St. Monica Academy baseball shut down and out by Dominguez
GLENDALE — Having won the Independence League championship, the St. Monica Academy baseball team looked to begin the postseason on a positive note Friday.
It wasn’t meant to be for the Crusaders, who saw their offense get shut down.
St. Monica finished with just two hits and saw its season wrap up following a 2-0 loss to visiting Dominguez in a CIF Southern Section Division VII first-round contest at Scholl Canyon Ball Fields.
Dominguez pitcher Andrew Torillo struck out eight in the shutout, leaving St. Monica frustrated while praising Torillo’s effort.
“He went out there and just pitched a great game and you have to tip your cap,” said St. Monica coach Phil Gleason, who has led the Crusaders to four straight league titles. “He had about three or four different arm angles and he got some first-pitch outs
“He pitched a special game and we just couldn’t get the hits when we needed them.”
St. Monica (10-4) got a first-inning single from Charlie Boles and a single in the sixth from Beau Barry. Otherwise, Torillo and Dominguez (15-11) held St. Monica in check.
Dominguez, which finished fourth in the tough San Gabriel Valley League and received an at-large berth, had things in control throughout. The Dons scored two runs in the second inning.
Anthony Rodriguez led off the second with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Joseph Zaragoza. A balk moved Rodriguez to third. Andrew Acosta executed a suicide squeeze that drove in Rodriguez to make it 1-0. Acosta beat out the bunt and moved to second on a throwing error by the pitcher.
Carlos Lamas walked and Acosta and Lamas moved up a base on a balk and a ground out to shortstop by Lonzo Acosta brought home Andrew Acosta to give the Dons a 2-0 lead.
“That’s the way we play, doing a lot of small-ball situations,” Dominguez coach Mike McCurdy said. “We always try to move the runners up and get them into scoring position and it worked out here today.
“Andrew had a great effort on the mound and he threw strikes when he needed to. He was aggressive out there and it was one of his best efforts this season.”
Torillo retired seven in a row, including striking out the side in the fifth.
Barry singled with two outs in the sixth before Torillo got a pop up to third to end the inning.
Torillo walked Ernie Grimm to lead off the seventh, but got a 6-4-3 double play and a line out to first to end the game.
“He was so quick to the plate and it was tough picking up his pitches,” Barry said. “We came in confident we could win and there’s nothing like taking part in a playoff game and you feel that vibe going around. We had a good season.”
Dominguez, which will meet La Verne Lutheran or Oxnard Calvary Christian in a second-round game Tuesday, was limited to three hits by John Short, Grimm and Mark Golbranson.
“We hung in there and played seven innings and we battled right until the end,” Gleason said. “I couldn’t be prouder of what we did this season and we’ll be back next year.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
