May 12 – vs. St. Paul

For the final game of the regular season, the Lancer baseball team traveled to Santa Fe Springs to face the St. Paul Swordsmen on May 12.

The Lancers went to work right away as the second batter of the game, senior left fielder Joseph Eusebio, sent one over the fence to give the Lancers the immediate lead of 1-0.

Senior pitcher Paul Paez took the mound in the bottom of the first inning and allowed two runs; the Lancers fell behind 2-1.

In the second inning, junior second basemen Jonathan Velasquez came to the plate with junior designated hitter Ryan Serrato at third. Velasquez hit a fly ball that was deep enough to cash in Serrato from third.

The score was tied 2-2 after two innings of baseball.

In the top of the sixth inning the Lancers’ shortstop, Sophomore Rio Ruiz, had a leadoff double and was standing at second waiting to score the go-ahead run.

A ground ball to the shortstop was unable to advance him to third, and this proved to hurt the Lancers. The next batter for the Lancers hit a deep fly ball which was caught for the second out of the inning. If Ruiz had been moved to third, he would have scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.

Instead the Lancers left Ruiz on the base path and the score remained 2-2.

In the bottom of the sixth inning the Swordsmen were determined to beat the Lancers. A grounder up the middle drove in the winning run, and the Swordsmen won the game by the final score of 3-2.

St. Paul handed Paez his first loss of the season. He  pitched a complete game and struck out five but also allowed two earned runs. Paez’s record is now 11-1

The Lancers didn’t do too much offensively as they only had six hits in the game. Eusebio had one hit, which was a home run. Ruiz had two hits; both of them being doubles, and Velasquez drove in one run with his sacrifice fly.

For the Lancers this was their first league loss of the year. They had also won 47 straight league games, with their last league loss coming to Mater Dei in 2006. The Lancers had beat St. Paul 12 straight times, since joining leagues in 2007.

The Lancers finish the regular season 25-3 (11-1) and now await their playoff seeding.

May 10 – vs. St Paul

The Bishop Amat baseball team faced visiting St. Paul Swordsmen in this league match up that took place on May 10.

Senior pitcher Brandon McNitt took the mound for this one and pitched a complete game, only allowing one run.

McNitt didn’t give up a run in the first inning, but the Lancers were unable to score any runs of their own.

The second inning was the same for the Lancers defensively, as they didn’t allow a run.

In the bottom of the second inning junior third basemen Bernardo Zavala came to bat with the bases loaded and took advantage of this opportunity by hitting a grand slam to left field.

At the end of two innings the score was 4-0, Lancers.

The Lancers put up two more runs in the third inning and the lead was now 6-0.

McNitt gave up one run in the fourth to tighten the lead to 6-1.

The Lancers scored another two runs in the fourth to make the lead 8-1.

This score would hold up to be the final in favor of the Lancers.

McNitt pitched a complete game and struck out seven along the way. He only allowed three swordsmen to reach base; only two hits were allowed.

Offensively, Zavala led the team by driving in four runs with his second inning grand slam. Jerry McClanahan led the team with two hits.

May 6 – vs. Bishop Montgomery

The Lancers celebrated senior day as the Bishop Amat baseball team faced the visiting Knights of Bishop Montgomery on May 6.

Senior Paul Paez was the starting pitcher for this match up and he only allowed one run in the five innings he pitched.

Paez came out and struck out the side in his first inning of work.

The Lancers came to bat in the bottom half of the inning and put up four runs to get things started early.

In the top half of the second inning, the Knights came back with a run of their own.

The Lancers then came back with another four runs in the second to make the lead 8-1, Lancers.

The Knights didn’t score again for the rest of the game.

The Amat team came back with one run in both the third and fourth innings. The lead was now 10-1 in favor of the Lancers.

In the fifth inning the Lancers put up two more runs, ending the game by the final score of 12-1, Lancers.

Paez pitched five innings and only allowed one run. He struck out nine batters in his five innings of work and only allowed two hits, with both of those hits coming in the second inning.

Offensively, Seniors Jerry McClanahan and Joseph Eusebio, Junior Jordan McCraney, and Sophomore Rio Ruiz led the team by all collecting two hits each. Junior Adrian Franco led the team by driving in four runs.  Senior Matthew Vale also had a solo home run.

