One more strike and Brian Ibarra would have had a no-hitter on April 19.
However, with a 1-2 count a Hawthorne High batter singled and the Culver City High righthander settled for a one-hitter in a 5-1 victory.
After the single Jay Steiner came in to get the final out.
However, Ibarra’s performance highlighted a grand week for the Centaurs, who had defeated Hawthorne, 13-1 two days earlier.
As a result Culver City stayed even with defending Ocean League champion Santa Monica, which also has a 4-0 league record.
Culver City coach Rick Prieto was pleased with the Centaurs’ hitting. In recent weeks the hitting hadn’t matched the success of the team’s pitching and defense.
Tyler Mark was the winning pitcher in the first game against Hawthorne. Culver had 16 hits in the game and scored in every inning but the third.
Darian Sylvester, Skylar Blocker, Daniel Hennessy and Steiner each had two hits. Among Culver’s other hits, Mark and Ibarra each had a single.
In the game Ibarra pitched Culver broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning as Mark and Steiner doubled, and with two outs Ibarra singled and Jon Kocker doubled.
With Culver holding a 3-1 lead in the sixth pinch-hitter Timothy Stewart hit a ground rule double which scored two runs.
Ibarra and Kocker each had two hits.
Culver also played a Redondo Tournament game on Saturday and defeated Peninsula, 8-0.
Jacob Elliott pitched the first three innings and the shutout was completed by Nathaniel Matthews and Steiner, who both worked two innings.
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