ELAC baseball opens with four home games

MONTEREY PARK, CA — The Huskies baseball team, on a quest to win its second South Coast Conference title in three years, began the season splitting its first two games before a 2-0 loss today to Citrus College.

East Los Angeles College won a 12-2 non-conference game against Victor Valley College in its season opener on Feb. 2. The Huskies lost 10-8 to No. 14-ranked College of the Canyons on Feb. 4.

The Huskies will host their fourth consecutive home game against Moorpark College on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

The Huskies (1-2) were outhit eight to three in the loss to Citrus (3-1). Citrus scored an unearned run in the top of the second inning and one run in the top of the fifth inning off three hits.

ELAC sophomore shortstop Steve Romo (El Dorado High School) hit a double in the bottom of the 4th inning, but three consecutive outs killed the Husky threat.

ELAC sophomore pitcher Jose Amezquita (Alhambra HS), who pitched seven innings, took the loss.

The 13-hit, 10 run win against Victor Valley included seven Husky doubles beginning with freshman designated hitter Travis Mcfarlnd’s (Norco HS) RBI double in the fourth inning that led to four runs. The Rams had three errors in the inning.

ELAC added two runs off three doubles in the fourth inning, one each, by sophomore first baseman Larson Anzaldo (St. Paul HS), freshman left fielder Kelvin Brito (Miami Beach HS) and Romo.

The Huskies scored two runs off three doubles also in the eighth inning. Freshman third baseman Anthony Mayorga (Chatsworth HS) led off with a double. Freshman catcher Ismael Martinez (Ramona HS) and Anzaldo each hit RBI doubles.

Down 10-2 in the top of the seventh inning against Canyon, ELAC rallied for three runs off two hits from Brito and Mcfarland’s RBI in the bottom of the inning.

The Huskies added three more runs from three hits in the eighth inning. Brito and Mayorga each hit a two-RBI single and sophomore center fielder Shun Tsunoda (Hacienda Heights HS) doubled.

Sophomore Evan Holmes opened the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk, but the Huskies rally fell short.

ELAC hosts No. 9 Riverside City College (4-1) on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia