Sports
12 El Camino College Union
May 1, 2014
Warriors advance to state finals Cynnamon Baker Staff Writer @ECCUnionCBaker
Making it count
Charles Ryder / Union
The Warriors celebrate their play-in victory against Mt. SAC on Tuesday April 29, 2014. The Warriors advance to the playoffs. The score is 2-1 Warriors.
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Brian Camacho Staff Writer @ECCUnionBrian
in or go home. That was the situation the EC men’s baseball team found itself in Tuesday night against Mt. San Antonio College as both teams battled for the final playoff spot. The Warriors clinched the No. 16 seed in the playoffs by defeating the Mounties 2-1 at Mt. SAC in a game that was hard-fought and evenly matched to the very end. “We’re excited to be able to play after the regular season,” coach Nate Fernley said. “It was nice to prove to ourselves that we can finish games.” Despite having dropped the final three games of the season, the Warriors were given the opportunity to make the playoffs by competing in a play-in game and they took full advantage of the situation. “We were not going to lose. If we get a chance like that then we are going to take advantage of it right off the bat,” sophomore third baseman Jack Canady said. “We’re making a playoff run.” Sophomore starting pitcher Andy Burschinger had perhaps his best start of the season when it mattered most. Pitching a complete game while striking out 6 batters and only allowing 4 hits. Burschinger finished the regular season with a team-best 2.31 ERA in 66 innings pitched. “For about five seconds I closed my eyes on the mound just thought about how far we’d come, how far I’ve come and what’s important right now,” Burschinger said. “I came to the conclusion that was the next pitch. It’s always been the next pitch.”
Everyone was making contact as the team racked up 12 hits but had little to show for it as they left 10 runners on base. Luckily, the Warriors were able to get timely hits when they needed it most. Sophomore second baseman Joseph Cortez started off the top of the 3rd with a lead off single followed by a sacrifice bunt by freshman center fielder Keyon Allen and a single by freshman left fielder Alex Turner. Freshman shortstop Fred Smith brought Cortez home with an RBI single down the right-field line that gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead. “It was a must-win today,” Smith said. “Win or go home. We needed this one and it was huge for us, Bursch[inger] pitched a great game.” The Mounties would strike back in the bottom of 6th with a single into left field that would tie the game at one run apiece. Although the Warriors would quickly respond in the top of the 7th. Cortez once again led the inning off with a bunt single and a stolen base to get into scoring position. Hatch would bring home the go-ahead-run with an RBI single into right field. This gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead that they would hold onto the rest of the game. “You don’t really get second chances very often,” sophomore first baseman Dylan Hatch said. “We were going to make sure that we give it our all, 110 percent.” The Warriors will certainly have their work cut out for them as they have earned a date with the No. 1 seeded team in the playoffs, Orange Coast College. The two teams will open up the first round of the playoffs with a best of three series this Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, at Orange Coast College. “We can compete against anyone,” Fernley said. “It’s just dependent on how we execute so that’s what we’ll have to focus on.”
Charles Ryder / Union
Andy Burschinger, Warriors’ pitcher, gets a victory shower after going the distance against Mt. San Antonio College on Tuesday April 29, 2014. The Warriors defeated the Mounties 2-1.
On your mark, get set, go. The battle for the top spot begins. The EC men’s and women’s track and field teams competed to reach the state finals last week. “There was no event more exciting than the others,” Dean Lofgren, track and field coach said. “They were all good.” The EC Warriors track and field team battled it out with six different colleges to grab third place in the South Coast Conference for both the men’s and women’s team. The conference prelims took place on Tuesday April 22, and determined who advanced to the finals on Friday April 25. The overall score for the team men’s team was 119.5 and 111 for the women’s team, trailing only Cerritos College and Mt. San Antonio College according to directathletic.com. “Third is quite respectable in the conference,” Lofgren said. “Our standard outstanding performers did what we anticipated.” While the teams took third in conference, some athletes advanced to the SoCal preliminaries that take place on tomorrow and Saturday. “Both teams are beast and honestly I can’t wait to see how far we go in these next few meets,” decathlete freshman Khalil McClain said. Those advancing include Kiera Griffin, Michael Orrentia and Christopher Street. “We hope they continue to move up,” Lofgren said. “We are hoping they do well in the finals and advance to the State meet.” Crystal Lizaola, sophomore hurdler and EC 2014 Women’s Athlete of The Year, finished first in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 62.11 and also took third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.85 seconds. Syrea Hicks, freshman hurdler, won the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.17. Even if the expectations weren’t met, these Warriors strive for excellence to make their coaches proud. “Hopefully we can give them more and show them that they didn’t waste a thousand hours for nothing,” McClain said.
