College update: Crescenta Valley products pitching ways to summer success

The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.

Brian Gadsby (Crescenta Valley High, 2015) Mankato MoonDogs pitcher: Fresh off his freshman season at UCLA, Gadsby is back at it in summer collegiate league play.

A year ago, Gadsby played for the West Coast League’s Wenatchee AppleSox in Washington state.

This summer, the right-hander is in Minnesota playing for the Northwoods League’s Mankato Moondogs.

So far, Gadsby, a two-time James H. Jenkins Boys’ Athlete of the Year, is garnering great numbers.

In 12 appearances, all in relief, he has twirled to the tune of a 2.53 earned-run average with a 3-0 record and two saves. Through 21 1/3 innings, he’s struck out 16 and walked nine.

Gadsby’s last action came Sunday in a 10-9 win against Eau Claire. Gadsby threw two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks with one strikeout. It continued a scoreless run for Gadsby that reaches across his last five appearances.

Gadsby’s last five appearances have seen him throw 7 1/3 innings with just four hits allowed (he made three straight appearances without allowing a hit), seven strikeouts, two walks, two wins, no losses and a save.

Mankato will return from the Northwoods League All-Star break on Thursday with a 29-18 record with a home game against the Waterloo Bucks

Kyle Murray (Crescenta Valley High, 2012) Academy Barons pitcher: Playing in the California Collegiate League, Murray has found success this summer.

The right-hander out of Cal State Fullerton sports a 3.03 earned-run average through nine appearances with five starts. Across 29 2/3 innings, he’s struck out 25 to just eight walks and has a spotless 3-0 record.

Murray, a former All-Area selection, received the start on Tuesday in a 5-4 win over the Long Beach Legends. He got a no-decision as he threw six innings, striking out six, walking one and allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned).

Heading into Wednesday night’s home game against the Legends, the Barons were leading the CCL with a 19-7 record and an overall mark of 24-9.

Joe Torres (Crescenta Valley High, 2014) Conejo Oaks pitcher: Torres, coming off his freshman season as an All-Western State Conference South Division reliever with Glendale Community College, is playing his second consecutive summer in the California Collegiate League.

Torres was phenomenal at the onset of the summer, but has struggled as of late.

Over his first three appearances covering eight innings, he allowed just two hits and no runs. Across his first seven appearances, he allowed just three runs in 24 innings, including back-to-back seven-inning starts in which he allowed just two runs and got two victories.

His last appearance was on Tuesday in a road loss to the San Luis Obispo Blues. He allowed three runs and didn’t record an out. It was his fourth straight appearance in which he’s given up multiple runs.

Still, his summer numbers are solid with a 4-1 record and one save through 11 appearances. Across 31 innings, he’s posted a 4.06 earned-run average with 19 strikeouts and 14 walks.

Heading into action on Thursday against the Santa Barbara Foresters, the Oaks were 22-16 with a 17-14 CCL mark.

Kevin Baker (St. Francish High, 2015) Cowlitz Black Bears pitcher: The Portland product is plying his summer trade in Washington state for the Black Bears of the West Coast League.

Baker leads the squad, which was 15-21 heading into Wednesday, with six starts spanning 32 2/3 innings and registering 30 strikeouts. He also sports a 3.03 earned-run average with a 2-2 record.

Baker received a no-decision in his last appearance, which came on Sunday in a 9-8 loss at Corvallis in which he allowed five hits and four runs over five innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Over his last two appearances (9 1/3 innings), Baker has allowed a combined nine earned runs. In his previous five appearances (23 1/3 innings), Baker had relinquished just two earned runs.