CITY 3-A BASEBALL SEMIFINALS : Ryan’s 100th Coaching Win Is Sweet for South Gate Too

Mike Ryan reached a coaching milestone Tuesday, but the win marked a more important milestone for his South Gate High baseball team--a trip to the City 3-A finals.

Ryan earned his 100th career victory as South Gate blanked Franklin, 7-0, in a 3-A semifinal game at East Los Angeles College.

“I told the kids that this was the big game,” Ryan said. “I didn’t want them to focus too much on the championship game because we had to win this one to get there.”

South Gate’s Alonzo Lopez, who pitched a three-hit shutout, struck out three, walked one and retired 19 of the last 22 batters he faced.

With the help of three Franklin errors in the third, South Gate scored four runs.

South Gate went up, 6-0, in the fourth, scoring on Franklin pitcher Ricky Catano’s passed ball and Jesse Torres’ RBI single.

Torres, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, also doubled in the sixth to bring home Jose Montenegro and give South Gate its 7-0 margin of victory.

Alonso Aguilar went 2-for-3 for Franklin, leading an otherwise weak offense.

Crenshaw 4, Hollywood 3-- Following a dropped third strike in the bottom of the seventh, Aaron Williard scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Cougars a City 3-A semifinal win Tuesday at Crystal Springs Park.

Hollywood scored three runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Peter Sanchez’s two-run double sparked the rally.

The Cougars tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brian Murray tripled and scored two outs later on Deandre Bowman’s single to left field. Tremaine Miles pinch ran for Bowman, moved to second on a walk and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Carlos Garcia to tie the game.

Willard led off the seventh with a single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Pitcher Marvin Cobos struck out Ivan Jones, but the catcher dropped the ball and Willard was able to score from third.

Murray started at shortstop but replaced Mark Jones as pitcher with two outs in the third. He shut out Hollywood for four innings, giving up two hits and two walks.