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NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW : Valley Christian baseball off to hot start in Newport Elks Tournament

 

By Loren Kopff
@LorenKopff on Twitter

 

Five area baseball teams are beginning the season participating in the largest high school baseball tournament in the state, the prestigious Newport Elks Tournament and already, one of them is having a super start. Valley Christian High, which tied Century High for first place in its pool of four teams, has won four of its first five games after winning 11 games last season.

The Defenders, who defeated Mark Keppel High in their season opener on Feb. 12, went 2-1 in its pool of the Orange County Division of the tournament, outscoring opponents 17-6. V.C. then knocked off Costa Mesa High 14-5 this past Wednesday and will wrap up the tournament today with a home game against Buena Park High. V.C. is also home to Compton Centennial High on Tuesday.

Also, in the Orange County Division, Artesia High went winless in all three of its pool play games by a combined score of 40-4. The Pioneers will visit Westminster High today in the fourth of five games of the event with the last game to be announce later as some games have been affected by the recent inclement weather. Artesia will also travel to Long Beach Cabrillo High on Tuesday.

Cerritos High, playing in the Costa Mesa Division of the tournament, went 1-2 in pool play action before rallying for a 5-3 victory against Northwood High this past Wednesday. The Dons will wrap up the tournament today against an opponent to be determined the night of Feb. 22. Cerritos will also host St. Anthony High on Monday.

Gahr High is off to a rare 0-4 start after falling to Cypress High 6-0 in an El Dorado Steakhouse Tournament game on Feb. 11, then losing all three games in a Frank Lerner Division pool of the Newport Elks Tournament. The Gladiators will host Damien High today with one more tournament game to come, possible on Saturday. Gahr will also visit Mira Costa High on Wednesday.

John Glenn High is also competing in the Costa Mesa Division where it was nipped by Hemet High 7-6 on Feb. 12, then blasted Tustin High 11-1 this past Monday and got by Whittier High 3-1 this past Wednesday. The Eagles still have to face Northwood High in pool play action, then two more games of the event, which will be determined later. Glenn will also visit Santa Fe High on Tuesday and Downey High on Thursday.

Norwalk High fell to Schurr High 6-1 in its season opener on Feb. 12 and will travel to Bell Gardens High on Saturday before visiting Whittier High on Monday in a doubleheader.

Whitney High began its season on Feb. 21 against University High and will travel to Whittier Christian High on Tuesday before hosting Saddleback Valley Christian High on Thursday.

SOFTBALL

Artesia edged Millikan High 6-5 and doubled up Palos Verdes High 6-3 to begin the season as the Lady Pioneers are home to V.C. today. The team will next be in action on Mar. 2 when it competes in the Santa Fe Tournament.

Cerritos lost a pair of games in the Savanna Showcase by a combined score of 20-10 and will host Murrieta Valley High on Saturday before visiting Dana Hills High on Tuesday and Gahr on Thursday.

Gahr will kick off the 2019 season on Tuesday against Bishop Amat High before facing Cerritos. The Lady Gladiators are coming off an amazing 24-6 season and a trip to the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 championship game, where they dropped an 8-2 decision to Norco High.

Glenn’s season opener was a 7-1 loss to Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High and the Lady Eagles were scheduled to visit Cabrillo this past Tuesday. Glenn will be home to Arroyo High on Wednesday.

Norwalk lost to El Rancho High 14-3 on Feb. 12 and was blanked by California High 7-0 this past Tuesday. The Lady Lancers visited Los Altos on Feb. 21 and will go to Whittier on Monday and Paramount High on Thursday.

V.C. lost to Ontario Christian High 13-1 on Feb. 12 and after visiting Artesia, will host Calvary Chapel Downey High on Tuesday. The Lady Defenders will then travel to Cabrillo on Thursday in a makeup from last Thursday’s scheduled tilt.