Sports
Wildcats Can't Claw Back Against Hamilton
The University High baseball team falls to 0-3 in the Western League after 6-3 loss.
It's been a rocky start to Western League play for the University High varsity baseball team, but coaches and players know there's a long way to go.
The Wildcats began the season on a tear, winning eight of their first 11 games, but they are still in search of their first league win after falling to rival Hamilton 6-3 at home on a windy Thursday afternoon.
"The problem is the sticks -- we're just not hitting," said University assistant coach Kirk Romo, an All-City catcher for the Wildcats when they last won the league title in 1995. "The defense is awesome and we have five or six solid pitchers we can send out there. Right now, our weakness is hitting."
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Hamilton (3-6 overall, 2-1 in league) scored a run in the second inning, then added three in the third and one in the fourth to build a commanding 5-0 lead behind starting pitcher Angelo Kern.
University (9-5, 0-3) capitalized on three Hamilton errors to score three runs in the sixth and pull within 5-3. Nolan Flashman singled to score Ricardo Calzada, Kenji Nishidi scored on Aaron Ramirez' RBI groundout, then Flashman scored from third when a pick-off attempt skipped into left field.
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Ramirez, the Wildcats' center fielder and co-captain, was called on to relieve starter Calzada in the seventh inning and allowed the Yankees' last run on a squeeze play but avoided further trouble by inducing groundouts by infielder Kevin Lopez and outfielder Marc Huberman.
"We haven't played our best team ball yet," said Ramirez, who is being scouted by Long Beach State. "I only have three pitches -- a fastball, slider and forkball."
University dropped its league opener at Venice 5-2 last week and lost to Hamilton 7-6 on Tuesday. The Wildcats host Venice in a makeup of a rainout on Friday at University.
"We told our kids when the season started that we can contend for the league title and we still believe that," said Romo, filling in for head coach Jarret Barbarick, who missed Thursday's game. "Palisades has been the club to beat for years, but several teams could take it this year."
Ramirez believes it's far too early to count the Wildcats out of the league race.
"If we play as a team, we'll be hard to beat," he said. "We have the pieces, we just have to put it all together. We have to have a winning mentality and not get too down on ourselves when we fall behind."
