BASEBALL ROUNDUP : South Gate’s Lopez Close to Pitcher Perfect, 1-0

High school baseball fans Wednesday were treated to an old-fashioned shoot-out, Eastern League style: low score, high drama.

Bell pitcher Johnny Moreno and South Gate’s Alonso Lopez retired batter after batter in a game that was decided by one run.

When the dust from the mound settled, Lopez was left standing and South Gate had earned a 1-0 win in its league opener at Bell.

“I was in control of my pitches today,” said Lopez, who retired 21 of the 23 batters he faced and eight of the first nine. He struck out three and didn’t allow a walk.

“Alonso was just his normal self today,” South Gate Coach Mike Ryan said. “He throws strikes and doesn’t get himself into trouble by walking batters.”

Lopez (1-1), who gave up a single in the third and another in the sixth, did not allow a runner past first base in the game.

The Rams (4-2) would get all the scoring it would need in the top of the third when Andy Silva drove in outfielder Jorge Zamora on an RBI single to left field.

Moreno (2-1) was also brilliant, striking out four batters and walking only three.

Since joining the Rams last season, Lopez has not lost a game (10-0) in Southeastern Conference play.

Starters: Alonso Lopez (SG); Johnny Moreno (B).

WP--Lopez (1-1); LP--Moreno (2-1).

Records: South Gate 4-2; Bell 5-3.

Loyola 8, Harvard-Westlake 7--The Cubs (3-4-1, 1-2) scored the winning run on a one-out sacrifice fly to cap a three-run seventh inning in a Mission League game Wednesday at Harvard-Westlake.

Starters: Carrigan (L); Garson (HW).

W--Spielbuehler (1-1). L--Linde (0-1). HR: L--Clougherty, Spielbuehler.

Schurr 8, Bell Gardens 6--Schurr scored four unearned runs to defeat Bell Gardens in a Almont League game on Tuesday. Starting pitcher Pete Loza (0-3) allowed eight runs on six hits, four walks and two hit batters.

Jose Arana went three-for-four with three RBI and his older brother Manuel Arana had two hits and a RBI.

Starters: Loza (BG); Meza (S).

WP--Meza (2-1); LP--Loza (0-3).

2B: BG--M. Arana, Dominguez. S--Castillo.

Records: Bell Gardens 4-5, 1-1; Schurr 3-4, 1-1.

Lincoln 6, Wilson 4--Lincoln shortstop Cesar Castaneda went three-for-four with three RBIs in a Northern Conference game Wednesday at Wilson. Castaneda’s three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning with one out stretched Lincoln’s lead to 6-2.

Wilson rallied to cut the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh on third baseman Marco Meza’s two-out single to left field, but Danny Arreda was thrown out trying to reach third base to end the game.

Mule catcher Bruce Beltran had two triples--each one coming with two outs--but failed to score.

Starters:Gerald Lazano (L); Rene Herrera (W).

WP--Lazano (2-0) LP--Herrera (2-1)

2B: 3B: L--Jorge Erami; W--Bruce Beltran (2) HR: L--Cesar Castaneda

Records:Lincoln 5-2-1; Wilson 4-2-1.