Gaining more experience, Mittmen strive for victory
by ELMER GUARDADO
Hoping to remain undefeated in league, the varsity mittmen will compete against the Mark Keppel Aztecs March 31 at home.
Currently holding a league record of 3-0, the mittmen defeated the Bell Gardens Lancers, 3-0, in an away game at Veterans Park March 24. Through strong defense and runs brought in by junior Andrew Alvarado and senior Adam Amaro, the Spartans held onto their undefeated status.
“The general vibe throughout the game was intense, and they kept us on our toes with every pitch,” said Amaro. “We knew we couldn’t take them for granted, so we played as hard as we could, and it ended up paying off.”
The varsity team’s winning streak began when they garnered back-to-back wins against the San Gabriel Matadors March 17 and the Alhambra Moors March 20 with scores of 9-4 and 3-1, respectively.
“I feel very good about [our performance] this year,” said senior Keith LeNoue. “After beating Alhambra, whose team hadn’t lost a league game since 2013, our confidence has definitely increased.”
The Spartans began the season strong, and suffered only two losses in their eight-game pre-season.
“I feel that our success in pre-season can be attributed to all the hard work we put in during all of our practices before and after winter break,” said LeNoue.
Highlights of pre-season include victories during the Newport Elks Tournament, where the Spartans dominated the Los Amigos Lobos and the Oxford Academy Patriots, 11-1 and 7-4, respectively.
“Compared to other years, we are overall a stronger team and finally have the opportunity to do really well,” said Amaro. “Our coaching staff and desire to win have made us a more competitive team.”
The JV team also faces against the Aztecs March 31 andhas a league record of 2-1. The team’s most recent victory came in a game against the Lancers where the final score was 7-4. Among team members scoring were junior Braulio De La Cruz and sophomores Armando Gonzales and Joey Estrada.
“We play really good defense,” said De La Cruz, “if we step up our offense and keep the opposing runs low, there’s no reason why we can’t have a great season.”