Conference play began perfectly for the El Camino baseball team as the Warriors offense erupted in a 9-2 rout over Cerritos College this past Saturday at Warrior Field.

The Warriors (10-6) won the rubber match with the Falcons (7-7) after splitting the first two games of the series and more importantly, started off conference play with a winning record.

“Once we start getting late into conference we’re facing better and better teams,” sophomore second baseman Jack Canady said. “Every win counts and gets us closer to the state championship.”

The Warriors saw their five-game win streak snapped last Thursday to the Falcons but they quickly responded with a dominating performance on both sides of the ball.

The bats got going early and were firing on all cylinders as the Warriors combined for 9 runs and 14 hits, knocking the Falcon’s ace pitcher out of the game after only one inning.

“Any time we were expecting fastballs, we hit it, coach Nate Fernley said. “This is the best job we’ve done of having a plan and executing it.”

The Warriors got on the board quickly by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a pair of singles by freshman shortstop Fred Smith and sophomore first baseman Dylan Hatch.

Two more runs would be added in the bottom of the second inning off of a double by Smith which gave the Warriors an early 4-0 lead.

Smith had a huge game by going 5-4 at the plate along with 3 RBI and is currently batting .333 with a .452 OBP.
“We knew that guy was their ace and that he was going to supply power,” freshman catcher Joey Notch said. “We needed to come back after a bad game on Thursday.”

Sophomore designated hitter Austin Watters kept the hit parade going with a 2 RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Warriors a commanding 6-0 lead.

The Falcons would tack on a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings but that would be the only threat of the game as the Warriors quickly ended the comeback by driving in three more runs the following inning.

A leadoff single by Smith set up a massive 2-run home run by Hatch which was absolutely crushed over the scoreboard in right-center field to give the Warriors an 8-2 lead.

Hatch is on a torrid hitting pace and is now batting .306 to go along with a whopping .490 slugging percentage.
“Individually we’re just trying to keep a good head on our shoulders and keep going strong,” Hatch said. “It’s going to be a long season and a dogfight. We just need to keep winning.”

Sophomore starting pitcher Andy Burschinger went 6 innings while allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run in his first start since returning from a hamstring injury.

“Whenever you get seven runs, you just want to throw strikes,” Burschinger said. “[Hamstring] Feels 100 percent and good to go for the rest of conference.”

Freshman closer Josh Norwood shut the door by pitching the last three innings and lowered his ERA to a microscopic 1.77 in 20 innings pitched.

“As a closer you have to have the mentality that they’re not going to hit me,” Norwood said. “You have to make yourself believe that.”

The Warriors are starting to gain serious momentum and will look to continue improving as they head into their next series with Pasadena City College which will conclude this Saturday at noon in Pasadena.

“We’re on the right track and we’re starting to play good baseball,” Fernley said. “I tell the players it’s like a mountain, the higher you get the more difficult it is.”