May 4 – at Bishop Montgomery

The Bishop Amat Lancers continued league play Tuesday May 4 as they traveled to Bishop Montgomery to take on the Knights.

Sophomore pitcher Daniel Zamora took the mound for this one and pitched five innings of scoreless ball.

The Lancers started off the game by scoring one run in the first inning.

They didn’t allow a run defensively, and came back in the third with one more. This stretched the lead to 2-0 after three innings.

The fourth and fifth remained quiet as neither team was able to put up a run.

The Lancers came to bat in the top of the sixth inning and had 11 Lancers cross home plate. The score was now 13-0 in favor of the Lancers after five and a half innings of baseball.

Junior David Berg came in to the game and pitched the last inning. He struck out one and didn’t allow a hit. The game ended by the final score of 13-0.

Pitcher Daniel Zamora only allowed two hits and did not give up a run in five innings.

Offensively, senior catcher Jerry McClanahan led the team with three hits. Junior first baseman Adrian Franco had two hits, with one of them being a home run. He and McClanahan both led the team by driving in three runs.

May 1 – at Lakewood

On the first day of May, the Lancer baseball team traveled to Lakewood to play the Lakewood Lancers.

The Lancers came out hot and scored seven runs in their first at-bat of the game.

Senior pitcher Brandon McNitt had great run support for this match up. He did allow one run in the first inning, making the score 7-1 at the end of one.

Amat was quiet in the second but they did put up another run in the third.

McNitt shut down Lakewood for the rest of the game, holding them to only one run.

The Lancers scored two more runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth.

The game ended with the final score of 11-1, Amat.

McNitt pitched six innings and struck out 10, allowing four hits.

Offensively, sophomore shortstop Rio Ruiz led the charge with three hits; two of them being triples, and scored three runs. Junior right fielder Jordan McCraney had two hits and drove in three runs.

April 28 – vs. South Hills

The Bishop Amat Baseball team traveled to Mt. Sac to play the defending division four CIF champions, the South Hills Huskies.

This was a highly anticipated match up as both teams have great programs.

Senior Pitcher Paul Paez took the mound for this one and didn’t allow the Huskies to score in the first.

The Lancers came out offensively and put on two runners to start the bottom of the first. With two runners on Sophomore Shortstop Rio Ruiz came to the plate. He got a hold of one and sent it over the fence for a three run home run.

The Lancers took the early lead of 3-0.

In the top of the second inning, the Huskies brought the game closer by scoring one run.

The Lancers didn’t score and at the end of two the score was 3-1.

The Huskies put up another run in the fourth, now making this a one run game.

In the bottom of the fifth, The Lancers scored one more as senior left fielder Joseph Eusebio drove in junior second baseman Jonathan Velasquez.

The score was now 4-2 at the end of five.

Paez allowed one more run in the top of the seventh and that was it. The Lancers won the game by the final score of 4-3.

Paez pitched a complete game, striking out 13 in his seven innings of work.

April 24 – vs. Loyola

Fresh off of a rout of Cantwell-Sacred Heart, the Lancers continued with the Redondo tournament as they took on the Loyola Cubs on Saturday April 24.

Senior Pitcher Brandon McNitt took the mound for this one and started off well.

It was a pitcher’s duel as the first run of the game wasn’t scored until the bottom of the fourth inning and it was to Loyola’s advantage.

Through five innings the score remained 1-0, Loyola.

The top of the sixth came around and the Lancers would not go away silently.

They scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to take their first lead of the game. Bernardo Zavala came up with the bases loaded and hit a key double, driving in three runs. Later that inning David Higuera came up and drove in a run by means of a sacrifice fly.

Brandon McNitt came out for another inning of work in the sixth and retired two Cubs, before giving way to Senior Paul Paez.

Paez was asked to get the remaining four outs, and he recorded three of those by strike out.

The Lancers won the game by the final score of 5-1.

McNitt finished the game with six strikeouts and allowed only three hits.

April 20 – vs. Cantwell – Sacred Heart

The Bishop Amat Lancer baseball team returned to league play as they took on the visiting Cantwell-Sacred Heart Cardinals on April 20.

