Early Deficit Too Much for Warriors to Overcome against Eagles

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College found itself in a big hole early and never recovered in a 6-3 non-conference loss to visiting L.A. Mission Thursday afternoon at Warrior Field.

The Warriors (6-5) dropped their second straight game at home after falling behind 6-0 after just three innings.

Freshman Casey Kitagawa suffered the loss on the mound as the Eagles (3-6) teed off on the right-hander, scoring six runs on six hits with one walk. Kitagawa did not record an out in the third inning before he was lifted for Mike Mulkey, who put in solid work for five and 1/3 innings. He allowed no runs on five hits with one walk and struck out seven.

Cameron Sims picked up the last five outs, going one and 2/3 innings with one walk and one strikeout without surrendering a run, giving the offense a chance to claw back into the game.

But the Warriors stranded 11 runners on base including the bases loaded in the eighth inning. They also hit into two costly double plays.

Julio Camarena, Dylan Knowles and Connor Meidroth all collected two hits on the day and eight of the nine players in the lineup collected a hit, but the Warriors could not secure the timely hit enough to erase the Eagles' big lead.

For the Eagles, Mauricio Guardado led the way as he was 2-for-5 including the big blow, a three-run home run in the second inning to put L.A. Mission up 5-0. He finished the day with five RBI.

Enrique Espinoza secured the win on the mound, going five innings and allowing one run on five hits with one walk. Bruno De Leon would pick up the four-inning save, allowing two runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

The Warriors will wrap up the week on Saturday as they hit the road to take on Southwestern at 1 p.m.