SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO >> Orange Lutheran got an excellent pitching performance Wednesday from Louis Rodriguez in a 4-2 win over La Mirada in the second round of the Boras Classic South at JSerra High.
The senior pitched a complete game, allowed two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts. Entering the seventh inning, he had faced the minimum 18 hitters, allowed just one hit and threw 52 pitches.
“It was a masterpiece,” Orange Lutheran coach Eric Borba said. “The kid just pumps strikes. It’s a great example for our younger guys. Every time he takes the mound we know we have a chance to win.”
Rodriguez has seven wins this season in 10 appearances with 55 strikeouts in 45 innings and an earned run average of 0.77.
The win sets up a matchup Thursday between Orange Lutheran (20-3) and Trinity League foe JSerra in the semifinals of the Boras Classic. The game is at 6 p.m. at JSerra.
The Lancers took two out of three games from JSerra in a league series earlier this season.
“We love the competition,” Borba said of playing JSerra. “It’s always fun when we play each other and we are looking forward to the opportunity.”
Orange Lutheran (20-3) scored all of its runs in the third inning when it batted around. Chase Cummings led off the inning with a walk and stole second base to get into scoring position. He was driven in by Derek Curiel’s double, giving the Lancers a 1-0 lead.
Mikey Romero drove in a run with a single and Casey Borba hit a sacrifice fly to put the Lancers ahead 3-0. Ben Reiland capped the rally by drawing a bases-loaded walk to make the score 4-0.
The Lancers’ bats were stymied from then on by La Mirada’s freshman pitcher Paul Dominguez, who allowed just two hits over 4 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
“The difference between the first guy and the second guy was challenging,” Borba said. “The first guy was throwing off speed and Dominguez throws in the upper 80s. I thought we had some hard hit balls right at people, but he definitely did a great job for a freshman.”
La Mirada (17-5-1) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs. After a leadoff walk, Eric Jeon doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Freshman Maverick Russell hit a two-run single.
Prior to the game Wednesday, Orange Lutheran learned that it had clinched the outright Trinity League championship when St. John Bosco defeated Santa Margarita in an afternoon game.
“It’s a little strange getting the news when we weren’t even together but it’s great news,” Borba said. “The Trinity League is as tough a league as there is in the nation. Every time you get a chance to get that plaque and hang it on the wall, it’s something these kids will remember for the rest of their lives.”
La Mirada will play St. Augustine of San Diego Thursday at 3 p.m. at Mater Dei High.
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