CHS baseball overwhelmed by hard-hitting Chino Hills

Claremont High’s boys’ baseball team was competing against an open tap. It became a never-ending spewing faucet, sprung loose by the Chino Hills Huskies hitters Wednesday at Chino Hills High School.

It burst in the first three innings and senior pitcher Jonathan Ochoa fought the tide for the majority of the game. However, the flood was overwhelming in the bottom of the sixth and the Huskies won, 10-1. 

“They were able to take advantage of our mistakes,” junior center fielder Jeremiah Maldonado said. “We have to do better tracking them down.”

From open fields to miscommunication in the infield, the Huskies managed to take control of the game early. After Chino Hills’ senior second baseman Cody Sporter doubled to left field, his teammate, junior right fielder Chris Ceballos, scored, making it 5-1. They never looked back .

The Wolfpack also committed three errors matched with only two hits, compared to the Huskies, who belted 11 hits and no errors.

Wolfpack Head Coach Geoff Ranney said his team is ready to put this game behind and focus on the remaining season.

“We can only take it one game at a time,” Coach Ranney said. “The good thing about being a young team is we can see this as a teachable moment.”

The Wolfpack started to show some signs of life at the top of the sixth as senior first baseman Jonathan Vance got a hit to right field and hustled to second base. After freshman right fielder Tyler Jaque was tagged out at first base, Maldonado crushed a liner to right and earned the team’s only score.

“That was pretty much defensive batting,” Maldonado said. “I was down two strikes and I had to go for it.”

Even though it was a minor glimpse of the Wolfpack’s strong offense, Coach Ranney said it was enough to let their opponents know Claremont can still compete. The Wolfpack can develop momentum when they need to, but the struggle is staying consistent for all seven innings.

“Hits are contagious,” Coach Ranney said. “We managed to catch a little fire but it wasn’t enough.”

The CHS defense did manage to make plays whenever the Huskies tried to sneak past them. Whether it was Ochoa’s quick throws to first base, or Maldonado chasing flies in center field, each maneuver let the Huskies now they were watching their every move.

No one watched these moves more than senior catcher Alex Galuchie. During the bottom of the second and fourth innings, at least one Huskie tried to test his arm by stealing second base.

They tried to get a quick jump on Ochoa but when Galuchie spotted movement, he reacted quickly and fired it to sophomore second baseman Jack Pavlisin. Both attempts resulted in outs.

“I knew they were going to steal,” Galuchie said. “Our pitcher was getting too tired and I had to act.”

CHS hopes to change things up Friday at home game against Charter Oak High at 3:30 p.m. Claremont High remains defeated, 2-0, in Sierra League play.

 

Lighter sports schedule due

to spring break

Due to spring break, the CHS sports schedule is lighter than usual. However, the boys tennis team prepares to take on Ayala at 3:15 p.m. on Friday at Claremont High School.

The track and field team will be trying to break personal records Friday and Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational. Both field and running events start at 4:30 p.m. Friday and the meet will start again 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Next week, the swimming team will be home facing Charter Oak at 3:15 p.m., April 16. The boys volleyball team will also face Arcadia at 5 p.m.

—Alex Forbess

sports@claremont-courier.com

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