The Maranatha High School varsity baseball team was edged by visiting Millikan High of Long Beach, 3-2, in a CIF-Southern Section Division I first-round matchup on May 5. Senior Dylan Zdunek went 3-for-3 with a run, senior Bryan Richman registered a double and a run, and senior Cider Canon finished with a hit and an RBI. Senior Judson Pitre walked once while junior AJ Beltre reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole a base. Sophomore Zach Strickland was tagged with the loss after allowing three earned runs on one hit and three walks with four strikeouts while senior Jackson Hisey pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless relief with four hits and one walk. The Minutemen finished the campaign as undefeated Olympic League champions with a 12-0 record (21-6 overall). The Panthers lost to visiting Crean Lutheran High of Irvine, 24-3, in a CIFSouthern Section Division IV first-round matchup. Junior captain Henry McDonald recorded a home run, two RBIs and two runs, senior Charlie Brunold went 2-for-2 with a double and senior Nick Cardenas went 2-for-3 with a run. Senior Charlie Thorell tallied a hit and an RBI while junior Sean Asperger had a base hit. Sophomore Harrison Unanue pitched a scoreless inning of relief while senior August Shuckhart walked once. Polytechnic finished the season as the Prep League runner-up with an 8-4 record (11-11 overall).
First published in the May 18 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
