Sports
Velasco Powers Monrovia to Win Over La Cañada
Wildcats remain undefeated in Rio Hondo League while Spartans' woes continue.
Sophomore Chris Burkholder overcame a shaky first inning to pitch the Monrovia baseball team to a 7-4 victory over La Cañada on Monday.
Burkholder went a full seven innings, striking out nine, and earning his second win of the season largely due to catcher Adrien Velasco’s three-run blast in the bottom of the first inning.
“Adrien picked a great time to hit his first home run,” Monrovia coach Dave Moore said. “It was huge to come right back with that after falling behind in the first inning.”
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La Cañada gained its early lead when catcher Scott Stetson singled home Clayton Herrmann, who had drawn a walk. Nick Bueno led off the bottom of the first inning with an unusual catcher’s interference call, and Luis Mercado followed with a single.
Brendon Shoemake, who pitched a strong six innings for the Spartans, struck out the next batter, but challenged with Velasco with a high fastball, which resulted in the three-run bomb.
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“I think it shocked him a little,” said La Cañada coach Dennis Ballard. “It was a costly wake-up call, but Brendon pitched much better after that.”
The Spartans trailed 4-1 in the top of the third when they regained some momentum. Clayton Herrmann led off with a single and Burkholder hit the next batter. After two flyouts, Shoemake helped his own cause by singling in two runs.
“You have to stay in the game when you play Monrovia,” Ballard said. “If they score in their half of an inning, you have to bounce right back and score in your half.”
Fielding errors cost the Spartans (5-6, 0-3 in the Rio Hondo League) throughout the game. In the bottom of the fourth inning Luis Mercado reached base on an error and stole second. After reaching third on a groundout, Mercado looked to score on a groundball by Velasco, but Spartan first baseman Sam Baldwin fielded the grounder and made a great throw home to get Mercado. However, an error by second baseman Kevin Oechsel would later allow Velasco to score.
La Cañada tacked on a run in the fourth inning after Burkholder mishandled a bunt for the second time in the game. Oechsel picked up the RBI, and Moore considered relieving Burkholder, but he eventually decided against it.
“I had relievers warming up as early as the third inning,” Moore said. “I kept letting (Burkholder) start an inning to see if he could settle down and find a groove.”
Burkholder eventually figured something out. He retired nine straight Spartan batters in the final three innings and struck out the side in the sixth inning.
“I just got into a rhythm,” said Burkholder. “I think it helped to settle me down when we scored some runs an pulled ahead.”
Nick Bueno went 2-for-2 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored for the Wildcats. Herrmann was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Both teams are back at it again Tuesday with Monrovia (5-4-1, 2-0) hosting Temple City and La Cañada facing South Pasadena.