Baseball:

The 2023 regular season has been an up-and-down ride for the Monrovia baseball program.

Through the first 20 games, the Wildcats largest win streak has been two games.

On the other hand, Monrovia hasn’t lost more than two in a row.

The Wildcats enter the final two weeks having just claimed a 2-1 victory over El Rancho on Saturday.

ERHS (17-5) has the most wins of any opponent that Monrovia has defeated this season.

Zachary Menlove went two innings and allowed one run on three hits.

Menlove didn’t issue a walk and struck out two.

Dylan Stokes provided two scoreless innings of relief, surrendering two hits and two walks.

Dyllan Hurtt earned the win after going 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing three hits.

Hurtt walked one and fanned three Dons batters.

MHS trailed 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth, but the Wildcats were able to scratch across a pair of runs.

Dario Camera singled, scored and had an RBI.

Camden Conklin walked and scored.

Jared Cardenas, Joshua Griffiths, Noal Ellison and Silas Brusseau all had one single apiece on Saturday.

As mentioned, this hasn’t been the typical season for Brad Blackmore, who does nothing but win.

But with all that said, Monrovia is tied for first with South Pasadena, and they have the opportunity of winning a third consecutive Rio Hondo League title.

Five of the Wildcats 10 losses came by two runs or less.

With four RHL games to play, MHS has the opportunity to control its own destiny.

They face South Pasadena for two this week, and they have a two-game set with third-place San Marino next week.

It goes without saying that Blackmore’s focus isn’t just winning an RHL championship.

The Monrovia skipper cares just as much that his boys in green enter the playoffs with momentum and confidence.

To view some photos of the Wildcats during the 2023 season, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook

Monrovia Batting Leaders:
Noah Ellison: .328, 19 hits, 12 runs, five RBIs, eight doubles
Camden Conklin: .308, 16 hits, nine runs, eight RBIs, two doubles
Jared Cardenas: .280: 14 hits, 10 runs, five RBIs, one double
Jack Zinn: .250, 15 hits, seven runs, 10 RBIs, three doubles
Joshua Griffiths: .213, 10 hits, five runs, three RBIs, one double, one triple

Pitching Leaders:
Andrew Cito: 4-1, 2.73 ERA, 12 walks, 15 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings
Zachary Menlove: 3-4, 2.65 ERA, 26 walks, 45 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings
Alex Myers: 2-3, 2.07 ERA, 16 walks, 16 strikeouts in 27 innings

Last 10 Games:
3/13: South Pasadena 5, Monrovia 4 (9 innings)
3/17: Monrovia 4, San Marino 3
3/27: La Canada 5, Monrovia 3
3/30: Monrovia 2, La Canada 0
4/3: South El Monte 5, Monrovia 2
4/4: Roosevelt 2, Monrovia 1
4/7: Monrovia 3, Marshall (Los Angeles) 0
4/10: Monrovia 4, Temple City 1
4/12: Temple City 4, Monrovia 2
4/15: Monrovia 2, El Rancho 1

Rio Hondo League Standings:
South Pasadena (11-11, 5-3)
Monrovia (10-10, 5-3)
San Marino (13-6, 4-4)
La Canada (7-12, 4-5)
Temple City (5-11, 3-6)

Remaining RHL Schedule:
4/17:
South Pasadena at Monrovia
La Canada at San Marino

4/18:
Temple City at La Canada

4/20:
Monrovia at South Pasadena
La Canada at San Marino

4/21:
South Pasadena at Alhambra
Temple City at La Salle (doubleheader)

4/22:
Flintridge Prep at Monrovia

4/24:
South Pasadena at Temple City
San Marino at Monrovia

4/26:
Cathedral at La Canada

4/27:
Temple City at South Pasadena
Monrovia at San Marino