By Tim Peterson
(Arcadia) – Harvard-Westlake scored six runs in the fourth inning and added four more in the fifth and cruised to a 13-0 rout of Arcadia Tuesday in the CIF Division 1 playoffs at Giambrone Field.
Freshman Bryce Rainer threw five scoreless innings and allowed just one hit for Harvard-Westlake while striking out nine.
The offense got the only that was needed in the first inning when George Cooper was hit by a pitch, stole second, took third on a ground ball and scored when Jordan Kang was caught off first in a run down and Cooper raced home.
The Wolverines broke it open in the six run fourth. Brent Markinson and Jordan Kang both singled and Toussaint Biggins walked to load the bases. Two wild pitches scored two runs, Alex Shane singled in a run and Alex Citron doubled in two more. Cooper’s base hit scored another and when the dust had settled it was 7-0 Westlake.
The Wolverines also chased starter Casey Spencer in the fourth who went three and two-thirds. Harvard-Westlake added four more in the fifth on base hits by Markinson, Kang and Shane and a big triple by Biggins. It was 11-0 after five and everything was done except the final box score.
The Apaches managed just two hits off of three Westlake pitchers. Mikey Easter doubled in the first inning and Devin Eskridge singled in the sixth.
Arcadia used three pitchers as well. Spencer was followed by Harrison Meyers and Julian Eskridge.
The Apaches, who won the Pacific League, finished the season 22-5 overall while Harvard-Westlake advances to the third round.
Bryce Rainer is a freshman? Boy, he looks tall. Bryce might end up with a few no-hitters, if he hasn’t thrown one already.