Page 4 March 21, 2013 Joe’s Sports Bruins Clipped Going Hawthorne Routs Leuzinger; Into Tournament Gets Edged by North different meaning for the UCLA Bruins. All only look on as his team had a hard timeeverything on the line. As Adams sat on thebench with a boot on his right foot, he couldMarch Madness may have just taken on aBy Adam Serrao By Joe Snyder in all, their season has been a success so far keeping up with the Ducks all night long, Hawthorne High’s baseball team had a this year, finishing 13-5 in the Pac-12 while surrendering a nine-point lead to Oregon combined five-inning no-hitter by Andrew winning its 31st conference championship at the half. Adams’ absence meant that the Banuelos and Dominic Gutierrez in shutting by beating Washington in this year’s regular Bruins wouldn’t have the same ability to out cross-town rival Leuzinger 12-0 in a season finale. The Bruins have had some score that they have had all season long and non-league game on March 12 at Hawthorne. rough stretches along the way also, though, in the beginning rounds of the tournament. Banuelos went four innings and struck like the three of four games that they lost in “He’s one of our best players,” Howland out seven batters, while hitting one batter. the month of January or the loss to a horrible said. “So I guess when you lose one of Gutierrez retired the Olympians in order in Washington State team just three days before your best players, it’s always something the top of the fifth. With the bat, Banuelos their big win against Washington to clinch you’ve got to try to overcome.” UCLA had a two-run single and scored three runs. their division. Despite all of the inconsistency, simply couldn’t overcome this onslaught Centerfielder Steve Leyva had two hits the Bruins may have just found themselves by the Ducks, despite how hard they tried. in four at-bats with two singles and two more maddened than ever after this month Larry Drew II had 14 points and six assists, runs batted in. Catcher Chris Robles and of March that had the team playing in the Shabazz Muhammad tallied 14 points and Antonio Ramirez each went two-for-three Pac-12 championship tournament at the MGM in place of Adams, Norman Powell poured with a single and double and one RBI. Grand hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Not only in 10 for the top-seeded Bruins. It was all Second baseman-shortstop John Marquez did the Bruins squander a chance to come for naught, though, as Oregon rallied to had a double and scored four runs. Hawthorne High’s Andrew Banuelos takes a swing at a pitch away with the championship title, but they score six straight points to help stretch out “As a whole and on the mound, we did during last week’s non-league baseball game against Leuzinger. also added insult to injury by losing their a 71-62 lead with just under three minutes well.” Hawthorne head coach Jeff Hines The Cougars blanked the Olympians 12-0. second-leading scorer in the process as the remaining in the game. As time on the clock said. “There were times we didn’t play well. doubleheader Saturday at 10 a.m. and visit team heads into the 2013 NCAA tournament. dwindled, so too did the hopes of the Bruins We’re in a learning process.” Hines pointed the Mariners at Santa Monica’s Marine Three games in three days isn’t easy for as the final margin of victory for the Ducks out that, as usual, Culver City and Santa Park next Tuesday at 3 p.m. The Cougars any team, let alone the UCLA Bruins who remained at nine points, 78-69. Monica will be the favorites in the Ocean begin the Ocean League at Santa Monica were coming off of a hard-fought year to Now, UCLA’s chances of making a deep League. “We’re trying to get to the point on April 9. win the Pac-12 outright in the last game of tournament run seem slim to none. With all where we can beat those guys.” With the Leuzinger hosted Hawthorne last Tuesday. the regular season. The momentum was all of the momentum now gone from the team, win over Leuzinger and the loss to North, The Olympians host Animo Leadership shifting in the Bruins’ favor and it looked in addition to the absence of one of their the Cougars are 3-3-1. from Inglewood next Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. as if the team was really beginning to gain leading scorers, reeling together six straight For the past several years, the Olympians Leuzinger begins the Bay League at home energy following its last-second victory over wins may be more difficult than not. There’s have been struggling—but this year, they against Redondo on April 10. Arizona in the semifinals of the tournament to no doubt that the absence of Adams will have are struggling even to just have a team. LAWNDALE BLANKS INGLEWOOD send UCLA to the conference championship an adverse effect on where UCLA goes from Leuzinger (1-8) is under first-year head Lawndale High’s baseball team rolled over game. Freshman Jordan Adams was the key here. His injury, coupled