Center fielder Jake Curneen (13) of Gahr makes a diving catch on a pop fly by El Dorado’s Lucas Raya (48) in the first inning in the semifinals of the National Classic baseball tournament at El Dorado High School in Placentia on Thursday, April 4, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
PLACENTIA — The bats stayed hot for the El Dorado baseball team in a 10-0 victory over Gahr in the semifinals of the National Classic Thursday at El Dorado High School.
The game ended after the fifth inning because of the tournament’s mercy rule, which is triggered when a team has a 10-run lead after five innings.
El Dorado (12-8) has scored a total of 28 runs in its three victories in the tournament, which included a 7-6, come-from-behind victory over Granada Hills Charter on Wednesday, when the Hawks scored four runs in their final at-bat.
The Hawks advance to the tournament championship, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday at El Dorado.
“We knew what they were capable of,” El Dorado coach Matt Lucas said of his team’s offense. “Early in the year we were kind of struggling a little bit offensively, but it seems like everybody’s kind of on the same page offensively. Guys are having good at-bats, and it’s kind of rolling right now.”
El Dorado also got another fine performance on the mound from Esperanza transfer Travis Maxwell, who allowed four hits, had four strikeouts, picked two runners off second base and didn’t allow a runner to get past second.
Maxwell, who by CIF-SS rules had to sit out the first month of the season as a transfer, improved to 3-0 and hasn’t allowed a run since becoming eligible to play.
“Since he’s become eligible, he’s kind of been our guy,” Lucas said. “We knew he would have a good outing. He’s done a good job for us.”
The Hawks collected five hits in a row and sent nine hitters to the plate in a four-run first.
Nine hitters in the lineup had at least one hit and eight of nine scored at least one run.
Diego Gonzalez, who singled to drive in a run and then scored the winning run in Wednesday’s game, went 2 for 3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBIs.
Jake Vanderzee went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored and Brady Abner went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
“We came into this game ready to play,” Gonzalez said. “We put up four in the first. After that I was pretty confident we were going to win. We just needed to scratch a couple here and there.”
The Hawks’ recent surge offensively comes after the team had difficulty scoring early in the season.
“I feel like everybody’s just gained confidence in themselves the past few weeks,” Gonzalez said. “You can feel it in the dugout. Everybody’s just so much better energy.”
El Dorado shortstop A.J. Frausto snagged a grounder deep in the hole and made a long throw to Vanderzee at first to retire the runner for the first out of the fifth.
In the same inning, the Hawks also turned a 4-6-3 double play for the final two outs of the game.
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