PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Segundo Overpowers Bosco Tecah, 13-2, Keeps League Tie With Bernard

With one eye on its closest competitor and the other on Bosco Tech, the El Segundo baseball team set about keeping pace in Camino Real League play Wednesday night at El Segundo.

Before the game, the Eagles learned St. Bernard had won, meaning El Segundo must beat Bosco Tech to stay in a first-place tie with the Vikings. But they’d have to beat the team that had handed them their only league loss.

Apparently that was all the impetus El Segundo (16-4 overall, 8-1 in league) needed as it posted a 13-2 victory over the Tigers, who fell to 10-7 and 6-3.

The Eagles broke open a tie game in the third by sending 11 men to the plate, scoring seven runs on seven hits and giving Rick Clark (7-0) the victory.

Jeremy Carr led off the inning with an infield hit and Erik Evans singled. Both advanced on a balk and Garrett Quaintance bounced a run-scoring single over a drawn-in infield to give the Eagles the lead.

Danny Manjarrez singled to score Evans, and Quaintance scored on Jason Wayt’s groundout. Genero Esparza replaced starter Mike Kurnik and gave up a run-scoring double to Kenny Talanoa and a walk to Chris Lane.

One out later, Mark Lewis’ double plated Lane and Carr followed with a single that scored two more. Gabriel Valenzuela replaced Esparza and retired Evans to end the inning.

The Eagles scored two more runs in the fourth on Lane’s double and added another in the fifth on Lewis’ homer.

Bosco Tech scored in the first when, after one out, Gabe Reese singled. Eric Garlepp was hit by a pitch and Esparza doubled to right, scoring Reese. Garlepp was thrown out at third for the second out and Clark struck out Erin Kamentani to end the inning.

The Eagles came right back to tie in their half of the first when Evans beat out an infield hit, stole second and went to third on a fielder’s choice. It looked like Danny Manjarrez’s pop-up would end the inning, but Bosco Tech shortstop Bobby Saetia dropped the ball, allowing Evans to score.

Jesse Ibarra capped off the Bosco Tech scoring with a solo homer with two outs in the sixth.

El Segundo ended its scoring in the bottom of the sixth with two runs. Lewis was three for four with three RBI, and Evans and Carr had two hits each.