Shutout Win Gives ELAC Home and Home Sweep of SBVC
by Stephen Morales
(photos by Rubbie Chavez; IG: gfxbyrubbie)
On its conference bye week, East Los Angele College Baseball met up with the Wolverines of San Bernardino Valley College for a home-and-home set. It was what the doctor ordered for the Huskies as they came out with a two-game sweep of the Wolverines. The Huskies won 13-3 on Monday at San Bernardino before winning a pitchers duel 2-0 on their home turf.
A quick recap of both games:
Monday March 10th; ELAC 13, SBVC 3
East LA came out on fire, scoring five runs in the first two innings. A single by Matias Nolasco scored Mahki Clark, and Nolasco would come home on a single by Chris Guardado. RBI's from Evan Chavez, Nolasco and Manny Ramirez Jr made the score 5-0 in the second, with Eddie Perez adding another run on a wild pitch in the third. San Bernardino Valley would answer with a run in the bottom of the third and two more in the fourth to pull within 6-3. But the Huskies would tack on another run in the top of the fifth, followed by scoring three runs in the seventh. Later in the ninth, Nolasco blasted a three-run homerun to left to give East LA the final margin (his second HR on the season).
Nolasco finished 4-5 with 5 RBI's. Rainer Gahagan went 3-5 with 2 RBI's and Evan Chavez went 2-5 with 2 RBI's. Richard Villegas started on the mound and pitched three innings striking out three. Ryan Vargas pitched four innings in relief striking out six for the win.
Thursday March 13th; ELAC 2, SBVC 0
The Huskies pitching was on full display this game for the shutout. Hector Valdez started and went five innings to earn the victory, striking out four batters while giving up only three hits. William Lopez, in only his second appearance this season, tossing four strong innings of relief to earn the save.
As if knowing the pitching would be on point today, the Pack went to work early to give them a lead. A pair of singles from Chavez and Nolasco followed by walk to Ramirez Jr. loaded the bases. Felipe De Alba would drive in Chavez on a deep sac fly to center. Gahagan added to the fun with his second homerun on the season, a solo shot to left in the third inning for an insurance run.
The home Green had their defense man-up when needed; they threw a runner out on home on a delayed steal/pickoff attempt in the sixth, and Jose Guzman turned a double play on a line drive in the seventh, snagging the liner out of the air at short and dashing over to step on second base before the SBVC baserunner could retreat back to the bag.
UP NEXT:
The Pack were supposed to head down to the San Diego area tomorrow to play Grossmont. But due to the threat of inclement weather, that game was cancelled. ELAC takes their annual road trip up north to Santa Maria for the Allan Hancock Spring Classic Tournament starting next Wednesday. However, there are rumblings that ELAC head coach Alec Adame may try to get a game in early next week before the trip to AHC. If he does, we'll announce it on our social media outlets.