Rashi’s Gem Lifts No. 1 Warriors to Win over Compton in Pitcher’s Duel

COMPTON, Calif. – No. 1 El Camino College extended its winning streak to 19 games with a 2-1 victory over ECC Compton Center Saturday afternoon at the MLB Urban Youth Academy.

Taylor Rashi picked up his eighth win of the season as he tossed eight nearly flawless innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one unearned run for the Warriors (27-2, 14-0). He walked two and struck out nine.

Jake Carr closed out the game in the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out two to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Rashi outdueled Tartars (8-19, 2-11) starter Cristian Beltran, who was nearly as good. He tossed a complete game and held the Warriors to two runs, both unearned. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out three as he kept the potent Warriors offense off the scoreboard for the final seven innings.

Angel Mora and Ryan Eastburn each had two hits for the Warriors, while Hunter Lewis went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

The Warriors opened the scoring in the first inning as Brady Dorn drew a two-out walk and then Mora singled to third. An error at first allowed both runners to advance an extra base and then Eastburn singled to plate Dorn and put the Warriors up 1-0. Mora tried to score as well but was just barely thrown out at the plate to end the frame.

The Tartars answered in their half of the first thanks to a Warriors error. Kai Ho reached to lead off the inning on an error at short and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Rashi struck out Miguel Valles for the second out, Richard Samudio singled through the right side of the infield to bring in Ho and tie the game, 1-1.

In the second, the Warriors regained the lead, again mounting a two-out rally. Lewis singled through the left side and then Cody Wissler reached on an error in right field, allowing Lewis to come all the way around to score the go-ahead run.

The pitchers took over from there as both teams combined to record just six hits in the final seven innings.

The Tartars best chance to tie it came in the seventh as Nicolas Guerra led off the frame with a double off the base of the center-field wall. But Rashi struck out Ivan Navarro and then induced a groundout to third and a flyout to right to end the threat and the Tartars never got another runner into scoring position.

The Warriors will return to action Tuesday afternoon as they host Los Angeles Harbor at Warrior field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.