Scoring runs was definitely going to be a challenge entering Wednesday’s Pioneer League baseball game between Torrance and West.
Starting pitchers Dylan Smith (West) and Jared Galang (Torrance) lived up to the billing, but in the end, the Tartars needed only one run for a 1-0 win.
“He’s been pitching almost a CG (complete game) every game, giving us a chance,” Torrance coach Rob Ybarra said of Galang. “All we have to do is try to get one or two on the scoreboard when he’s on the mound.”
Torrance (6-3-1, 1-0) got on the board in the second inning. With one out, Eshua Desai walked and Joey Villareal followed with an RBI double to right, scoring Desai for the 1-0 lead.
The Tartars got a one-out single in the third and in the fifth, but both times, the innings ended with a double play.
In the sixth, the Tartars had another good opportunity to add some insurance runs against Smith. Corey Guy led off with an infield single and Mateo Rickman followed with a walk. With one out, Marcelo Allen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Smith retired the next two batters to keep the game at 1-0 heading into the seventh.
Smith allowed one run on four hits and struck out four in the tough loss for West (7-5, 2-1).
Galang also allowed four hits and struck out seven for the win. Last season, he was used in relief, but has stepped into a starting role this season.
“He threw 21 total innings last year, threw against all of the Division 1 teams that we happened to face on Saturdays,” Ybarra said. “So technically, he didn’t get any big starts, any league starts. We were telling him it’s a two-year plan, you’ll be ready to go by your senior year, we had two aces last year who held down the fort and Jared is doing exactly what they did last year.”
The key for Galang is simple as remember to breathe.
“I learned a lot from my first three starts (this season), especially against Arlington,” he said. “Just every batter, I have to have a 100 percent focus on every batter.
“I had to find new ways to stay the same the whole time. Control your breathing, say the same things in your head every pitch. My guys played very good defense behind me, we couldn’t have done it without the whole team effort.”
The teams will meet again Friday at 3:15 p.m. at West.
SOUTH TORRANCE 9, LAWNDALE 0: Peter Broughton, Carter McLeod and Mateo Biezonsky combined on a one-hit shutout for the Spartans (7-4, 3-0) in the Pioneer League win.
SANTA MONICA 5, REDONDO 3: Alex Yin and Erick Espinoza hit home runs for the Sea Hawks (6-2, 0-1), but it wasn’t enough in their Bay League loss.
Dylan Leoff allowed three runs, two earnd on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
MIRA COSTA 9, SAN PEDRO 0: Ace Tarango had four hits, Win Gurney had a two-run double and Nicholai Arnold and Harrison Belden had two apiece for the Mustangs (6-6-1).
Alito McBean allowed three hits in five innings and struck out 11.