CHINO HILLS — The first inning ended with a play at the plate. It was an indicator of things to come for the home team.
Senior Matt Mendez was called out trying to take an early lead, and Chino Hills totaled just two hits in a 5-1 loss to Torrance on Friday in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 first-round game.
“That’s a run we could’ve had early,” Chino Hills coach Alex Sanchez said. “Unfortunately, things didn’t go the way we wanted them to.”
Last year’s CIFSS Division 5 champions, Chino Hills (18-11 overall) was shut down by Torrance sophomore right-handed starter Aiden Ayala.
“He challenged our guys and he was competitive,” Sanchez said. “That’s a very good program. They’ve been in Division I before and we knew we couldn’t take them lightly.”
Ayala faced just three batters above the minimum through six innings but got out of trouble in the first and second innings with a little help.
In the first, Mendez tried to score from second base on a single by senior Frankie Brazil and appeared to beat the throw but was called out to the dismay of the home side.
In the second, Jacob Jimenez earned a base on balls and stole second before junior Tatem Borgogno hit a slow roller down the third base line with two out. Jimenez rounded third and was on his way home when Borgogno was plugged in the back by the throw and was called out for runner’s interference to end the inning.
“A couple of calls didn’t go our way,” Sanchez said. “We weren’t able to get that timely hit when we needed it.”
Aiden Bui reached on an error and scored on another to give Torrance (18-10) the lead, and Hector Chavez hit a two-run home run over the right field wall to make it 3-0 in the third.
Bui walked and scored again in the fourth, and another defensive miscue cost Chino Hills in the fifth after Chavez was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a throwing error for a 5-0 lead.
“Sometimes you gotta get a call to go your way, especially on the road,” Torrance coach Rob Ybarra said. “A play at the plate (and) the runner’s interference, those two plays helped us out.”
Junior left-hander Brody Buoncristiani, the winning pitcher in last year’s Division 5 championship game, put runners on base in each of his five frames of work.
“Brody’s been our guy all year, and even last year,” Sanchez said. “He’s been the guy that wants the ball and for everyone to get on his back, and today he got hit a little bit and our defense didn’t help him out.”
Buoncristiani allowed all five runs – three earned – on four hits with five walks and five strikeouts. He had Chino Hills’ other hit, a single in the third, and was 1 for 3.
Senior right-hander Aydan Maxson came into the game with one out in the fifth and kept Torrance quiet the rest of the way with four strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings.
Chino Hills loaded the bases in the seventh and Brazil scored on a double play before junior pinch hitter Gabe Hernandez grounded out to end the Huskies’ season.
