BASEBALL: Rams shut down South Hills

By John Honell, Correspondent

WEST COVINA - Temple City High School sophomore Dusty Sanderson gave up two hits in six innings, handing South Hills a 2-0 loss in a nonleague baseball game Tuesday - the Huskies' first defeat after eight victories.
Sanderson didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning, an infield single by Tyler Buffington, and was never in trouble in cruising to his second win.
"That was an excellent win for the Rams," coach Barry Bacon said. "That is the second quality start he has given us. He took a no-hitter into the fifth earlier, and gave up two hits today. He told me on the bus, `Coach, I've got it. I'm going to throw well today.' He's our most competitive big game kind of kid. He loves to compete."
South Hills, with no games until it resumes San Antonio League play next week, went with a committee of pitchers that almost matched Sanderson.
Sophomore Dakota Behr and seniors Nico Chico and E.J. Macias each pitched two innings, and Buffington pitched the seventh for the Huskies.
Macias suffered the loss, giving up two unearned runs in the sixth.
"Our little sophomore (Behr) was a little nervous in the beginning," Huskies coach Kevin Smith said. "He got in a little trouble in the second but then he gained his composure. I was pleased with all the pitching."
The Rams broke the scoreless tie in the sixth. Kyle Wilkinson led off by reaching first on an error. Brian Dearth sent him to third with a line single to right.
With one out, Sanderson was given an intentional walk to load the bases.
After getting two strikes on Brandon Pultz, Macias hit him on the arm to bring in the first run. Pinch hitter Justin Smith then hit a sacrifice fly for the final margin.
"The first guy in the sixth gets on an error," Bacon said. "I told him to bunt because we had to put some pressure on them. He didn't make the play, and like always, errors and walks score. We got a run on a hit batter, I'll take it. Then I sent a kid (Smith) to the plate who didn't feel well and he got the fly ball that we needed to get the run."
The Huskies had struggled at the plate in the past two games, and Tuesday was no different. Smith hinted there may be changes in his lineup next week.
They got two runners on base in the fifth and seventh but couldn't score.