Photos by Sophia Smith-Urueta & Brie Sheppard
Baseball:
It’s not the way you start. It’s the way you finish.
That adage couldn’t be more fitting for the Ayala baseball program on Tuesday afternoon in La Verne.
Bonita jumped on the Bulldogs and scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning.
AHS, however, scored once in the fifth, twice in the six, and they got four runs in the seventh to claim a 7-4 victory at BHS in the first of a three-game set with the Bearcats.
It also means Ayala can do no worse than sharing the Palomares League championship.
Caleb Trugman was charged with four unearned runs over five innings on just three base hits.
Trugman didn’t issue a walk, and he registered nine strikeouts.
I asked Trugman what his reaction to the four unearned runs was as he walked towards the visitors’ dugout.
Said Caleb Trugman: “The biggest thing is to pick your teammates up and show them that we’re not out of it. I got my teammates together and I told them we’re not losing this game. I found the freshman who made an error, and I reminded him who he is and how good of a player he is.”
Landen Lambert’s three-run HR was the big blow in the first for BHS.
Josh Angely doubled and scored, and Joaquin Covarrubias singled and scored.
Isaac Huver was credited with the win, going two scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
Huver didn’t walk anyone, and he fanned five.
In all, Trugman and Huver combined for no walks and 14 strikeouts.
They struck out nine of the 10 Bonita players that had at least one at-bat on Tuesday.
Angely was the lone exception.
Camden Farina went 5 2/3 innings, and he surrendered three runs on seven hits.
Farina walked one and struck out five AHS batters.
The Bulldogs got to Ryder Gibson for four runs on three hits and a walk over 2/3 of an inning.
Gibson struck out a pair of Bulldogs.
Sammy Duenas got the last two outs for Bonita, including one via strikeout.
Trugman said the game’s complexion changed on the final two outs of the bottom of the sixth.
With a 4-3 lead and a runner on second and one out, Huver struck out Andrew Sanchez swinging.
Huver’s catcher, Codey Brown, picked Angely off second on the same play to end the inning.
And the momentum carried over, because Easton Sarmiento led off the top of the seventh with a solo HR to tie the game at 4-4.
Jaden Valenzuela followed with a double and two batters later, Aidan Erlandsen singled Valenzuela home and a 5-4 lead.
Dylan Wood and Codey Brown drew consecutive walks.
Erlandsen scored on a wild pitch.
And Elijah Duarte had an RBI single to score Wood.
Ayala out-hit Bonita, 11-4.
Valenzuela went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, one run and an RBI.
Erlandsen walked singled twice, scored and drove in one.
Trugman went 3-for-4 with a run and one RBI.
Dylan Wood walked, singled and scored two runs.
Duarte went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
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Quotable:
Ayala coach, Brad McGuire: “Today was a big day for our guys. Battling back from a four-run deficit showed a lot of heart and resilience. We made some early mistakes in the first inning that led to four unearned runs, but the team stayed locked in and focused on chipping away one at a time. Trugman did a great job shaking off that first inning, he didn’t let it define his outing. He stepped up for a teammate who’s been carrying us all year, and that meant a lot to this group and our program.
We had several clutch moments…guys came through with big hits when we needed them most. Codey’s back pick at second late in the game was a momentum-changer, and Easton came up huge with a solo home run to start the 7th in a pinch-hit spot. We had some things go our way, and it was great to see the team respond like that. That said, the job isn’t finished. We’ve got to take one of the next two to clinch league, and Bonita’s always a tough opponent. It’s going to be a battle, but we’re excited for the challenge.”
Ayala pitcher, Caleb Trugman: “I felt like my command and velocity was there. I felt like everything was there. We knew this first game was going to be the biggest game. We want to win the Palomares League championship outright and not share it. We had so many guys make plays that made it possible for us to rebound from what happened in the first inning. The team chemistry is so good and we’re all pulling in the same direction and for one another.”
Box Score:
A: 0-0-0-0-1-2-4-(7)
B: 4-0-0-0-0-0-0-(4)
Win: Isaac Huver
Loss: Ryder Gibson
HR: Easton Sarmiento (A); Landen Lambert (B)
2B: Aidan Erlandsen (A), Jaden Valenzuela (A) 2; Josh Angely (B)
Tuesday’s Palomares League Scores:
Claremont 8, Diamond Bar 2
Glendora 8, Walnut 0
Ayala 7, Bonita 4
Palomares League Standings:
Ayala (17-7, 12-1)
Bonita (15-9, 10-3)
Glendora (15-9, 7-6)
Claremont (11-12-1, 6-7)
Walnut (8-14, 4-9)
Diamond Bar (5-20, 0-13)
Thursday’s Schedule:
Bonita at Ayala
Claremont at Diamond Bar
Glendora at Walnut
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