March 31, 2016 Page 5 Hawthorne Sweeps Leuzinger, Morningside collected two hits in four at-bats, driving home three runs and scoring one. Charles Phelps was two-for-three with two RBI’s and one run. Kealohi had a three-run double. He scored once. Phelps was the winning pitcher going four innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out two batters and walked just one. Reliever Manny Huerta pitched three hitless innings, despite allowing one earned run. He struck out six batters and walked one. Leuzinger managed just two hits. A day later, Hawthorne hosted Morningside. The Monarchs scored first in the top of the second but Phelps tied the game with a solo home run over the left field fence. Dan Villegas gave the Cougars the lead for good when he hit a sacrifice fly scoring Brown. Hawthorne led just 3-2 before scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth and four runs without a hit in the sixth. Phelps drove in two runs. Brown Article and photos by Joe Snyder Hawthorne High’s baseball team got off the starting gate very well. The Cougars improved their preseason record to 8-0 after sweeping Morningside High in two games last week. At Hawthorne on March 22, the Cougars pulled away from the Monarchs 9-2. At Morningside in Inglewood last Thursday, the Cougars completed the sweep with a 9-6 victory. On March 21, Hawthorne traveled to rival Leuzinger and came away with a 13-2 rout. Against the Olympians, who are 0-7, Hawthorne started fast by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. The Cougars added two runs in the second and three each in the third and fourth innings in surging to a 13-1 lead. Andy Monarrez sparked Hawthorne by going three-for –three with two runs batted in, one run and two doubles. Brandon Brown had a hit, drove in a run and scored once. Winning pitcher Bernardo Robles pitched four innings, allowing two runs on two hits with six strikeouts. For Morningside (2-4), Leo Morales had a ground rule double. Andy Tec had a run-scoring single and Ed Ramirez scored a run. “We’re off to a good start,” Hawthorne head coach J.C. Randolph said. “It’s fortunate that the kids put in a lot this week. We hope that it will pay dividends. I feel we can compete well in league if we keep our heads up.” The Cougars begin the Ocean League against one of the top contenders in Santa Monica at home on April 12 at 3:15 p.m. The Vikings figure to contend with traditional power El Segundo and Culver City for the Ocean crown but Hawthorne hopes it can hold its own. Randolph is in his first season as head Cougar mentor as he replaces the departed Jeff Hines, who headed Hawthorne for 24 seasons. Randolph assisted Hines for the past nine years. Morningside is 2-4 and is expected to struggle in the highly competitive Bay League that is led by defending CIF-Southern Section Division III champion Redondo and Manhattan Beach Mira Costa. The Sea Hawks are the top ranked team in Division III and already carry a 10-0 record after a doubleheader sweep of Torrance 2-1 and 5-4 on March 22 at Redondo. The Mustangs are third in the division and are 9-1 overall. Redondo and Mira Costa already swept the always highly competitive El Segundo Tournament with the Sea Hawks capturing the Blue Division and the Mustangs winning the Gold on March 13 at El Segundo Recreation Park. Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula should also be in the thick of the league race. “We’ll battle and compete,” Morningside head coach Jerome Gibbs said. “We’re short on pitching. You need very good pitching to compete against good teams, like Redondo.” The Monarchs have two games against Lawndale this week. After visiting the Cardinals last Tuesday, Morningside is at home against Lawndale today at 3:15 p.m. The Monarchs begin Bay action at Peninsula on April 13 at the same time. The Cardinals split their games last week; falling at home to Palos Verdes 6-0 on March 22 before outlasting host North Torrance 9-8 last Thursday. Lawndale is 4-4 overall. After the Morningside series, the Cardinals host Hawthorne Math and Science Academy next Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. Animo Crushes Aviators Fall Short to Sage Hill The Animo Leadership High baseball team rolled to a 30-5 win over Hawthorne Math and Science Academy on March 21 at Darby Park in Inglewood. A day later at Sage Hill Prep in Newport Beach, the Aztec-Eagles could not hold on to a lead and fell 4-3. Against the Aviators, Animo scored in every inning that included three runs apiece in the bottom of the first and second innings, five in the third, seven in the fourth, one in the fifth and 11 in the sixth. Keying the Aztec-Eagles, who are 4-7 overall and 2-1 in league, was junior Saul Gutierrez who was seven-for-seven with nine runs batted in and two runs scored. Included were a double and home run. At Sage Hill, Animo held a 3-1 lead before Sage Hill scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull the game out. The Aztec-Eagles have a non-league doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. on April 9. • Hawthorne pitcher Bernardo Robles is about to get the ball off to a Morningside batter during last week’s non-league baseball game. The Cougars defeated the Monarchs twice 9-2 and 9-6. Morningside High’s Javier Flores leads off first base in last week’s non-league baseball game against Hawthorne. The Monarchs were swept by the Cougars 9-2 and 9-6. Hawthorne’s Andy Monarrez awaits when to advance from second to third base in last week’s non-league baseball game. Morningside first baseman Eddie Ramirez receives ball to tag out a Hawthorne baserunner in last week’s non-league baseball game. The Monarchs host Lawndale today at 3:15 p.m.
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