CLICK HERE FOR A GALLERY FROM WEDNESDAY’S TEMPLE CITY-MONROVIA GAME

Temple City found a way to withstand Monrovia’s string of chances to record a 3-2 Rio Hondo League victory at Monrovia High. Temple City (11-6-1, 7-1) didn’t succumb to pressure when Monrovia (13-2, 6-1) loaded the bases in the sixth with no outs. It didn’t matter that Wildcats opened the inning with two consecutive singles from Jairo Jiore and Robert Nakamura, followed by Adrian Velasco’s RBI single up the middle to cut the lead to 3-2. Temple City’s Calvin Copping threw a wild pitch to advance the runners and then walked Justin De La Nuez to load the bases, seemingly giving Monrovia the opportunity it had been waiting for. But a fielder’s choice to home saved a run, and Justin Smith ran down Nakamura on a squeeze before Copping struck out the next batter to end the threat. Temple City’s Brandon Pultz hit a home run to center to break a scoreless tie, and Monrovia’s Aaron Murphree connected on a 1-0 count for a home run to center to tie it. Temple City’s Julian Jarrard allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five to pickup his fourth win. Copping got all three batters in the seventh to ground out to record his first save. He scored in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie and Alec Vigil’s RBI single scored Dusty Sanderson to make it 3-1. Temple City catcher Jonah Jarrard made made it known that running on him wasn’t an option. He picked off Monrovia’s Nick Bueno at third in the first and then Velasco in the second. Jonah did it again in the fifth when he got Bueno at third, this after he doubled down the third-base line.