All season long, the Centurions’ offense has been a lineup that opposing Foothill League pitchers have been unable to stop.
After the Saugus offense tagged three runs in the first inning, the Centurions powered though the Hawks’ pitching staff and won, 9-1, over Hart and recorded their sixth Foothill League win of the season.
“I think you have to play really good baseball to beat [Hart],” Saugus head coach Mike Miller said. “I thought we played well on the offensive side. We pitched and played good defense. And to beat a great team like [Hart], you have to be ready to play those three sides of baseball.”
Following Wednesday’s win over Hart (10-9-1, 5-1-1), the Centurions (10-10, 6-3) lead the Foothill League in runs scored and held the top spot in many offensive league statistics such as batting average and home runs.
One of the Centurions who led Saugus to the win was Matt Long, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs driven in and two runs scored.
After the game, Long said the series between the Hawks and Saugus is important in terms of the Foothill League title race.
Long added that it was important to set the tone in the first game with the offensive display and use that momentum for Friday’s series finale.
“We just jumped on them early and got in the pitchers’ head,” Long said. “We were just really looking to take advantage of the first game and set the tone for the next game on Friday.”
The Centurions tagged three runs in the bottom of the first off Hart’s Malachi Wobrock, who’s a commit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The Centurions tallied 13 hits across the game en route to the win.
On the mound, Gavin Diaz started for the Centurions and, according to Miller, stopped a good Hawks’ offense that is second in the Foothill League in runs scored.
“[Gavin Diaz] is just very confident up there, he’s not very emotional,” Miller said. “He makes great pitches in times we need him. And he got out of bases-loaded jams when we needed him … We’ve been leaning on him all year and he’s been doing a great job for us.”
Diaz threw for six innings and struck out four Hart batters while allowing one run.
Noah Garcia relieved Diaz in the fifth inning and threw three scoreless frames and held the Hawks at bay with three strikeouts.
Even with the loss, the Hawks remain in first place in the Foothill League with a 5-1-1 record and will look to bounce back in the series finale Friday against the Centurions at Saugus High School with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
After Wednesday’s games, here are scores from around the Foothill League:
West Ranch 4, Valencia 2: The Wildcats (13-10, 7-2) won in come from behind fashion over the Valencia Vikings (7-12-1, 2-4-1) after the West Ranch offense tagged three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Wildcats’ Connor Clayton led the comeback efforts with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh and went 2-for-3 at the plate for the day.
The series between the Wildcats and Vikings picks back up on Friday at West Ranch High School with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Golden Valley 10, Canyon 1: The Golden Valley Grizzlies (10-9, 1-6) secured their first Foothill League win of the season in a home victory over the Canyon Cowboys (8-11, 0-7).
The Grizzlies’ Charlie Butts threw for six innings and struck out seven Cowboy batters en route to the win with Ayden Renstrom leading the day at the plate as he went 2-for-3 with two runs driven in.
The series between the Grizzlies and Cowboys picks back up on Friday at Canyon High School with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
