La Mirada is blanked by Gahr in Gateway clash

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

La Mirada’s Kaden Corn, left, looks on as Gahr’s Taison Miller scores on a sacrifice fly by Andres Gonzalez during the third inning of Friday’s Gateway League game. Photo by John McCoy

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By John W. Davis

correspondent

LA MIRADA — Senior pitcher Noah Irwin threw a two-hit shutout to lead Gahr’s baseball team to a 2-0 victory over La Mirada on Friday night.

“It took a lot,” Irwin said. “A lot of guys had to dig deep. A lot of sticks had to come alive and they did at the right time.”

The Gladiators improved to 11-8 overall and 5-1 in the Gateway League. They took sole possession of first place by winning two out of three games against the Matadores this week. Both victories came at La Mirada (17-6, 9-2), which has won the last two Gateway League titles.

“I do my job,” Irwin said. “To the team, I think it was big because it’s the first time we’ve done this in a little while and it’s great to do it with this squad.”

La Mirada junior designated hitter Jaeden Estevez to hit into a double play to end the game.

Irwin credited his defense for having his back on the mound.

“I’ve never seen them better,” Irwin said. “These are my guys and I know they have my back, so that’s why I pitch to contact so much. I had one strikeout.”

Gahr junior shortstop Andres Gonzalez, who snagged a line drive to get out of the first inning, went 2 for 4 at the plate with a double and the game’s only RBI. His sacrifice fly scored senior center fielder Taison Miller in the top of the third inning. Miller reached base on a one-out single, stole second and later advanced to third on a passed ball.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, Gonzalez, a USC commit, stole home to extend Gahr’s lead to 2-0. La Mirada’s catcher tried to the get the third out by attempting to pick off Gahr junior designated hitter Bryce Morrison at second base, and Gonzalez scored on the play.

Morrison, who is also committed to USC, went 2 for 3 with two doubles and drew an intentional walk in the fifth inning.

Gahr beat La Mirada 10-2 in nine innings in Game 1 on Tuesday. La Mirada beat Gahr 6-3 in Game 2 on Wednesday.

“I think (it took) resiliency because after the last game we’re a young team and we came out and we practiced really well (Thursday),” Gahr coach Gerardo Perez said. “We were really focused. We addressed some of the things that we messed up on at the end Game 2 and we were really focused at the plate.”

Gahr has six league games remaining while La Mirada has only one.

Gahr will begin a three-game series at home against Warren on Tuesday. The Gladiators will conclude Gateway League play with a three-game series against Bellflower.

La Mirada was led by junior pitcher Kaden Corns, who went 5 1/3 innings and allowed four hits, one run, five walks and four strikeouts. Senior Connor Jones threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings to close out the game. He allowed one hit, three walks and struck out two batters.

Several Matadores hit deep fly ball outs to the warning track but only senior third baseman Maverek Russell (UCLA signee) and senior left fielder Win Gurney (Oregon State signee) had singles.

“We got two hits, that’s the difference,” La Mirada coach Jimmy Zurn said.

Zurn explained that his team, which is dealing with several key injuries in the starting lineup to Division I signees Aiden Aguayo (UCLA) and Travis Friend (Loyola Marymount), will look to regroup after playing its final Gateway League game at Bellflower on Monday.