No.9 Warriors Advance to Super Regionals after Taking Series vs Saddleback

TORRANCE, Calif. - The No. 9 El Camino College Warriors ended the defending state champions chance at a repeat on Saturday as they defeated the No. 16 Saddleback Bobcats 7-4 at Warrior Field. 

The Warriors swept the Saddleback Bobcats in two games after winning the first game on Friday 11-6. 

Lucas Bonham and Dylan Mares led the Warriors with two hits a piece and two RBIs each. Luke Steward picked up his eighth win of the season after tossing six innings and allowing four runs on five hit, five walks, and four strikeouts. Henry Sorman pitched 2.2 innings scoreless relief work and Slater Nunez picked up his eighth save after picking up the final out of the game.

The Warriors took an early lead to the game after starting the game with the bases loaded and two outs after Ryan Matsukawa walked and Lucas Bonham doubled. Gil Solis worked a walk to load the bases. Dylan Mares smacked a double down the right field line to bring in two runs. Gio Crow singled to bring in one run and Mares was thrown out at home by the left fielder as the Warriors led 3-0.

The Bobcats struck for two in the bottom of the first after getting runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Andreas Nilsen and James Derflinger hit back to back singles to bring in one run each to make it a 3-2 game

Saddleback tied the game after loading the bases with two outs on a hit by pitch to make it a 3-3 game in the bottom of the second. They took their first lead of the weekend in the fourth inning to make it a 4-3 game.

However, the Warriors tied it right back up in the fifth inning. They loaded the bases after Lucas Bonham and Matt Hammond were both hit by a pitch and Gil Solis walked. Slater Nunez brought in one run on a sac fly to right field to make it a 4-4 game.

The Warriors took the lead for the good in the sixth inning. Gio Crow and Aden Lauraeno got on base to start the inning. Jack Nammack laid down a sac bunt during the next at-bat and the pitcher fielded it and spun around and threw way wide to third base which brought in one run and put both runners into scoring position. Lucas Bonham doubled in two runs on a ball down the left field line to make it a 7-4 game.

Henry Sorman came in to pitch for the Warriors in the seventh inning for the first time since March 13th against LA Harbor. He induced two double plays in the seventh and eighth inning to escape any trouble.

Sorman got two quick outs in the ninth inning before allowing a double and a walk to put runners on base for the Bobcats. Slater Nunez entered in relief and got the final Bobcat batter to strikeout to close the game out for the Warriors.

The Warriors will head to Kincaid Field for next week's super regional at hosts Cerritos College. The Warriors will start the super regional by taking part in the No. 2 vs No. 3 seed game on Thursday afternoon.