The Valley Chronicle - Bulldogs outplay the Mustangsng

The West Valley Baseball boys were defeated at home by Hemet last Thursday, 3-1

[caption id="attachment_11014" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Photo by Corey Evan / The Valley Chronicle
Mustang Javier Jauregui tries to fend off a Bulldog attack on Thursday.[/caption] ■ By Corey Evan / Reporter The end of the high school baseball season is well on its way, and while some teams will wish, beg and pray for more, others will be glad it’s over. So who was who at West Valley on Thursday, May 3 as the Mustangs welcomed the Hemet Bulldogs? Having been beaten just two days before at Bulldog Country, the ‘Stangs’ had a lot to play for at home. Unfortunately for West Valley, the Bulldogs would get off to the better start; Bulldog golden boy (with golden hair) Tyler Richardson scored for Hemet in the first inning. Inning number four saw Hemet run the diamond twice more, with Aaron Wood and Joel Mesa each adding to their score. At the bottom of the fourth, Andre Granillo laced up his horseshoes and brought in a run for West Valley. But that was where the action ended, with Hemet winning 3-1. Hemet coach Michael Harper is certainly proud of how far his Bulldogs have come. “We executed enough to win, but need to continue working on our approach at the plate,” said Harper. “West Valley has some good pitching, with enough movement to challenge hitters.” So what does postseason hold for Hemet? Harper says, “We’re looking forward to the postseason. It’s exciting to watch these guys execute what we have worked on all season and have success doing so. We want to thank the fans for all their support.” WVHS Coach Juan Sandoval and his team declined to comment on this game, which is understandable. With this loss, the Mustangs fall to 4-7-1 in Mountain Pass league play, 5-16-1 overall. Hemet are now 11-2 and 17-8-1. But the Mustangs can still end the season on a positive note if they defeat the Titans at Tahquitz this afternoon at 3:15 p.m. That is, IF they do. The Bulldogs will be in Perris at the same time, trying to squeeze a season-ending win out of Citrus Hill.