The La Puente High school baseball team was forced to forfeit a 3-0 win over Azusa on March 22 after Azusa filed a protest that was upheld by league principals.
Azusa protested that La Puente conducted an illegal batting practice on the day of the game, which is against league policy. La Puente first-year coach John Hermosillo took responsibility, explaining that two of his players were throwing over-hand with a whiffle ball prior to the game. (To continue, click thread).

Hermosillo felt especially bad for pitcher Ethan Etchebarren, who will not get credit for the one-hitter he threw in the win over Azusa.
The CIF-Southern Section does not allow for batting practice on game days during the CIF playoffs, but some leagues have adopted the “illegal batting practice,” rule for league play as well, which Hermosillo learned the hard way.
“It’s my fault, it’s something I should have known,” said Hermosillo, who previously was an assistant at Diamond Bar. “It was something we did at Diamond Bar all the time, I just wasn’t aware that it was something we couldn’t do in league.
“We have been doing it all year (during non-league and tournaments), but it’s my fault. It won’t happen again.”
It was a costly forfeit-loss for the Warriors (9-2, 3-2), who were dealt a 4-2 loss at home against Gladstone (9-1, 5-0) on Tuesday. That loss left the Warriors two games behind the league-leading Gladiators.
La Puente will get a second shot at Gladstone Thursday, and can’t afford another loss if its hopes to compete for a Montview League title.
“It’s a big game, no doubt about it,” Hermosillo said. “We’ll be ready.”
The Montview appears to be a three-team race, which also includes Sierra Vista (11-3, 4-1) — a game-behind Gladstone. Sierra Vista defeated Workman 10-1 on Tuesday with another game scheduled at Workman Thursday.
Both games are at 3:15 p.m.