Baseball: Nick Gallegos’ big day leads Cal over La Serna, 6-3

Nick Gallegos hitting a two run home run in the top of the third inning. California High School Boys baseball team won the game against La Serna High School 6-3 in Whittier Friday, April 24, 2015.(Photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)

Nick Gallegos hitting a two run home run in the top of the third inning. California High School Boys baseball team won the game against La Serna High School 6-3 in Whittier Friday, April 24, 2015.(Photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)

By Stephen Ramirez

WHITTIER — For the second consecutive game, La Serna High School got off to an early lead against rival California, and once again the Condors showed they had the Lancers right where they wanted them.
Nick Gallegos hit a two-run home run in the third inning and made a game-saving catch in the fifth as California rallied for a 6-3 victory over host La Serna in a key Del Rio League game on Friday.
Eric Sotelo also had two hits and a RBI for the Condors, who improved to 18-4 overall and 7-2 in league play. California, ranked No. 2 in the area and No. 3 in CIF-Southern Section Division 4, began the day tied for first with Santa Fe, which was at El Rancho on Friday.
John Mendoza hit a two-run home run to lead the Lancers, who slipped to 15-9 and 5-4.


Cal coach Tony Nieto: “I’m so proud of our team. They are so resilient. They’ve bought into Condor way, in terms of playing scrappy, hard-nosed baseball. La Serna is a good team. They’ve got some good hitters, pitchers. But we got some good ones, too. We’re going to fight until that 21st out.”

California’s Nick Gallegos: “My at-bats, I always look for fastballs. I got one right down the middle. It was one of the greatest swings I ever took. It came right off the bat. Once I rounded first, I had no doubt that it was gone.”

La Serna’s John Mendoza: “From the moment I hit it I thought it was over,” Mendoza said. “I thought it was going to be a completely different game. But he made a great play.”

La Serna coach Anthony Gonzales Jr.: “One bad inning. We were a foot away. First time in eight years I’ve seen someone rob a home run right there. (The) kid made a heckuva play; had a heckuva day. What are you going to do, it’s baseball.”

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