REDONDO TOURNAMENT
By Loren Kopff
REDONDO BEACH-The opportunity for John Glenn’s baseball team to come away with its most signature victory this season was lost in a semifinal game of the Redondo Tournament last Saturday night. The Eagles were held to three hits in a 4-0 loss to Long Beach Wilson under extreme windy and chilly conditions at Redondo Union High School.
The Eagles, who are still enjoying their best season since 2008, had lost two straight games before knocking off St. Joseph/Santa Maria last Wednesday in the final game of the St. Paul Easter Tournament. But after winning the first three games of the Redondo Tournament, Glenn couldn’t find an answer against Wilson starter A.J. Dean and the rest of the Division I power.
Dean retired the first five batters in the lineup before giving up a base hit to junior second baseman Luis Rosas, who would then steal second. But Dean struck out senior catcher David Correa to end the threat.
In the bottom of the third, the Bruins tagged Rosas, who replaced junior Victor Sanchez to begin the inning, for three runs. It began when Mickey Miladinovich hit a high chopper towards second that he beat out. Andrew Brown was safe on an error and that was followed by consecutive hits from Josh Goldberg and Chris Betts.
In the next inning and with senior Faustino Colon now on the mound, the Bruins added their final run when Brown singled in Mike Fitzgerald with two outs.
“They did a great job in the first three games of the tournament, competing and beating some very good teams,” said Glenn head coach Jack Brooks. “Unfortunately tonight, we didn’t compete the way I wanted. But it’s a good experience for these kids to play on a big stage like this; to play in a night game and in the semifinals of this tournament.”
Meanwhile, Glenn’s offense was still in a holding pattern. Junior shortstop Jacob Carr singled with two outs in the top of the fourth but would not get past second. Two innings later, senior right fielder Martin Sandoval reached on an error with two outs but would be forced at second to end the inning. Glenn’s last hit came in the seventh when senior first baseman Carlos Garcia led off with a single to center. But he too wouldn’t get past second.
The Eagles dropped to 15-6 overall as they concluded their home and home series with Cerritos today on the road. Glenn is 5-1 in the Suburban League, tied for second with La Mirada and right on the heels of Bellflower, whom it will host on Wednesday. Bellflower is sporting a 6-2 league mark. Glenn will also face El Segundo on Saturday to wrap up the Redondo Tournament.
“This is the position we wanted to be in,” Brooks said. “We have everything in front of us. We control our own destiny. We have an absolute huge week against Cerritos, and they’re much improved. It’s going to be an absolute dog fight on Wednesday and Friday. It’s the hugest week of the year. We have to play well or we’re going to be upset.”
