Pioneers enjoying upswing
BASEBALL
Providence 26, Southwestern Academy 7: The nonleague win on the road Thursday is just the latest triumph for a Pioneers’ squad that is enjoying a remarkable turnaround this season.
Providence improved to 4-2, quadrupling its win total from last season when it went winless.
Aaron Ziegler was two for four with five runs batted in and four runs scored to pace the Pioneers on Thursday. Mason Inumerable was two for four with four RBI and 2 runs scored.
Providence 17, New Harvest Christian 1: The Pioneers earned their third win of the season with a nonleague victory Tuesday at Foy Park.
Anthony Galvan was two for two with a double and triple and four runs batted in. He also pitched three hitless innings and struck out six. Teammate Mason Inumerable was three for four with four runs scored and two RBI.
Burbank 3, Pasadena 0: The Bulldogs received a solid effort from pitcher Daniel Starkand to win their Pacific League opener Wednesday on the road.
Starkand went the distance, scattering five hits, striking out seven and not allowing a walk in seven innings of work.
Burbank scored single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings.
Rickey Perez was two for three with a walk, a double, a run batted in and two stolen bases for the Bulldogs. Teammate Harrison Hernandez was two for four with a walk.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Burbank d. Hoover, 25-18, 25-20, 25-17: In a match that was years in the making, the Burbank High boys’ volleyball team won its first Pacific League contest since 2008 in defeating host Hoover on Wednesday afternoon.
As expected, both teams showed inexperience that was evident in the first game, as 12 of Burbank’s 25 points came via Tornadoes errors, while the Bulldogs themselves surrendered 13 points on errors.
The most contentious action came in the second game as Hoover raced out to an 8-3 advantage fueled by a pair of aces from senior John Tranquena.
Yet, Burbank rallied for five straight points in tying and eventually went up, 14-10, behind a service error, consecutive lifting calls on Hoover and a kill from Bulldogs’ junior outside hitter Elijah Cowart and never looked back.
“We played our hardest and tried to make as few unforced errors as possible,” said Bulldogs junior opposite John You, who finished with six kills and three aces. “When we didn’t make mistakes and let [Hoover] make mistakes, we did really well.”
“This is the first time that we won any match three sets to zero,” Burbank Coach Patrick McMenamin said. “This had been a goal for us for the season and I’m glad to see that we finally achieved it today.”
Senior Mitch Camacho added five aces and four kills to Burbank’s effort, while James Kim chipped in four aces and Cowart contributed three kills, three aces and a block.
SOFTBALL
Burroughs 26, Muir 0: Freshman Davina Del Castillo pitched a perfect game with 12 strokeouts Thursday in a Pacific League game.
Sidney Ortega went four for five with a grand slam and seven runs batted in for Burroughs (10-1, 2-0 in league).