Boys Baseball Gives It Their All in Tough Loss Against Irvine High

Nina Krish and Olivia Ganes

Center fielder, second baseman and senior Eli Serrano runs to third base during the first inning, earning the first run of the game. “So far this season has been pretty good,” Serrano said. “It’s started off pretty slow. I couldn’t get many hits the first couple games, but these past couple games, I’ve picked it up a little bit, so I’m just going to keep it up.”

Baseball (5-3) lost 12-7 in its second home game in its series against Irvine High on April 9. Their next game is on April 24 in an away game against Woodbridge High.

The first inning began with strong communication, driving two runs early on. Their momentum continued throughout the second inning as the fielding was united, resulting in minimal movement from the Vaqueuros. New baseball head coach Brody Osborne said that he has helped the boys make improvements on their fielding techniques, positively impacting their performance in this game.

“Communication is key in baseball,” Osborne said. “Their growth and communication as a team and individuals have grown significantly, which leads to success on the mound or on the field and at the plate. Being able to work together and become a team is a huge deal. So watching them come together as a team, as brothers shows a big part on the field and success.”

During the bottom of the third inning, captain, catcher and senior Jack Wang earned a run which evened the score 3-3. The momentum carried through the top of the fourth inning where center fielder, second baseman and senior Eli Serrano caught a ball midair for the Vaqueros’ third out.

“It was a pretty hard ball to read,” Serrano said. “It was off the bat. It was hit pretty hard. I had to run back pretty fast to it, and then at the last second I had to jump. I was pretty relieved. I thought it was going over my head.”

In the last three innings, the Bulldogs put up a good fight against the Vaqueros, but were ultimately beaten out by their strong defense. This was an improvement from the first game against Irvine High on April 9, where the Bulldogs lost 2-8.

“This game had a much better outcome than the first game this week,” Osborne said. “We had a lot of positivity on the mound, both with pitching and defense around them. We had our bats live. We just couldn’t find the gaps when it was time. But overall, it was a better outcome than the previous game.”

The Bulldogs hope to make it to the playoffs for CIF and finish out their season strong.

“Our main goals are to clean up the defense and get clearer communication, because that was definitely the problem that we had today,” captain, pitcher, second baseman and senior Keyan Park said. “We’re pushing for the playoffs, and we will continue to do that.”

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About the Contributors

Nina Krish, Managing Editor

Nina Krish is a Managing Editor for her third and final year on the Portola Pilot. She is beaming to finally write sports stories again with her best friend Olivia. In her free time, you can find her baking or making matcha with Kayley. She frequents Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in search of new snacks to eat during Pilot. She can’t wait to work with the new staff and plan the best parties.

Olivia Ganes, Visual Director

Olivia Ganes is the Visual Director and the Social Media Manager for her third and final year on the Portola Pilot. She’s excited to design new graphics and write sports stories with her best friend Nina. If she isn’t scrambling to finish her math homework, you can probably find her eating a snack and listening to her favorite music.