Torrance bats lead way in rout of Narbonne
HARBOR CITY » The Torrance baseball team collected 13 hits and scored in every inning Monday for a 13-2 victory over Narbonne in a nonleague game that was stopped after five innings.
Center fielder Ricky Ahumada and shortstop Mason Martinez had three hits apiece to lead the attack for the Tartars (5-2).
Four of the hits went for extra bases — all doubles.
“We don't have much home run hitters, but when we get going, we get going,” said Ahumada, who had three singles, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice.
Martinez had two doubles and a single, and collected an RBI and scored two runs.
“The key is to just mentally be relaxed and wait for your pitch,” Martinez said.
Ahumada added that the production was “a boost” for Torrance, which plays its Pioneer League opener today at West
Torrance.
The game Monday had been postponed Friday and Saturday because of rain.
Designated hitter Thomas Adair started the onslaught with a two-out, two-run single that put the Tartars up 2-0 in the first inning.
“We had first base open right there,” Gauchos coach Bill Dillon said. “We've had better days.”
Torrance sent seven batters to the plate in the inning.
In the second inning, after a walk and a single by Torrance, Narbonne made a pitching change. Third baseman AJ Herrera came on in relief and limited the damage, holding Torrance to a sacrifice fly that made it 3-0.
“We were in favorable counts, hitting counts, and that kind of helps,” Tartars coach Rob Ybarra said. “We've been really working hard, getting determined at the plate trying to swing at good pitches, and it paid off today.”
Narbonne (4-4) got a run back on Derek Bringas' bloop single, but Torrance did not let up.
The Tartars added four runs in the third, highlighted by a bases-clearing double from starting pitcher Anthony Macias, to push the advantage to 7-1.
On the mound, Macias worked two innings in a spot start and allowed a run on two hits to pick up the win. The left-hander worked methodically, striking out two, walking one and hitting a batter.
“We don't usually play on Mondays, so he picked (us) up and helped out on a Monday start,” Ybarra said of Macias.
Torrance tacked on three more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.
Narbonne got a fourth-inning RBI double from Jaylen Thomas.
“We hit some balls hard, but it just seemed like we were uphill from the first inning,” Dillon said.
Dillon added that the issues started with the lack of command on the mound. Narbonne pitchers issued seven walks, including five through the first three innings.
“We put them in good counts because we couldn't throw strikes today,” Dillon said. “I think one reason we've been successful early is because we've thrown strikes and we haven't walked guys. Today was the opposite. It didn't make a difference who we were throwing today.”