Burroughs baseball gives undefeated Arcadia a run
Burroughs High’s baseball team was presented with a hefty challenge when the Indians hosted undefeated CIF Southern Section Division III top-ranked Arcadia.
Although the Indians overcame an initial deficit, the Apaches were able to recover and hand Burroughs an 8-4 loss Tuesday afternoon in Pacific League action at Tomahawk Field.
“It’s not that we did anything wrong, [Arcadia] just did more things right,” Burroughs coach Craig Sherwood said.
After going down 3-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning, Burroughs (10-10, 4-3) completed the comeback in the bottom of the fifth. With one out with one on, Indian Collin Johnson hammered the first pitch he saw from Apaches starter Caden Ross easily over the raised fence in right field to knot the score at 3.
“The coaches put me down in the lineup so I could see more fastballs,” Johnson said. “He gave me that first-pitch fastball and I took advantage of it to the best of my ability and it worked out for me.”
However, Arcadia (17-0, 7-0) was undeterred. The Apaches promptly scored four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth and never looked back.
“The one thing I’ll say, and we’ve proven it time and time again, is that when we get punched we come right back,” Arcadia coach Nick Lemas said. “When these kids get challenged, they step up to the challenge, and that is the sign of a really good team.”
Arcadia’s Dominick Tello drove in Tyus Santa Anna with a double roped into left-center field that chased Indians starter Julian Jaramillo. Xavier Dubon took over on the mound and Arcadia notched another run two batters later against the sidearm hurler on a single by Tim Van Kirk. Two batters after, Chase Pedersen, who had three runs batted in, hit a double to right-center, scoring another run for the visitors. The final run of the top of the sixth came on a single by Jacob Lopez.
“We had one good swing and tied it up, but they came right back like a good team would and put runs on the board right after that,” Sherwood said. “It didn’t stop them at all.”
Now trailing 7-3, the Indians got one back in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Indian Jacob Barrera hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Jaramillo, who had led off with a single. Then, once again, the Apaches answered in the top of the next inning with a run on a sacrifice fly of their own.
Jaramillo, in his first start, had a solid outing for Burroughs. The junior pitched into the sixth, giving up four hits and one walk, and hit two batters.
“We wanted to do something different today,” Sherwood said. “He’s a junior and that’s his first start and I thought he did a good job. He kept the ball down. ...I’m very happy with his first start and I think he’s earned another one.”
Throughout the game Arcadia was disciplined but aggressive at the plate. The Apaches did not strike out once in the contest.
“We didn’t strike one guy out on their team. [Arcadia] swings the bat,” Sherwood said.
Arcadia got on the board early, cashing in on an infield error by the hosts in the first and eventually getting the first run of the matchup on a ground out from Santa Anna. The Apaches stoked the advantage with two more runs in the fourth.
The Indians will get another shot at Arcadia on Friday with the Apaches playing host.
“I’m excited to go there on Friday and hopefully give [the Apaches] their first loss,” Johnson said.
Twitter: @jefftsports