After a crushing 4-3 loss in last season’s CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Division Semifinals to league rival El Camino Real Royals, the No. 1 ranked Birmingham Patriots have responded brilliantly this season with a 21-4 campaign. The two teams reunited with a rematch at Birmingham last Friday, May1, after the Patriots routed the No. 2 ranked Royals 10-2 earlier in the week. With both teams at the top of the West Valley League and the City Section, Birmingham showed off their prowess at the plate with a seven-run third inning in a convincing 9-1 win over the Royals, expanding their winning streak to nine. 

Birmingham junior pitcher Nathan Soto took the mound for the Patriots in the 1st inning, where he was able to get out of an early jam with a double play after allowing two runners on base. Royals junior pitcher Hudson December earned the start for El Camino Real, where he held the Patriots scoreless and hitless in the bottom of the 1st inning. Soto earned his first strikeout in the top of the 2nd inning where he once again settled into a scoreless inning after allowing baserunners, this time a double to Royals senior infielder Blake Dubin. 

Patriots sophomore second baseman Carlos Acuna got the ball rolling in the bottom of the 2nd with a single to start the inning. He was able to advance to third base after El Camino Real committed an error on a double-play attempt on a groundout from Birmingham senior first baseman Sebastian Valadez. Junior outfielder Toni Mendoza knocked in the first run of the game with a single to give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage. 

Birmingham sophomore outfielder Jordan Lindsay put a second runner on base with a single, but December limited the damage in the inning, as he earned his first strikeout of the contest in his final two outs. El Camino Real responded in the top of the third inning with two singles from juniors Ryan Hauptman and Jackson Sellz. Hauptman advanced to third base on a groundout and proceeded to score on a sacrifice fly from Royals senior outfielder J.J. Saffie to even the score at 1-1. 

Soto closed the inning with a pickoff at first base from Saffie on a stolen base attempt. Birmingham opened up the bottom of the 3rd inning with consecutive walks from junior shortstop Julius Monroe-Trutt and senior catcher Larkin Fleming. Senior designated hitter Aidan Martinez knocked in two runs with a double to give the Patriots a 3-1 lead. On the next at-bat, Acuna earned his second hit of the game with an RBI single to put another run on the scoreboard for Birmingham. 

El Camino Real Head Coach Josh Lienhard decided to make a pitching change when December hit Valadez with a pitch. Royals junior pitcher Macai Friedman took the mound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. After Acuna stole third base, Mendoza knocked in two runners before being thrown out at second base for the first out of the inning with the Patriots leading 6-1. 

Lindsay and junior outfielder Ethan Dalumpines each added a single before sophomore outfielder J.J. Rodriguez loaded the bases for Birmingham with a walk. Monroe-Truit hit an RBI single to score Lindsay, while freshman outfielder Izdel Gutierrez scored as a pinch runner on a sacrifice fly from Fleming. 

Birmingham finished the 3rd inning with an 8-1 lead after the astounding seven run onslaught. Birmingham head coach Matt Mowry credited the team’s up the middle approach at the plate to their offensive output in the third inning. 

Soto returned to the mound in the top of the 4th inning where he registered his second strikeout of the contest. After surrendering singles to Dubin and Royals’ junior outfielder Ryan Glassman, Soto once again received help from his defense with a double-play to close the inning. 

Friedman held the Patriots scoreless in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings while earning a strikeout in the process. Soto struck out two more batters in the top of the 5th inning and threw out a runner at second on a stolen base attempt for the final out. Mowry has been pleased with the growth of Soto throughout the season, “He’s been getting better each week.” 

Soto recorded his fifth strikeout and scoreless inning in the sixth before El Camino Real made a pitching change to Hauptman in the already lopsided affair. Martinez reached base for the Patriots with a walk and Valadez plated him with an RBI single. Martinez did appear to tweak his hamstring as he was crossing home plate, as the Patriots took a 9-1 lead. 

The game moved along to the seventh inning after Hauptman recorded the final out. Soto showed signs of fatigue, putting two runners on with a single and a hit-by-pitch. Birmingham junior right-hander Eduardo Ramirez came on in relief and registered the final three outs to seal the ninth consecutive win for Birmingham and the season series in the West Valley League. 

Having gained a 2-1 advantage in the season series over the Royals heading into the playoffs, Mowry understands the postseason presents a different challenge given each team’s history with one another.  “When the playoffs come, it’s a completely different animal.”, he said in the postgame interview. Birmingham will close the regular season on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, having defeated Cleveland 9-1 this Monday. El Camino Real will finish their season series against the Granada Hills Highlanders also on Thursday, having secured a 1-0 win against the Highlanders on Tuesday. Both games are set for first pitch at 3:00 p.m.