With rain starting to come down just as the game was beginning, the Lancers took the field.

Senior pitcher Paul Paez was the starting pitcher and he went to work right away and retired the Cardinals in order.

With the rain starting to come down harder the Lancers went to work offensively and put up five runs in their first at bat.

By the end of the first inning it was pouring rain; the umpires decided to postpone the game until the rain calmed down.

The game continued and surprisingly Paez came out for another inning of work. Once again he didn’t allow a Cardinal runner to reach base.

The Lancers were unable to score a run in the second so the score remain 5-0.

The Cardinals were unable to score yet again in the third.

Amat came out and put up three runs to extend the lead to 8-0.

Junior pitcher David Berg came out to the mound in the fourth and continued the work of Paez by not allowing a run.

The Lancers put up another five runs in the bottom of the fifth and won the game by the score of 13-0. The game was then called due to the mercy rule.

Paez struck out seven Cardinals in three innings of work walking only one. David Berg struck out five in two innings of work also walking just one.

Offensively, the Lancers had a field day. Eleven different Lancers batted, and eight of them collected at least one hit. As a team the Lancers had 13 hits. Adrian Franco had three hits and drove in five runs; leading the team in both categories.

April 17 – Redondo Tournament vs. Wilson

The Bishop Amat Lancer baseball team continued with the Redondo Tournament this past Saturday as they took on the Wilson Bruins out of Long Beach.

Sophomore Daniel Zamora took the mound and didn’t allow a run in the first inning.

In the bottom of the first the Lancers jumped out to an early lead of 1-0.

Zamora then came out and threw two more scoreless innings.

In the bottom of the third the Lancers tried to extend their lead. The Lancers were able to do so by scoring two, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Zamora only allowed two hits, struck out two and didn’t allow a run through 5 innings before giving way to Junior Javier Iniguez.

Iniguez continued Zamora’s work by striking out one and didn’t allow a hit.

Senior Paul Paez came in to close the game and he did so by striking out the side.

The Lancers won the game by the final score of 3-0.

Offensively, Rio Ruiz and Ryan Serrato led the team with two hits each. Bernardo Zavala, Ryan Serrato, and Jerry McClanahan all had one RBI each.

April 16 – at La Salle

Coming off of a 6-0 defeat of the La Salle Lancers on Tuesday, the Bishop Amat baseball team traveled to La Salle on Friday to take the Lancers on once again.

Amat came out swinging, scoring a run in the first to take the early 1-0 lead.

They continued to score runs by adding two in the second inning.

Senior pitcher Brandon McNitt allowed La Salle to score their only run of the game in the fourth, this cutting the Amat lead to two.

But Amat wasn’t about to let the game get any closer. They extended the lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning.

After neither team scored in the sixth, the Amat Lancers came out in the last inning to put up six runs.

The Amat defense didn’t allow La Salle to score any runs in the seventh and won the game by the final score of 11-1.

With the win, Bishop Amat’s record is now 16-2 and they take on Long Beach Wilson, 10-8, on Saturday, April 17.

McNitt pitched a complete game and only allowed three hits through seven. McNitt also struck out eight Lancers.

Rio Ruiz had one hit in three at bats, but the one hit was a solo home run. Johnathan Velasquez, Jerry McClanahan, and David Higuera all drove in two runs each.

April 13 – vs. La Salle

With the Bishop Amat Lancers coming fresh off the National Classic, they took on the La Salle Lancers at Bishop Amat on Tuesday.

Senior Paul Paez pitched a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 12 along the way.

With La Salle being shutout in the first, Amat returned with the first run of the game to take an early 1-0 lead.

After La Salle was shut down for the second straight inning, the Lancers returned with four runs in the bottom of the second to stretch the lead to five.

La Salle continued to get shut down due to Paez’s excellent pitching performance.

The Bishop Amat Lancers went on to add another run in the sixth and eventually won the game by the final score of 6-0.

Rio Ruiz led the Lancers in hitting as he went 3-3 with 3 singles, also driving in one run. Johnathan Velasquez went 2-3 with a triple and a double. Velasquez led the team by driving in two runs.

– Nick Figueroa, Staff Writer