Complete Game Shutout by Villegas Gives Huskies Series-Opening Win

story by Stephen Morales (X: @grecomeco23)

Photos by Mario Villegas (X: @marvilljr)

East Los Angeles College Baseball arrived at the final series of the season, knowing they need a series win against the Lancers of Pasadena City College to keep their playoff hopes afloat.

To start the biggest series of the season, Huskies Head Coach Alec Adame gave the ball to one of his top starters in Ricardo Villegas. And "Kiki" (as his teammates call him) more than answered the bell, tossing a complete game shutout as the Huskies (19-18, 12-10) beat Pasadena City (19-16, 10-12) 4-0 to open this critical series.

Villegas was dominant in his outing, scattering eight hits and striking out three while throwing 117 pitches, 74 for strikes. One key for Villegas this afternoon was being able to bear down when needed: the Lancers frequently got their leadoff hitter on base and into scoring position, but Villegas got key outs in pressure situations in large part due to crisp, clean play by his defense. Only two Lancers managed to reach third base, and ELAC was able to turn a double play as well.

"The team was behind me today." Villegas said. "Everybody was up. It felt like a playoff atmosphere."

Pasadena starter Isaac Ton started the game as well as Villegas, matching the Northview HS product batter for batter up the fifth inning. With one out in the fifth, back to back singles from Rainer Gahagan and Jesus Peraza would bring up the Pack's leadoff hitter in Evan Chavez. On a 2-2 count, Chavez drilled one over the wall in left, a three-run bomb to jump the Huskies to a 3-0 lead.

Armed with said lead, Villegas worked through a fairly quick sixth inning. He allowed a two-out triple to Adrian Roman but he stranded the runner there, retiring the next batter in Rocco Regan on a groundout to second. With East LA up to bat again, Matias Nolasco would walk and Jesse Rojas would next be hit by a pitch. PCC pitcher Aiden Nunez then relieved Ton, but had trouble locating the strike zone: he issued back to back walks to Felipe De Alba and Gahagan to score Nolasco for the fourth Huskies run.

Villegas would take care of the rest, retiring nine of the last eleven Lancers in route to the complete game shutout.

"It feels like the momentum is in our hands," Villegas said after the game.

HUSKY BITS

• Chavez would finish 1-4 with his three-run home run, while Gahagan and Matthew Vargas had two hits each.
• Nolasco walked twice and Mahki Clark, Manny Ramirez Jr and Peraza each added a hit as well.

UP NEXT:

The Huskies continue the series with Pasadena City by visiting the Lancers on Thursday before the finale back home on Friday.