EL SEGUNDO HERALD May 17, 2018 Page 5
Eagles Win Ocean League Titles
Story and Photos by Gregg McMullin
The El Segundo High School baseball and
softball 2018 schedules are complete. So, let
me introduce you to the 2018 Ocean League
champions in baseball and softball -- your
El Segundo Eagles. It came down to the last
week of the season for each squad, but the
baseball team split to capture the crown while
the softball pummeled two opponents and got
help from another to win the title.
Baseball Team Wins
36th League Title
The Eagles captured their 36th league title
in 58 years and their second consecutive in
the Ocean League. They did it by defeating
Santa Monica 1-0 at home on Senior Day.
Junior right-hander Quinn Kirsten started for
the Eagles and threw 6.1 innings before he
hit the pitch count ceiling and gave way to
Ethan Burner. Kirsten scattered five hits and
struck out eight in his most important and best
start of the season. Make no mistake about it:
this was a pitchers’ duel in which each team
had six hits.
Prior to the game seniors Ryan Carey, Jaime
Galicia, Brendan Casillas, Mateo Camano and
Ryan Sullivan were thanked and honored for
their dedication to the high school baseball
program over their last four years.
The Eagles had few opportunities to score,
especially in the third inning when they had
two runners picked off first base. The game’s
only run was a head-scratcher and not much
of an Eagle rally. It came in the fourth inning
when Matt Romero singled and advanced on
a ground ball by Cameron Dornblaser. With
Casillas at the plate, Romero eyed a pitch in
the dirt that Samo catcher Brandon Iglesias
couldn’t handle. The ball squirted away and
Romero advanced to third base. He didn’t stop
there when he saw Iglesias couldn’t find the
ball and pitcher Jared Levin failed to cover
home plate. Romero easily slid under the tag
to score what would become the only run of
the game. It was the first time since Kevin
Estrada did it in 1998 that an Eagle baserunner
had scored on a wild pitch from second base.
With El Segundo leading 1-0, Santa Monica
loaded the bases in the fourth inning. Brandon
Iglesias singled, Simeon Downing reached on
an error with two outs and Matt Gutierrez
walked. Kirsten showed his mettle by striking
out Jonathon Zeevi to end the inning. The
Vikings had a runner in scoring position in
the sixth inning, but Kirsten induced an easy
ground ball to Camano to end the threat. In
the seventh inning Christian Velasquez walked
and with one out. Burner was brought in when
Davis & DeRosa Physical Therapy, Inc.
Davis & DeRosa Physical Therapy, established in 2003,
provides a quaint boutique practice located in El Segundo,
California. The 4,000 square foot facility is a well known
practice offering its patients private, personal treatment by
a licensed therapist at every visit. Patients are guaranteed
one-on-one attention for their 45-minute treatment.
THE PRACTICE SPECIALIZES IN
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR:
Chronic Neck and Back Pain
Pre and Post Surgical Rehabilitation
Sports Injuries
Work Injuries
Neurological Disorders
Foot and Ankle Disorders (including orthotics)
Osteoporosis and other Age Related Disorders
Balance and Vestibular Disorders
Injury Prevention
Troy Davis Owner, PT, DPT • Chris DeRosa Owner, PT, OCS
Leo Valenzuela, PT, DPT • Lianne Nakazaki, PT, DPT
Garret Wong, PT, DPT, OCS • Tami Chang, PT • Kim Klein, PT
William Quibell, PT, DPT • Richelle Mae Milina, PT, DPT, OCS
325 Main Street El Segundo, CA 90245 310.648.3167
www.davisandderosa.com
Kirsten’s pitch count hit the limit. Tristan Gallegos
singled and Iglesias walked to load the
bases with two outs. Burner then struck out
Daniel Melendez to end the game and etch
another league championship for the Eagles.
El Segundo moves on to the playoffs for
the 10th year in a row and the 50th time in
the past 58 years. The Eagles’ past success
hasn’t gone unnoticed and they’ve been rewarded
by the CIF Southern Section. Their
path through the playoffs will be challenged
since they were promoted to Division 2 and
face teams such as California top 25-ranked
Beckman and Corona De Mar. The Eagles will
host Alemany today at 3:15 p.m. in the first
round of the CIF-Southern Section Division
2 playoffs. The Warriors (17-12 overall) are
the third place team from the powerhouse
Mission League and will most likely start
Blaine Trexel, who is 6-3 with a 1.29 ERA. El
Segundo will most likely start Jaime Galicia,
who is 6-3 and has a minuscule 0.98 ERA.
The winner moves on to the second round
against the winner of the St. Bonaventure/
Simi Valley game on Tuesday.
Softball Team Makes History
The Eagles cemented their place in El Segundo
softball history by capturing the Ocean
League title. It marked the program’s fourth
league title since 2009 and gave second-year
head coach Megan McCann her first.
El Segundo would need the stars to align just
right to win the Ocean League title outright.
Quinn Kirsten threw a brilliant game against Santa Monica in the Ocean League clincher.
On Senior Day Mateo Camano, Ryan Carey, Brendan Casillas, Jaime Galicia and Ryan Sullivan pose one last time with their banners.
See Eagles, page 6