By Joe Snyder
Entering the bottom of the seventh inning in Gardena High’s Marine League baseball game at Rancho Dominguez Prep in Long Beach, last Thursday, the Panthers were two outs away from winning their first league game in four years.
Behind the strong pitching of junior Juan Castellanos, Gardena held a 5-4 lead and Castellanos got Daniel Barbosa to fly out to center field for the first out. Castellanos, then, hit Gavin Kleib with a pitch and that began the fall. Brandon Perez reached first base on a throwing error as Kleib made it to third base. That was when head Panther coach Tom Anderson opted to replace Castellanos with Max Garcia. Garcia, then, hit Ethan Villan with a pitch then stole second base as another throwing error enabled Kleib to score the tying run. Garcia was able to get Ivan Alcaras to strike out that sent the game into the eighth inning.
Lobo pitcher Carlos Olivas got Gardena out in order in the top of the eighth. After Garcia got two outs in the bottom of the inning, Barbosa singled home Anthony Cruz as the Lobos pulled off a 6-5 win leaving the Panthers with their 39th consecutive league loss dating back to 2022.
“We played well the last three games,” Anderson said that included losses of 8-6 in non-league play to Sepulveda Monroe on April 18 and 4-2 home Marine defeat to Rancho Dominguez on April 22. “A couple of throwing errors cost us.”
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead by the top of the second inning and continued to lead until the bottom of the fifth when Rancho Dominguez tied the game at 4-4.
Jesse Aguayo went 2-for-4 and drove in one run. Castellanos was also 2-for-4 and Chris Alvarez had an RBI (run batted in) triple that gave Gardena a 5-4 lead. Alvarez finished the game with two hits and three RBI’s.
It was three hit by pitches on Jayden Casillas and Garcia that helped Gardena score its first three runs. Alvarez had a two-run single in the top of the first.
The Panthers, who fell to 0-6 in league and 4-17-1 overall, visited San Pedro on Wednesday and host the Pirates Friday at 3 p.m. Gardena visits Banning in Wilmington next Monday at the same time.
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Saxons keep slim playoff hopes alive
North Torrance High’s baseball team kept its hopes for a CIF-Southern Section playoff spot alive with an 8-5 home win over Peninsula High last Friday.
Alex Cannon, David Iniquez and Josiah Reed each drove in two runs to key the Saxon offense.
At Peninsula High in Rolling Hills Estates on April 22, the Saxons were unable to hold on to a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 loss to the Panthers.
After North (11-14 overall and 4-6 in league) took a 3-0 in the top of the second inning, Peninsula scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning, one in the fifth and the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Reed went 2-for-3 and drove in one run to key the Saxons.
North has its final week with a Pioneer series against cross town rival and league leading South Torrance this week. After hosting the Spartans on Tuesday, the Saxons close league at South today at 3 p.m.
Serra continues to be without a Del Rey League win after losses to St. Paul High last week.
At Serra on April 21, the Cavaliers were shut out by the Swordsmen 10-0. At St. Paul in Santa Fe Springs last Friday, the Swordsmen downed Serra 5-3 putting the Cavaliers to 0-10 in league.
Serra hosted league rival Playa del Rey St. Bernard last Tuesday. The Cavaliers visit St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in Downey in non-league next Monday at 3:15 p.m. before closing league at St. Bernard next Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Torrance High, which was doomed to not make the CIF-Southern Section playoffs from the highly competitive Bay League, suddenly livened its hopes with a stunning sweep over league champion Palos Verdes last week.
At Torrance Park on April 22, the Tartars handed the previously unbeaten Sea Kings their first Bay loss at 4-3. Last Friday, Torrance traveled to Palos Verdes and came away with a 6-1 victory.
Last Friday, winning pitcher Hector Chavez held the Sea Kings (10-2 in league) to one run on seven hits. Trevor Fortuna drove in three runs and Noryoshi Mori had three hits for the Tartars.
Torrance (4-6 in league) will need to sweep last place and winless (in league) West Torrance this week to pull off a playoff berth but either Manhattan Beach Mira Costa or Redondo, which play each other this week, will have to record a sweep. In league, though, the Mustangs swept three games from the Tartars and the Sea Hawks took two of three from Torrance. There is a good chance that four teams from the Bay will make the playoffs.
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North softball keeps playoff hopes alive
North Torrance High’s softball team is 15-8 overall which gives the Lady Saxons a good shot at making the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, wherever it finishes in the Bay League, but it is just 2-4 in the brutal league.
At West Torrance High on April 16, North recorded its first league win by upsetting the previously unbeaten (in league) Warriors 9-5. In a non-league game on April 20, the host Saxons rolled over Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula 12-1 but fell at home to rival Torrance 9-1 on April 22. North bounced back for a 6-2 home victory over El Segundo last Friday.
Against the Eagles, Isis Jones had two runs batted in and two runs scored. Corina Avillar went 2-for-2 with three RBI’s and two runs.
In North’s win over West, Kloie Ibay and Audriana Boconeora each had two hits and two RBI’s. Boconeora scored three runs.
After visiting South Torrance on Wednesday, the Saxons will host the Warriors in a rematch in their league finale Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Serra’s softball team is 4-8-1 overall and 3-7-1 in the Santa Fe League. In league on April 22 at Serra, the Lady Cavaliers fell to Downey St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 26-8. In non-league on Saturday at Serra, the Cavaliers were routed by Hawthorne Math and Science Academy 19-1.
After visiting St. Mary’s Academy in Inglewood last Tuesday, Serra hosts St. Genevieve from Panorama City Friday at 3:15 p.m. before closing league at home against Playa del Rey St. Bernard next Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
Gardena is winless at 0-10 overall and 0-7 in the Marine League. The Lady Panthers were held scoreless in league losses at home to Wilmington Banning 19-0 on April 20, at Rancho Dominguez Prep in Long Beach (15-0 last Thursday) and at Carson (24-0 last Monday).
Gardena visits San Pedro today, at home against Harbor City Narbonne next Monday and at Banning in Wilmington in the season finale next Thursday. All league games start at 3:15 p.m.
For the second consecutive season, North Torrance High’s boys’ volleyball team captured the Pioneer League title after a five-set win over crosstown rival Torrance on April 20 at North. The Saxons outlasted the Tartars 22-25, 29-27, 25-25, 25-23, 15-10.
North began the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs at Crescenta Valley High on Wednesday. If it wins, it will face either Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills or Westlake at a site to be determined Friday at 6 p.m.
Despite placing second behind the Saxons in league, Palos Verdes received the top seed in the playoffs. The Sea Kings opened at home against Corona Centennial on Wednesday. Palos Verdes lost an earlier four-set match to North but returned the favor with a five-set win on April 17 at P.V.
Gardena High’s boys’ volleyball team won its first Marine League match in four sets at home over Rancho Dominguez Prep on April 20 before getting swept by league leading and host Carson 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 last Thursday.
The Panthers closed league at Narbonne, a team they lost earlier in league in four sets, last Monday. Despite a 2-12 overall record, Gardena is seeking a spot in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section lower division playoffs, like it did in Division IV last season. The Panthers lost in the quarterfinals.
Serra is 1-11 overall and 1-9 in the Camino Real League after three-set losses to St. Bernard and Cantwell-Sacred Heart on April 18 and 21, in order.
