By Ryan Nakamura
Staff Writer
Photos by Stephanie Kim
The boys varsity baseball team suffered their first loss of the the preseason after a frustrating 7-6 defeat to Polytechnic High School on Tuesday, March 10. After a three game win streak, the boys was well prepared for Tuesday’s matchup against Poly, but fell short after an extra inning against the Panthers.
The Tigers drew first blood when senior Andrew Shults tallied the first run of the day with the help from junior Matthew Shults, who brought him home with an RBI in the first inning. Shults and senior Paul Amerine crossed the plate in the third, and senior Nic Ha reached home in the fourth, putting the Tigers up 4-1 after four innings.
Panthers responded back and quickly regrouped with some clutch plays in the fifth and sixth innings. The rejuvenated Poly team took advantage of the Tiger defense, as they failed to convert two double play opportunities during the fifth inning.
Junior Brandon Louie sparked the offense by hitting a ball off the fence for a double, scoring in senior Hermes Ip. Louie would eventually make it home, giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead.
However, Poly was able to tie it up sixth inning at 6-6, and both teams were locked in the heat of the game with neither defense letting anything get past them. However, in the eighth inning, the Panthers were able to score and shut down South Pasadena, taking the victory. The Tigers now have a 3-1 preseason record.
The boys hope to bounce back from their loss in their next game on Thursday, March 12 at 3:30 p.m.