Bonsky and Aguilar each knock in a pair of runs in season finale
Dream season comes to an end for men’s volleyball team
Rocky Rivera
Joel Leon Staff Writer @ECCUnionJoel
Staff Writer @ECCUnionRocky The mood was calm and the breeze cool. Nothing could sour the optimism in the air last Tuesday as EC’s softball team wrapped up the season with style. Despite going down early against Long Beach, the Warriors scored all of their runs in the third inning and capped off the season with a 5-1 home win. “We’re kind of known for feeding off each other,” freshman pitcher Danielle Bonsky said. “If one of us gets a hit then another, and another, and another, it just keeps rolling.” Long Beach took the lead at the top of the first inning but the Warriors shut them out for the rest of the game. “We had a slow start in the first two innings just because we knew we were all on the front,” freshman shortstop Victoria Garcia said. “I mean some of our hits weren’t as great as we wanted them to be but it came through and we scored those runs.” The third inning was when EC got things rolling offensively. Freshman infielder Kathy Orozco singled to right field for an RBI equalizing the score.
Bonsky and freshman catcher Miranda Aguilar added two RBIs a piece to take a huge lead into the final innings. “I really was waiting on it,” Orozco said about her RBI. “As I hit it I was like ‘it’s gone, they’re not catching it,’ and then that kind of just started the rally up. We scored four or five runs in that inning and that’s the momentum we took throughout the game.” The Warriors did their defensive job to close off the game. Bonsky pitched the entire game earning three strikeouts and allowing three hits. “I think Dani [Bonsky] had a day today,” coach Elaine Martinez said. “The first time we played them [Long Beach] she pitched a one-hitter. Today she came out with a three-hitter, so outstanding job. She led our defense today and did a good job.” Freshman Reina Trejo who hit four home runs this season missed her first game of the season to attend a family wedding, Martinez said. The Warriors finish the season with a record of 11-10 in the conference and 1918 overall which leaves them in fourth place in the South Coast Conference. This is EC’s best record since Martinez joined the coaching staff in 2011.
John Fordiani / Union
Sophomore middle blocker Karl Acres, spikes the ball to Santa Monica College, during the CCCAA state championships on Wednesday April 23, at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California. The Warriors played SMC in a fierce match, which they lost 3-0.
“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” This quote perfectly sums up what the El Camino men’s volleyball team were about this 2014 season. Finishing in first place, as well as capturing their first conference title, the Warriors saw their season end as they lost against Santa Monica in the semifinal, last Wednesday. “It was a great run, I’m proud of all of them,” coach Dick Blount said. “I told them I wouldn’t trade them for any kid I’ve seen all year.” Despite having lost the game 3-0, the Warriors can leave with their heads up high, because against all odds, they proved their worth and were a top contending team. “It was fun playing with the team. We really didn’t expect to get that far,” sophomore Errol Basconcillo said. “We love volleyball, and that’s what we
played.” More than just playing volleyball, the team showed unity, which resulted in only one lose throughout the whole season. “The team is great, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys. Everybody was dedicated, and everybody wanted to be there,” sophomore and captain Roy Powell said. “It’s bittersweet to see them go.” Most of the starting team consisted of sophomore players who will not play next year, but who without a doubt injected the same will to win in the freshmen players. ‘I see promise, I see a lot of heart, I see a lot of dedication,” Powell added. It was playing with heart, and staying dedicated that made it a promising season for the Warriors, and despite the lose, friends and family were proud of the team. [See Volleyball, Page 11]