CORONADO — After 14 straight scoreless innings, two runs was a luxury Thursday for the Madison High School baseball team.
The Warhawks, ranked No. 9 in the county, scored a run in the first inning and another in the fourth and edged Coronado 2-1 in a key Eastern League game.
Coronado (15-6, 4-2) beat the Warhawks (16-5, 4-2) behind Taylor Werth and Mateo Villanueva in the first two game of the three-game series.
This time it was Madison junior right-hander Jorge Luque who turned in a pitching gem. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits, didn’t walk a batter and got 12 outs on groundballs.
Senior Evan Jensen, who is fighting his way back from an injury, got the final two outs in only his third inning of the season on the mound.
”There was no pressure on me,” said Luque, who improved to 4-0. “I knew today was going to be our day. Coronado is a good team. I watched the first two games and knew this was going to be a challenge. But I love challenges. Getting that run in the first inning was a luxury. It gave us some momentum, settled us down. We had been struggling with the bats.
“This game was a lot like the first two … close, low scoring. But it went our way this time.”
Trailing 2-1, Coronado catcher Ozzie Smith started the bottom of the seventh with a double.
Luque got the next hitter on a grounder to third and Madison coach Robert Lovato summoned Jensen.
He struck out the first batter he faced and got the final out of the game on a fly ball to center.
“What a relief,” Jensen said. “I’ve been battling an injury since last year, but I know I have good stuff. My goal was to come in and throw strikes. I got the first guy a little out front. Then our center fielder (Ryan Jackson) made a play.”
Jack O’Toole scored the game’s first run. He was hit by a pitch, then scored on an error.
Madison scored again in the fourth when William Barden walk, went to second on a wild pitch, took third on Tyler Villegas’ infield hit and scored on a wild pitch.
Coronado scored in the bottom of the inning. Shane Cannon led off with an infield hit, went to third on Johnny Nelson’s single and scored when Noah Pierre hit into a fielder’s choice.
Luque wiggled out of trouble by getting the next two batters.
Coronado left seven runners on base, including three in scoring position.
”This was two really good teams going at it for the third time,” said Coronado coach Morgan Cummins. “We got another nice pitching effort (from Stanley Guymon), but we just couldn’t get the big hit. But winning two of three games in a tough week like this is huge.
“The first two things went our way. Not so much today, but I think we showed the county that we’re a pretty good baseball team. Showed we can compete.”
Madison left two on in the first and the bases loaded in the sixth.
Madison and Coronado are both Division 2 teams for the playoffs.
“And we’re both going to be tough,” Lovato said. “Pitching wins championships and we both have great pitching. The playoffs are going to be really interesting.”
