Starting pitcher Andrew Cito #12 of Monrovia throws to the plate against San Marino in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
SAN MARINO — Two days after the Monrovia baseball team found itself on the losing end of a one-run, nine-inning loss to San Marino, the Wildcats bounced back Wednesday to shut out the Titans, 2-0, to avoid a series sweep.
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia reacts after hitting a solo homerun against San Marino in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia reacts after hitting a solo homerun against San Marino in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia reacts with teammate Isaias Hernandez #13 of Monrovia after hitting a solo homerun against San Marino in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia reacts after hitting a solo homerun against San Marino in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach John Franklin of San Marino looks on against Monrovia in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Third baseman Isaias Hernandez #13 of Monrovia can’t reach a base hit by Liam Van Fossan #10 of San Marino in the fourth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Julian Fernandez #2 of Monrovia tags out Tomás Bilvado #1 San Marino at third base in the fourth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Andrew Cito #12 of Monrovia throws to the plate against San Marino in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Andrew Cito #12 of Monrovia throws to the plate against San Marino in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Julian Fernandez #2 of Monrovia tags out Tomás Bilvado #1 San Marino at third base in the fourth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Third baseman Isaias Hernandez #13 of Monrovia can’t reach a base hit by Liam Van Fossan #10 of San Marino in the fourth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Julian Fernandez #2 of Monrovia throws late to first against San Marino in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia reacts after hitting a solo homerun as starting pitcher JJ Wilson #12 of San Marino looks on in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Carson Herren #8 of San Marino safe at first base ahead of the play by first baseman Tristan Oandasan #25 of Monrovia in the sixth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Brad Blackmore of Monrovia react toward home plate umpire on a play against San Marino in the fourth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Andrew Cito #12 of Monrovia throws to the plate against San Marino in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Isaias Hernandez #13 of Monrovia dives back to first base ahead of the tag by first baseman Coleman Morning #9 of San Marino in the first inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Noah Ellison #21 of Monrovia safe at first base as first baseman Coleman Morning #9 of San Marino waits for the baseball in the first inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Andrew Cito #12 of Monrovia reacts after defatting San Marino 2-0 to win a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
head coach Brad Blackmore of Monrovia talks with a umpire after a close play at first base against San Marino in the third inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Monrovia bench looks on against San Marino in the first inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Troy Grise #3 of Monrovia safe at third base ahead of the tag by third baseman Bobby Fruto #20 of San Marino in the sixth inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Micah Maljian #17 of Monrovia safe at third base as third baseman Bobby Fruto waits for the baseball in the second inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
San Marino bench looks on against Monrovia in the first inning of a prep baseball game at San Marino High School in San Marino on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Monrovia won 2-0. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Pitcher Andrew Cito tossed the shutout for the Wildcats (9-5, 3-3), who moved within a game of the first-place Titans (12-3, 4-2) in the the Rio Hondo League standings.
Cito allowed eight hits and finished with four strikeouts as he improved to 4-1.
“Today we knew we had our backs against the wall and we got the pitching outing that we needed,” Monrovia coach Brad Blackmore said. “I’m proud of our guys. We still have a lot of work to do offensively, but we played a pretty flawless pitching and defensive game.”
Monrovia dropped its first two meetings against the Titans, 4-0 on Feb. 29 and 3-2 in extra innings on Monday.
The Wildcats responded to Cito’s quick tempo Wednesday and got through most innings quickly. Aside from the second and fourth innings, Cito forced ground balls and fly balls to retire innings at a frenetic pace, keeping the defense behind him engaged and active.
San Marino’s starting pitcher, JJ Wilson, matched his counterpart’s performance by allowing just three hits and one earned run in six innings of work.
But unlike Cito, Wilson’s run support was nonexistent. The Titans failed to push runners across despite two innings with three hits.
One of those innings came in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and two outs, a weak ground ball to Cito allowed him to get the final out and escape the inning unscathed.
“You can’t get three hits twice in an inning and not score,” San Marino coach John Franklin said. “We killed ourselves on the base paths and we didn’t execute bunts.”
The Wildcats applied pressure with a run in the bottom of the second inning. An error by San Marino second baseman Sid Danenhauer allowed Monrovia’s Isaias Hernandez to score after Hernandez reached base on a walk.
Wilson’s lone mistake came in the bottom of the third inning when he gave up a two-out solo home run to the Wildcats’ Troy Grise for a 2-0 lead.
San Marino’s second three-hit inning came in the top of the fourth. Unlike the second inning, the Wildcats’ defensive plays kept the Titans off the board. After Cito gave up a leadoff double to Wilson, Monrovia freshman catcher Braydon Blackmore picked off Wilson during the next at-bat.
Three batters later, with runners on first and second and two outs, Cito gave up a single to left field, but the throw from left field to home kept the runner from scoring. After the throw to home, Blackmore saw the runner, Tomás Bilvado, make a big turn past second base and quickly caught the runner between second and third base.
During the run down, Grise quickly threw the ball to third and the Wildcats applied the tag before the runner scored from third.
“I thought (Grise) made a heads-up play,” Blackmore said. “I personally was willing to go into the bottom of the inning with a 2-1 lead. … The fact that (Grise) did it so quick … there was no hesitation from (Grise). He’s so fearless.”
After giving up seven hits through four innings, Cito gave up just one in the subsequent three innings and secured the Wildcats’ shutout win.
