The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly athletics in the 2022-23 school year is sponsored by Poly alum Jayon Brown and PlayFair Sports Management.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly athletics in the 2022-23 school year is sponsored by JuJu Smith-Schuster and the JuJu Foundation.
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2022-23 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
Long Beach Poly senior shortstop Lucas Scott grew up in East Long Beach, playing baseball through his childhood with a good chunk of Millikan’s lineup. That’s why the UC Irvine signee knew he needed to have a big game against the Rams on Monday afternoon–there was the fact that it would put the Jackrabbits in first place in the Moore League, yes, but there were also the all-important neighborhood bragging rights.
Scott took the bump in the biggest game of the year so far for Poly, and couldn’t have done much better as he tossed a complete-game shutout, helping to lead his team to a 3-0 victory.
“It’s a great win for us, it’s a tone-setter,” said Scott after the game. “We didn’t have the greatest year last year and we’re playing with a chip on our shoulder this year.”
Scott pitched a complete game, yielding just two hits and giving up just a single free base (on a hit batter in the bottom of the seventh inning). He struck out eight but said his approach on the mound wasn’t looking for punchies.
“I just tried to limit them to weak contact, I wasn’t trying to get double digit strikeouts, just mixing around trying to get weak contact and limit the free bases, that’s always important in the big Moore League games,” said Scott.
The Jackrabbits did a good job of taking care of some early Millikan jitters, as a talented young Rams defense looked somewhat skittish in the opening frames. Starting pitcher Demetri Syrengelas plunked Poly leadoff hitter Nate Berumen to start the game, then Berumen ended up taking third on a missed pick throw to first. Catcher Max Pemberton singled Berumen home for Poly, giving the Jackrabbits and Scott a lead from the top of the first.
They would add to the lead in the top of the third after singles by Berumen and Pemberton, both of whom ended up scoring on balls that got past the catcher to make it 3-0. Syrengelas gave up five hits in five innings of work and struck out six, but the Jackrabbits were able to capitalize on the defensive miscues to take a lead they didn’t relinquish.
“We didn’t play bad, but we didn’t play well enough to win,” said Millikan coach Ron Keester. “Their kid on the mound was really good today. We know what he does, he comes out and throws strikes and they make plays behind him, and they did exactly that today.”
The Rams got hits from Anthony Pack and Cameron Hegamin but never threatened. Scott made his only real mistake of the game in the bottom of the seventh as he plunked freshman first baseman Adrian Ramirez with one out, but a strikeout looking and a pop up that Scott fielded himself ended the game.
Scott admitted the win meant a little more to him personally coming against so many of his friends and teammates growing up.
“I grew up with pretty much their entire starting lineup, from middle school, baseball, travel ball, everything,” he said. “Baseball here is a really tight community so it was nice to get the win, it felt really good.”
The win keeps Poly (8-1, 3-0) atop the Moore League in a tie with Lakewood, with likely a game against Wilson coming later this week on Wednesday or Thursday depending on weather. The Jackrabbits have impressed with a six-game win streak that’s come while their head coach Brent Lavoie is on administrative leave. Interim coach Curtis Thompson said his team’s focus has impressed him over the last three weeks.
“The kids handle their business in the classroom, and then once they step on the baseball field, they’re on our time and we keep them focused,” he said. “We’re just going to continue to work hard every day.”
The Moore League doubleheader at Blair has been nixed for Wednesday since the Dirtbags moved their Tuesday game to Wednesday to avoid the rain, meaning that likely Lakewood will host Millikan and Wilson will host Poly on campus fields, either on Wednesday if they’re playable that day or on Thursday. We’ll have updates on Twitter @562sports as we learn more.
