NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW: Artesia’s offense, defense doesn’t give Lugo enough support in home loss

March 5, 2026

 By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

 It’s a recurring theme for the Artesia High baseball team and head coach Jose Serrano is searching for anything that he hopes will get the program over the hump before the season is over. When the Pioneers hosted Los Amigos High last Friday, they failed to get the timely hits when they needed to despite outhitting the Lobos, and the defense couldn’t allow senior pitcher Josue Lugo to get out of innings.

The result was a 6-2 loss, sending the Pioneers to a 1-2 start to the season. Artesia would then drop a 7-6 decision to Maywood CES the next day.

“It’s going to be a struggle for us this year offensive-wise,” said Serrano. “It’s just new guys in new spots; I think new guys coming up from last year to this year…it’s just the timely hitting. But I knew it was going to be a struggle this year with some of these guys. just for them getting experience and getting the games in right now…hopefully we’ll get that one hit here or there and kind of change some things around. That’s all it takes.”

Artesia grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as junior second baseman Michael Nava singled to right and stole second. Damien Dominguez would then walk senior center fielder Emmanuel Rocha and with two outs, senior third baseman Adrian Romero’s single brought in Rocha.

That early momentum was nullified when Los Amigos scored twice in the second and third innings, both times with two outs. First, it was an error that allowed Dominguez and Alex Plaza to touch home. Then it was a bases loaded single from Adrian De La Riva that made the score 4-1.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the fifth run, which came in the sixth inning, was a combination of bad baseball. Alex Munoz led off by reaching on the second error of the game, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior pitcher Cameron Garrison, who had replaced Lugo after he loaded the bases with none out in the third, walked De La Riva before Plaza singled to center, making it 5-1.

“That’s your worst nightmare,” said Serrano. “Any time you give up a two-out [hit], especially two runs, not just one run…like I said, they did the right thing and hit at the right moment, something that we couldn’t do. But that’s the game of baseball.”

The second Artesia run came in the bottom of the sixth when junior first baseman Jorge Vidal doubled down the left field line, was sacrificed to third and came home two batters later when freshman left fielder Jaco Moreno singled to shallow left. Lost in the mix offensively was senior shortstop Devon Torrez, who collected a pair of hits. On the mound, Garrison did all he could to keep the Pioneers in the game, going four innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run.

“I think he did amazing,” said Serrano. “He came in with runners on and don’t get me wrong, they got the timely hit with two outs. But he was one pitch away from getting out of the inning with nobody scoring. But he’s a good kid; he can pitch, and I think he’s going to be a guy coming out of the pen. He’s very, very savvy and he goes out there throwing strikes.”

The Pioneers will travel to Anaheim High on Friday before hosting Bolsa Grande High on Tuesday.

In other baseball action, Cerritos High defeated Ocean View High 7-1 last Thursday, then dropped a 5-0 decision to Woodbridge High this past Monday before getting past Lakewood High this past Wednesday to go to 3-1. The Dons hosted Long Beach Poly High on Feb. 5 and will host St. Anthony High on Monday and Poly again on Wednesday.

Gahr High has won its first three games of the season, the last coming last Friday in a 1-0 decision against El Dorado High. The Gladiators, who have outscored their first their first three opponents 23-4, dropped a 1-0 decision to Harvard-Westlake High this past Wednesday in a makeup game and will go to St. John Bosco High on Friday and Norco High on Wednesday.

John Glenn High was blanked by Paramount High 8-0 last Thursday before edging Compton High 1-0 this past Tuesday for its first win of the season. The Eagles will visit Magnolia High on Friday, host Saddleback High on Tuesday and travel to Tustin High on Thursday.

La Mirada High is off to a 4-1 start after whitewashing Trabuco Hills High 9-0 last Saturday in the Perfect Game Southern California Showdown, then blasting Garfield High 13-0 this past Tuesday. The Matadores went to South Hills High on Feb. 5 for their last scheduled game until Mar. 13.

Norwalk High, which dropped a 5-2 affair to St. Paul High last Saturday, will visit Mayfair High on Friday in Mid-Cities League action, then go to Paramount High on Tuesday before welcoming Kennedy High on Thursday.

Valley Christian High (1-3) lost to Poly 7-1 this past Monday and will Campbell Hall High on Saturday while Whitney High doubled up La Puente High 8-4 this past Monday for its first win of the season in four games. The Wildcats then shutout Workman High 15-0 this past Wednesday and will go to Calvary Chapel Downey High on Friday and Compton on Saturday before hosting Westminster High on Monday.

SOFTBALL

After an opening-season win over Firebaugh High, Artesia has dropped three straight games, the latest being a 16-4 setback to Norwalk this past Tuesday. The Pioneers will face Capistrano Valley Christian High on Friday in the Ocean View Tournament, host Bellflower on Tuesday and go to Paramount on Thursday.

Cerritos evened its record to 2-2 after a dominating 14-4 win over Loara High this past Wednesday. The Dons will be off until Thursday when they go to North Torrance High.

Glenn fell to Firebaugh 22-1 this past Tuesday to fall to 0-3, having been outscored 62-13. The Eagles will host Samueli Academy on Tuesday while Norwalk improved to 3-1 with the win over Artesia. The Lancers hosted Wilson High on Mar. 5 and participate in the Santa Fe Tournament on Saturday before hosting Whittier High on Thursday.

Finally, V.C. lost to Long Beach Poly 8-1 this past Tuesday to see its mark go to 2-2. The Defenders will host San Leandro High on Friday.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Gahr, which has not played since losing to Aliso Niguel 66-59 in a CIF-Southern Section Division 3 semifinal game on Feb. 20, was granted the top seed in the Division III state playoffs where it knocked off Narbonne High 67-51 this past Tuesday. The Gladiators (22-10) hosted eighth-seeded Shalhevet High on Mar. 5 with the winner facing either #13 Atascadero High or #5 Colony High on Saturday in a Southern California Regional semifinal game. This is Gahr’s best record since the 2014-2015 team went 26-8.