By Dave Thorpe Staff Writer
Serra is aiming to conquer the prep baseball world this season. Sweeping perennial powerhouse Bishop Amat in its first Del Rey League two-game series marked an impressive start.
Serra put pressure on Bishop Amat, which helped lead to several Lancers mishaps, and ran away with a 9-5 win on Friday at Serra.
Serra (15-5, 2-0), which is ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division III, beat Bishop Amat (6-10, 0-2) 6-0 on Tuesday.
Friday's game got a little wild by comparison.
Serra had three stolen bases and took advantage of five errors, particularly in a three-run second inning and a three-run fourth.
Khalil Denson led off the second with a single, Tim Ravare was hit by a pitch and Ryan Dobson reached on a grounder when no one covered first base.
After an RBI single by Robert Hunt, McKinnon hit a chopper between the pitcher and first base both players went for. He reached safely and a run scored when first base was left uncovered.
Dominic Smith added an RBI single and Serra led 4-1 after two innings.
Dobson led off the fourth inning with a single, and Hunt's sacrifice bunt attempt was a beauty. Third baseman Michael Hernandez picked up the bunt down the third-base line just before it appeared it would roll foul and had no play.
Denz'l Chapman followed with a push-bunt single to load the bases, then McKinnon hit a grounder to first base that was thrown
"For a program that has flourished for six years, winning three CIF championships in six years, I'm embarrassed with the product on the field right now," Bishop Amat coach Andy Nieto said.
Hunt had a hit-and-run single and McKinnon had a two-run single in the fifth inning for a 9-1 lead.
"This team puts pressure on defenses and forces teams into errors," Serra coach Wilmer Aaron said. "Teams are not used to seeing a team with our kind of speed."
Denson (6-1) threw five-plus innings and allowed four runs on six hits, two hit batters and one walk and a strikeout. Dobson allowed one run on three hits in two innings of relief.
"Denson was good today," Aaron said. "I'm used to seeing him throw exceptionally well. Today he was just good. He didn't have his breaking ball or splitter working, but he knows how to pitch and get the job done."
Hunt was 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Hammond was 1 for 3 with three RBIs for the Cavaliers.
Bishop Amat's bats came to life during a four-run sixth inning. Michael Palos had a leadoff double, Evan Claproth singled to put runners on the corners and Bryan Menendez hit a liner to center field that drove in two runs.
Menendez scored on an error and pinch hitter Justin Gonzales doubled and scored to pull Amat to within 9-5.
Nieto was not happy.
"We have not been at full strength all season because of injuries," Nieto said. "But my 8-year-old son knows what bases to cover and when the ball is hit to get the out at first. I'm frustrated and I'll be damned if I won't do something about it."
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