and Cameron Casado each scratched out two hits.
La Salle 2, Paraclete 0
Paraclete 0 2 2
La Salle 2 4 1
WP: Morgan Sullivan 5IP, 2H, 0ER, BB, 6K
LP: John Balok 5IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 2BB, 3K
2B: Chao (P)
Recap: Morgan Sullivan proved too much for Paraclete to handle as the yielded two hits in five scoreless innings on the mound to lead the Lancers to a Del Rey League win at Arcadia County Park. The Lancers scored their runs in the first and second innings. AC Nieto scored the first run on an error off the bat of Val Gomez and Travis Ortega on a single by Jacob Escamilla in the second inning.
DEL RIO LEAGUE
La Serna 10, California 4
La Serna 10 6 3
California 4 5 4
WP: Nick Williams 5IP, 5H, 4R, 0ER, 8K
LP: Wil Valenzuela 5.1IP, 4H, 9R, 2ER, 7K, 5BB
2B: Duron (LS), Long (LS), Ramirez (LS)
Recap: It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but the Lancers took game two of the three-game series from the Condors with a road win. The Lancers did it by scoring five runs in the sixth inning and that proved to be the difference. Nick Allred had two hits and drove in a run and California’s Asaiah Navarro went 3 for 4 and scored a run. Nick Williams, a Long Beach State signee, struck out 8 hitters in 5 innings of work and picked up the win. The Condors’ Wil Valenzuela struck out seven and was the tough-luck-losing pitcher.
HACIENDA LEAGUE
South Hills 2, Los Altos 0
Los Altos 0 5 0
South Hills 2 4 1
WP: Daniel Camou 5IP, 4H, 0ER, 6K
LP: Andy Jimenez 6IP, 4H, 2ER, BB, 5K
2B: Malone (SH), Moreno (SH)
Recap: The Huskies made the most of their opening game of Hacienda League action on the strength of a nice pitching effort from Daniel Camou as he allowed four hits and struck out six in five innings of work to earn the win. Sterling Patick, a UC Santa Barbara signee, pitched one inning in relief and struck out two. Noah Malone and Malakai Pelayo each drove in a run.
Diamond Bar 4, Rowland 3
Rowland 3 6 2
Diamond Bar 4 7 1
WP: Sean Gonzalez 7IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 4BB, 4K
LP: Rodriguez 6.1IP, 7H, 4ER, 4BB, 3K
2B: Tamura (R), Mestas (DB); 3B: Murphy (DB)
Recap: In one of the wildest finishes of the day, David Fiallo dove in Matthew Vargas with a line drive single to left, in the bottom of the seventh inning, that gave the Brahmas a thrilling home win over the Raiders. Sean Gonzalez struck out four in a complete-game effort and picked up the win.
PALOMARES LEAGUE
Bonita 4, Ayala 1
Bonita 4 4 1
Ayala 1 2 1
WP: Justin Santiago 7IP, 2H, 1ER, BB, 12K
LP: Byers 6.1IP, 3H, 3ER, 5K
2B: Sanchez (B); 3B: Vasquez (B); HR: Galvan (A)
Recap: It was another virtuoso performance for senior Justin Santiago as allowed only hits and struck out 12 in the Bearcats’ road win over the Bulldogs. Santiago recently committed to Long Beach St. Bonita and got the job done by scoring four runs in the seventh inning. Among the big hits in the inning was a two-run double by Sanchez and RBI singles by Tyler Holley and Travis Brunk.
VALLE VISTA LEAGUE
San Dimas 5, Northview 3
Northview 3 7 3
San Dimas 5 8 0
WP: Kody King, 6IP, 7H, 3ER, 7K
LP: Kiki Villegas 4IP, 5H, 3R, 1ER, 4K, BB
2B: Ramos (N), Castro (SD), Khansarinia (SD) 2, White (SD), Batres (N); HR: Curley (N)
Recap: The Saints broke a 1-1 tie by scoring two runs in the fifth inning to take the lead and never relinquished it in a Valle Vista League win. Ryan Castro scored the first run of the inning when Vaughn Coleman was hit by the pitch by Vikings starter Kiki Villegas. Rocco Regan proceeded to bring Landon White home on a sacrifice fly to center field. In the sixth inning, Northview’s Dean Curley led off the inning with a solo home run to center field. Kasen Kahnsarinia, a UCLA commit, had two doubles in the game and Kody King struck out seven hitters in six innings of work to secure the win.
Charter Oak 5, Covina 1
Charter Oak 5 6 2
Covina 1 4 0
WP: Andres Ortiz 2IP, 2H, 0ER, 0K
LP: Declan Bowers 6IP, 4H, 3ER, 5K, 3BB
2B: Ortiz (CO)
Recap: The Chargers put a bow on this Valle Vista League game by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the first game of a home-and-home series. Diego Ortiz had two hits, including a double, and drove run four of Charter Oak’s five runs. Both teams will square off again Saturday morning.
West Covina 4, Diamond Ranch 2
Diamond Ranch 2 4 0
West Covina 4 9 1
WP: Lopez 3.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 2BB, 4K
LP: Aquino 5IP, 8H, 4ER, 6K
HR: Reyes (WC)
Recap: The Bulldogs broke a 1-1 tie by scoring three runs in the fifth inning to turn back the visiting Panthers in Valle Vista League action. The big hit of the inning was a single by Tony Macon that drove in two runs. Marc Lopez turned in a fine effort in relief as he allowed three hits and struck out four in 3 1/3 innings of relief and picked up the win. West Covina will host Covina in a makeup game on Monday.
Other Scores
Whittier Christian 3, Anaheim 2
Santa Fe 11, Whittier 1
Keppel 8, San Gabriel 7
Marshall 9, Rosemead 8
Gabrielino 2, Arroyo 1
Loyola 10, St. Francis 1
South El Monte 19, El Monte 2
Baldwin Park 3, Ontario 0
Maranatha 7, Valley Christian 0