together with the coach Greg Hancock, who coached the Inglewood 10-0 in a non-league game on to that game’s victory, scoring 18 of his 24 loss to Oregon, likely dropped UCLA in the Olympians’ junior varsity last season. He March 11 at Lawndale. After a scoreless tie points in the second half while leading his tournament seeding. UCLA hoped to land coached at Lawndale the previous four years. through four innings, the Cardinals erupted team to a 66-64 victory before breaking a spot no worse than fifth and be closer to Leuzinger is having problems getting for nine runs in the bottom of the fifth and his foot on the final play of the game. home in the West Regional, but ended up as players eligible and several of those on the added one in the sixth. Steven Rudolph “The very last play of the game when they the sixth seed in the South Regional, with a sparked Lawndale by going three-for-four were shooting, somehow he came down game against the 11th seed Minnesota Gophers with two RBIs, one run and two doubles. and tweaked his foot,” UCLA head coach Friday, March 22 in Austin, Texas. So the Arnold Escobedo had two hits in four Ben Howland said. Later the team would Bruins are playing a little bit farther away at-bats, drove in two runs, scored one and find out that the tweak was in fact a break from home than originally planned. What’s stole two bases. Ivan Argueta was two-for- and that the Bruins would have to go on even worse is that now, Ben Howland’s job three with one RBI and one run. Argueta without their second-leading scorer for the may indeed be on the line. Without a deep also went two-for-three with one RBI and rest of the conference tournament and the run into the tournament or at least a Sweet scored once. Manuel Avila went two-for- remainder of the year. “It’s going to be 16 appearance, Howland could be looking four and drove in one run. Winning pitcher tough to go without him,” said freshman for a new job come this summer. But don’t Sergio Blandon went four innings, allowing guard Kyle Anderson, “but it’s all part of count the Bruins out just yet. The team has one hit with 11 strikeouts. He walked two. handling adversity, and that’s something that proven resilient time and time again this The Cardinals host Leuzinger on Friday we’ve shown we’re pretty good at.” Now, season. “It’s tough,” Larry Drew II said. and visit Inglewood next Tuesday. Lawndale the Bruins will have to show that they are “But there’s something about this team. We then opens Pioneer League action at North even better at it if they want to make a deep find ways to make things happen when it Torrance next Wednesday. All games begin run into the NCAA tournament. seems like all is lost.” Perhaps not all is at 3:15 p.m. The Sentinels have a non-league The day after Adam’s broke his foot, the lost quite yet, but if players like Drew II, game at Kern Valley High in Lake Isabella Bruins were hit with even more adversity, Muhammad and Anderson don’t step up Friday at 3:15 p.m. having to go up against a streaking Oregon come tournament time, UCLA could be MORNINGSIDE LOSES TWO Ducks team in the championship game with looking at a long, long offseason. • Morningside High’s baseball team from Inglewood lost its first two games to Animo Leadership and Compton last week. At Hawthorne third baseman Jose Banuelos makes a catch on a pop Morningside last Thursday, the Monarchs up in last week’s baseball rivalry against Leuzinger. were routed by the Aztec Eagles 14-1. At 11-man roster are even struggling to barely Compton on Friday, the Monarchs fell to make it academically, as they are being the Tarbabes 19-11. forced to go to school on Saturdays. “We’re Morningside has another home non-league just doing our best,” Hancock said. “We game against Animo today at 3:15 p.m. The have some players who are academically Monarchs then host Rolling Hills Prep from ineligible. We’re rebuilding. We have very San Pedro Saturday at 11 a.m. Morningside little experience.” Six of Leuzinger’s 11 begins the Ocean League at home against players are seniors, but the team has a cross-town rival Inglewood on April 9. returning all-Bay League sophomore in COUGAR SOFTBALLERS infielder-pitcher Angel Vital. DEFEAT LAWNDALE At Hawthorne last Thursday, the Cougars Hawthorne High’s softball team defeated were edged by North Torrance 8-7. Chris Lawndale 7-3 last Thursday at Hawthorne. Robles sparked Hawthorne by going three- The Cougars were led by Diana Montenegro, for-four and driving home two runs. Gutierrez who had a home run and drove in three was three-for-three and walked. For the runs. Mariah Torrez hit a three-run home “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Saxons (4-3), Roman Luna went two-for- run for the Cardinals. ~ Confucius four with two RBIs and two runs scored. On March 12 at Lawndale, the Cardinals Hawthorne will host St. Monica in a fell to West Torrance 7-3. •
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