It was the second of three Rio Hondo League meetings of the season between the San Marino and Monrovia baseball teams, with the Wildcats seeking to avenge their earlier loss to the Titans at San Marino High on March 18.
San Marino took a two-run lead early, but Monrovia tied the game with runs in the fourth and sixth innings to send the league matchup into extra innings.
With Titans freshman Chase Mena at third in the ninth inning, San Marino junior Tomás Bilvado hit a sacrifice fly to drive Mena home, securing the 3-2 win over Monrovia.
Bilvado made an impact on both sides of the game. The junior finished the league contest with two RBIs and pitched all nine innings and scattered four hits, allowed two runs, gave up one walk and struck out eight batters.
Mena went 3-for-4 with the game-winning run scored, while Titans junior JJ Wilson finished 3-for-3, and junior Jamie Bercaw and senior Mikey Yessaian each scored a run.
The win improves San Marino to 12-2 overall and 4-1 in the Rio Hondo League, good for first in the standings.
Following the final matchup against Monrovia on March 20, San Marino will have back-to-back nonleague games at home on March 25 and 26, first against El Rancho then against Nogales. The Titans return to league action against Temple City on the road April 1.
SAN MARINO 5, LA CAÑADA 3
Bercaw drove in two runs and finished 3-for-3 as the Titans held off the Spartans in a Rio Hondo League game on March 14.
JJ Wilson scattered two hits and two runs (one earned) over 3 1/3 innings. The junior also walked five and struck out five before junior Caleb Newton and senior Brandon Strauss took over. Newton gave up one hit on one inning of work, while Strauss struck out four and yielded two hits and a run over 2 2/3 innings.
Bilvado and senior Coleman Morning each tallied a base hit, while the latter scored a run. San Marino senior Ryan Park, senior Sid Danenhauer, senior Liam Van Fossan and Bercaw also each scored a run.
SAN MARINO 9, ALHAMBRA 3
Park and Morning each drove in three runs to help the Titans defeat the Moors in a nonleague game on March 16. Park finished 1-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Morning went 1-for-5 for three RBIs and a triple.
JJ Wilson went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a double and Parker Wilson tallied an RBI. Mena recorded two base hits and a run scored, Danenhauer tallied a base hit and two runs scored and Yessaian and senior Carson Herren both finished with a base hit and a run.
Titans sophomore JT Lu-Morris started on the mound and pitched 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts, two walks, two unearned runs and five hits.
First published in the March 21 issue of the San Marino Tribune
