Walk on wild side leads to Glendale Community College baseball’s elimination
Wild pitching and sloppy play aided and spelled the demise of the Glendale Community College baseball team Saturday afternoon in Torrance.
The No. 12-seeded Vaqueros used eight pitchers, walked 14 batters and committed four errors in a 20-8 walloping by fifth-seeded host El Camino College in the third and final game of the CCCAA Southern California Regional playoffs.
The loss came after Glendale was the beneficiary of 13 walks in Saturday morning’s second game of the series, which resulted in a 6-2 win and forced a third game.
With the 2-1 series loss, which included a 3-1 defeat Friday, the Vaqueros capped their season with a 33-10 record and a second-place finish in the Western State Conference East Division.
“It was two innings that slipped away from us,” said Glendale Coach Chris Cicuto, whose team suffered its worst defeat since a 21-7 loss on April 11, 2015 to Los Angeles Mission College. “It was a tight [strike] zone and the guy was a consistent umpire and you appreciate it when you get to the postseason.
“We couldn’t hit our spots and execute pitches and you’re not going to win when you give up that many walks.”
Glendale’s final loss this season and fifth over its last seven contests came due to two innings primarily.
The Vaqueros trailed, 9-5, before El Camino scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth on only five hits as the Warriors were helped by four walks, two errors, one hit batter and a wild pitch.
El Camino strung together four hits during the rally, including a double from Ryan Eastburn, as Glendale used three hurlers during the frame.
The nine runs gave El Camino a commanding 18-5 lead as Glendale countered with one run a half inning later on a home run from Frank Garriola (two runs).
The Vaqueros briefly led, 4-1, after a four-run second inning that included sacrifice flies from John Malott and Grant Mona (three runs batted in).
Glendale’s four-run top of the second, however, was topped by a five-run bottom half of the inning in which El Camino benefited from four walks from three pitchers and one error.
Glendale forced a deciding third game by defeating El Camino, 6-2, in the opening contest that started at 11 a.m.
Nearly all of the Vaqueros’ seven hits carried value due to 13 walks from the Warriors (35-8).
Glendale scored the game’s final five runs and broke a deadlock at 2 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
In the frame, Malott’s lead-off single was the only hit of the inning as El Camino pitchers Kenneth Haus and Cassius Hamm walked four. Hamm uncorked a wild pitch in his first toss in relief work that allowed Malott to score and give Glendale a 3-2 lead.
A walk to Christian Montes loaded the bases while a subsequent free pass to Bruno Teramoto scored Glendale High alumnus Thad Wilson to give the Vaqueros a 4-2 lead.
Glendale iced the game with two runs in the eighth on a fielder’s choice from Malott and a single from Zach Mausser.
Lost in the offense was a great relief effort from James Giambalvo, who scattered five hits over four scoreless innings with two strikeouts to get the win. Giambalvo and starter Angel Lerma (two earned runs on five hits in five innings with four strikeouts) combined for only two walks.
“We battled hard and we did what we could and it happens sometimes, sometimes you lose,” said Wilson, who joked that this weekend marked the first time he had been in the postseason since T-ball. “I was proud of the guys. We didn’t quit and it was a great experience.”
