Burroughs bats silenced in loss to Knight
BURBANK — With some of its contests having to be rescheduled because of recent rains, the Burroughs High baseball team is in the midst of competing in seven games in eight days.
The Indians played in the Easton Tournament last week, concluded the Quartz High Tournament Friday and begin the Babe Herman Tournament Saturday.
Playing its third game in as many days Friday, Burroughs mustered just two hits and suffered four base-running miscues in losing to Palmdale Knight, 3-0, in the Quartz Hill Tournament.
“We absolutely prepare in the summer and we go though a very rigorous summer where we actually play five, six, seven days in a row because this might happen in the spring,” Burroughs coach Craig Sherwood said. “There’s nothing that we don’t encounter in the spring that we haven’t prepared for in the summer.
“Even in some of the rainy conditions that we’ve faced, I think we are ready for any conditions that are thrown at us. We’re just not responding to it.”
Hits were at a premium for the Indians (4-5) against the Hawks (3-4-1). Burroughs had just a pair of singles — by Revin Diego in the first inning and Matthew Diaz in the second.
When Burroughs got runners on base, it had four erased, three who were caught stealing and one who was picked off.
“Were just not hitting the ball, I just don’t get it,” Sherwood said. “We are just not swinging the bat. I just don’t understand how we can come out and swing the ball well two games ago and then all of a sudden just go dry for two games — I’m mystified.
“And then base running mistakes also. They are good kids and they are trying. They are putting the effort in and they are working hard, but right now we’re just in a funk.”
Knight received a steady effort from starting pitcher Cody Turner, who earned the win going 6 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, striking out three, walking four and hitting two batters.
For Burroughs, in his first start, Julian Jaramillo went four innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out two and walking one.
In scoring two of its three runs on errors, the Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. With two outs, Eduardo walked and scored on a double down the left-field line by Demetrius Freeman, who was plated one batter later on an infield error.
Knight made it 3-0 in the sixth when, again with two outs, Luis Vega roped a double into center field and scored on a throwing error.
“I think we have to be more aggressive at the plate and jump on the first pitch because all he was throwing was fastballs,” said Diaz, who also walked and was hit by a pitch.
Trailing by three runs, the Indians created their best scoring opportunity in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Diaz walked and the next batter, Nicco Chuidian, was hit by a pitch, which forced the exit of Turner. Freeman took the hill in relief and promptly walked Andres Salizar to load the bases. But Freeman got out of the jam and closed the door on Burroughs with a strikeout and a flyout to right field.
“The more competition and the better teams that we play the better we’re going to get,” Diaz said.
Twitter: @jefftsports
