By Aaron Valdez
Across all sports, it always stings the most when a team makes it all the way to the championship game but ends up falling short.
For Monrovia baseball, making it all the way to last season’s CIF-SS Division 4 title game and losing to La Quinta has given the Wildcats a better-than-ever taste of championship glory. This season, the Wildcats have a big axe to grind and have leaked out to a 3-2 record thanks to a solid performance at their own Dave Moore Classic from Feb. 18 to 23.
Monrovia routed Palmdale 13-4 to open the season and the tournament but wound up coming up short to Muir 5-2 in the same day. The team bounced back against Mountain View as they bagged a 6-1 victory but then lost to Salesian 8-3 the next game.
In the final contest, the Wildcats managed to top Sierra Vista 7-2 where six different Wildcats finished with at least one RBI. Sophomore Nate Thompson led the way with two RBIs while pitcher Chantz Powers powered his through 4.1 innings of work, which included three strikeouts 1.62 ERA. Relief pitcher Logan Barnier also got the save with two strikeouts and no hits in 2.2 innings.
The Wildcats will pounce right into Rio Hondo League play as they will face off against South Pasadena on Friday at home.
