Baker Gets a Promotion, Helps Tustin Romp, 21-0

TUSTIN — Derek Baker, a freshman on the Tustin High School baseball team, should know it’s not always going to be this easy.

Baker was called up to the varsity for the Southern Section 3-A playoffs. He contributed two hits and four runs batted in in Tustin’s 21-0 first-round victory over El Monte Arroyo at Tustin.

“I was a little nervous at first, but then I relaxed,” Baker said. “Then I started having a lot of fun. We all did.”

The good times started right after the first inning. By then, the outcome was all too clear.

--Arroyo went down in order in the first, with Andy Gonzalez striking out all three batters.

--Tustin sent 18 batters to the plate in the first, scoring 14 runs.

The Tillers (18-7) had nine hits in the inning, two by Ben Munoz. He had a run-scoring single and a two-run homer.

Munoz drove a 2-1 pitch over the left-center-field fence. Knight center fielder Javier Franco tried to rob him of the homer, flipping over the fence.

He returned to the field, only to see Tustin score three more runs in the inning.

“When we start hitting, it’s contagious,” Tustin Coach Vince Brown said. “We worked hard all week for this game. We wanted the kids to be ready.”

Every Tustin starter had at least one hit except Zack Elliott, who was 0 for 3 but scored two runs. Munoz and Brett Hardy had four hits. Munoz, who had two doubles, drove in five runs and Hardy three.

But the Tillers can’t take all the credit.

Arroyo (12-11) made three errors. Knight pitchers walked four batters, threw four wild pitches, hit one batter and had one balk.

Starter Rick Martinez (3-3) walked the first two batters on nine pitches. After a sacrifice bunt, Munoz lined a single into right, which was booted by right fielder Ron Vasquez.

Munoz ended up on third and the Tillers had a 2-0 lead. They led, 3-0, and had the bases loaded when Baker lined a 1-1 pitch down the right-field line for a three-run triple.

Gonzalez allowed only one hit in the three innings he pitched. He struck out six of the 10 batters he faced.

Chris Cunningham (3-0) pitched two innings in relief and got the victory.