By Rick Assad
During the course of seven innings, the Burbank High baseball team managed just two base hits, and it wasn’t enough as visiting Muir walked away with a 5-0 decision in a Pacific League game on Saturday morning.
Robert Snyder and junior Tomas Angel each singled for the Bulldogs while the Mustangs (11-7 and 2-6 in league) finished with six hits including three from junior Ezekiel Rodriguez, who also drove in two runs during a five-run fifth off starter Orion Bell.
Bell, a senior left-handed thrower, pitched fairly well, yielding five hits across five innings, striking out five, walking two and nicking two batters.
Muir collected three hits in the decisive inning and two batters were hit with the ball.
Senior Fletcher Paddock led off with an infield hit and two batters later junior Bryant Soriano lashed a run-producing single to right center to make it 1-0.
When junior Khalil Rishwain was nicked with a toss, Muir moved ahead 2-0.
A one-out double to right center by Rodriguez plated two runs as it became 4-0 and the final run crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to left field by senior Conrad Hunziker.
Hunziker was on the mound for Muir and was masterful from the outset as the tall and lean right-hander struck out 11, walked one with one hit batter.
“I thought the guy [Hunziker] did a great job keeping a soft balance,” Burbank coach Bob Hart said. “His velocity was a challenge for us and we didn’t put together particularly great at-bats in terms of pitch recognition. “That being said, our pitching was solid, and our defense was good for the most part and it was tough facing their number one twice.”
On March 10, the Mustangs, who are much improved, hosted the Bulldogs and emerged with a 2-1 triumph.
In five of the seven frames, Hunziker retired the Bulldogs (7-6 and 5-3 in league) in order and had five strikeouts after two innings.
In the first and second, Hunziker retired the side 1-2-3 as Snyder grounded out, junior Jeremy Lee struck out looking and junior Ryland Le Clair went down swinging,
Senior Michael Bui fanned catcher to first base in the second inning while Angel and junior Julian Recinos both whiffed swinging.
Hunziker faced five batters in the third inning, including senior Colby Bette, who walked to open the frame.
Snyder delivered a two-out single to right field but Hunziker retired Lee on a force out.
“Muir had a great player on the mound today, and he pitched a great game. It was a tough adjustment for me and the rest of the team,” Snyder said. “I think that we could have been more aggressive early in counts and given ourselves more opportunities to hit the ball. But overall, I’m happy with how the team played today.”
Hunziker saw five hitters in the fourth inning and allowed a two-out infield base hit to Angel. Recinos was hit with an offering and Bette fanned swinging.
Hunziker breezed through the next nine batters as freshman Luka Kupier grounded out, senior Taylor Pryor struck out swinging and Snyder grounded to first base.
The sixth followed in similar fashion as Hunziker struck out Lee swinging.
Le Clair hit a ball to short right field and was thrown out at first base. The last out of the inning saw Bui bounce back to Hunziker.
The Bulldogs were retired in order in the final frame as Angel bounced out and Recinos swung at a third strike.
Bette, who worked two innings, struck out four, allowed one hit with one hit batter, launched a deep fly ball to center field that was nabbed for the last out.
“It was a tough game for us, but we were in it,” Bette said. “A couple hits go our way and we’re in that game. Even though we weren’t at our best, we still fought and that’s wat matters.”
Burbank will play Arcadia and Crescenta Valley and will conclude the regular season against rival Burroughs at the Bears on Aoril 29 and then host Burroughs on May 2. Both games are 6:30 p.m.
