By Rick Assad
Just three days earlier, the Burroughs High baseball team clobbered Glendale by 12 runs, but it was a different day and a different pitcher it faced on Friday night.
This time it was a one-run affair, and the same team still prevailed as the host Bears edged the Nitros 3-2 in a Pacific League game that paid tribute to the dedicated and hard-working men and women on First Responders Appreciation Night.
This clash featured something similar to the previous contest and that’s a stellar pitching performance by a Burroughs pitcher as junior right-hander Ryan Walsh went six effective innings, surrendering three hits, striking out 10, walking one and hitting one batter.
Senior Kyle Smith tossed one inning of relief in the seventh to earn the save and faced four batters including the final hitter, junior Adan Rodriguez, on a called strike.
“Since I knew they were going to battle, I had to come out with my best stuff,” said Smith, the tall right-handed flamethrower who usually plays catcher. “Everything felt great in my arsenal, so I just had to throw strikes.”
Smith also praised his teammates.
“My defense picked me up behind me with [junior shortstop] Logan [Drossin] and [senior left fielder] Andrew [Cosio] making some good plays,” he noted. “I’m glad we secured the sweep, but now our focus is on next week.”
Three days earlier, senior Kenny Montgomery delivered a six-inning, two-hitter and was equally masterful on the mound.
“I think they both did really well. Ryan was dominant throughout his six innings on the mound. Despite giving up a few hits, he knew what he needed to get done,” he said of his teammate. “And Kyle is a really good relief pitcher who can go a couple of innings with really good stuff and really good command.”
The Nitros (0-8 and 0-2 in league) had a good pitcher working as senior Ace Baker tossed four innings and allowed six hits with two walks and one strikeout.
Despite the win, the Bears (6-1 and 2-0 in league) committed three miscues and assisted the Nitros getting within one run.
“Errors gave them opportunities but beside one bad pitch, Ryan pitched a great game,” Burroughs coach Matt Magallon said.
Junior Jack Smith, who was behind home plate delivered two singles and drove in two runs and junior Devin Whittekiend also slapped two singles and added a run batted in for the Bears.
Burroughs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as seven batted and five reached base including Jack Smith who lifted an RBI hit to right field that scored Cosio, who was safe on a force out.
The Bears added a solo run in the third frame as six batters came to home plate and three reached including Jack Smith, who slashed a hit to right field for a run that tallied Cosio, who walked to lead off the inning.
Cosio also singled to center field in the fourth inning and advanced to third base but didn’t score.
It became 3-0 in the fourth as seven batters came up including Whittekiend, who contributed an RBI single to right field.
The Nitros made it a one-run game when senior Dante Vasquez launched a one-out, two-run homer over the right-field fence that scored senior Maniel Manuelian, who was safe on an error.
Walsh faced five batters in the first inning but escaped any damage and worked a 1-2-3 second inning, fanning senior Adrian Gonzales swinging and junior Brady Aldrete and senior Austin Gonzalez both looking.
Walsh struck out three batters in the third and faced five hitters and then saw four hitters in the fourth inning and whiffed Gonzales.
Walsh tossed a perfect fifth frame and fanned senior Adrian Magana-Miller in the process.
Walsh saw five batters in the two-run sixth inning but also struck out senior Dean Molina and Aldrete, both swinging.
Senior Elvis Martinez singled in the fourth inning and scored a run for the Bears.
