SATURDAY: Arcadia at Temple City, 2 p.m.
By Jeremy Balan
Correspondent
TEMPLE CITY — Behind two home runs from the heart of Temple City High School’s lineup, the Rams defeated La Salle, 5-2, in the semifinal round of the Arcadia Elks Tournament on Thursday.
The Rams (4-0) will play Arcadia in the tournament final on Saturday at Temple City High. Arcadia (4-0) trounced San Gabriel, 11-1, in the other semifinal game Thursday.
After falling behind, 2-1, Rams catcher Ruben Jara gave Temple City a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning on a two-strike line shot over the left-field fence. Jara’s blast came after third baseman Branden Pultz tied the score at 1 with a high-arching home run in the second inning off the first pitch of the inning from La Salle (3-1) pitcher Brian Hill.
“Pultz will hit some home runs this year,” said Temple City coach Barry Bacon said. “He is a good fastball hitter. Both home runs came off great at-bats.”
Other than the two home runs, Hill stayed out of trouble for most of the four innings he pitched, giving up allowing four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in the loss.
“He’s a battler,” La Salle coach Harry Agajanian said. “Every once in a while he leaves a ball up and he got hurt with that today.”
While Rams batters were hitting balls out of the park, Temple City starting pitcher Jordan Halladay was holding the Lancers at bay.
“(Halladay) was on today,” Agajanian said. “He kept us off-balance and we came out flat with our bats today. We didn’t manufacture runs like we normally do.”
After giving up a double to John Auer in the fourth inning, Halladay retired the last eight batters he faced, striking out six in six innings.
“He’s given us two great starts this season,” Bacon said. “He’s gone deep into both games and given us quality starts. We couldn’t be happier, he’s one of the guys we rely on.”
Temple City added a run in the fifth and sixth innings because of La Salle fielding and mental errors, but the Lancers were in a position to tie the game in the seventh.
With runners on first and third with one out, Tim Reed grounded into a double play.
