Big First Inning Powers Warriors Past East LA

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College had a big first inning and used it to defeat East Los Angeles, 7-2, in a South Coast Conference tilt on Saturday afternoon at Warrior Field.

The Warriors scored five times in the opening frame to overcome an early deficit and cruised to victory from there to take the series from the Huskies.

Lucas Bonham went 3-for-5 with a run scored with Gil Solis and Cameron O'Neil driving in two runs in the victory.

Luke Steward had a solid outing on the mound as he went seven innings and allowed just one run on three hits. He walked three and struck out four to pick up his third win of the season.

The Warriors found themselves behind early as Huskies' thirdbaseman Matias Nolasco smacked a solo home run off Steward with one out in the first inning.

But ECC stormed back in its half of the inning, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs on three hits. The Warriors capitalized on two walks and an error to blow the inning open. The big blow came when Slater Nunez hit a groundball to short, which was dropped by Jesus Peraza, allowing a run to score and Nunez to reach safely on the error.

O'Neil followed that with a two-run single to make it 4-1 ECC and the Warriors cruised to win from there.

Steward would retire the side in order in four of the next five innings. The Huskies got two runners on base in the fourth inning but Steward induced a double play in between those baserunners to limit the threat. In the seventh, he allowed two walks but the Huskies failed to get a hit in the frame.

The Warriors had to fade one more pickle in the ninth as the Huskies loaded the bases with one out against reliever Tyler Tellenbach, who pitched a scoreless eighth. After a hit batter forced a run in, the Warriors went to the bullpen again and summoned Nunez to get the last two outs. Nunez would get a strikeout and a groundout to end the game and pick up his third save of the season.

The Warriors will return to action on Tuesday afternoon as they begin a three-game conference series against Rio Hondo. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Warrior Field.