Imperial Valley College Chacho Madrigal delivers against West Los Angeles on Tuesday at IVC. (Joselito Villero) |
Starter Chacho Madrigal pitched seven shutout innings to lead Imperial Valley College to an 8-2 victory over West Los Angeles in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday on the Arabs’ field.
Madrigal limited the Wildcats (2-3) to five scattered singles and didn’t allow a runner beyond first base. The left-hander struck out 11 and didn’t surrender a walk. After giving up a single to Hugo Rodriguez leading off the fourth inning, Madrigal picked him off.
IVC coach Jim Mecate removed the 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore because his pitch count had reached 91 and the Arabs had a 7-0 lead.
“Esau was incredible,” Mecate said. “He had complete command. His arm was nice and fresh. It had been a week since he’d pitched. We’ve made an adjustment in practice for him to throw less from the mound and from the two other positions he plays, first base and right field.”
Madrigal throws an 86 mph fastball that tails away from right-handed hitters, a change-up and a curve.
“He had all three working today,” Mecate said.
Imperial Valley improved to 5-2. Madrigal is 2-0 with one no-decision in three starts. He has 21 strikeouts in 17 innings.
“Today was one of my good days,” Madrigal said. “I was able to keep the ball down.”
West Los Angeles had only two outs in the outfield in seven innings against Madrigal, both to centerfielder Chris Gonzalez. The sophomore from Brawley made an outstanding sliding catch of a short fly in left-center field to end the fifth inning.
“He’s our angel in the outfield,” Madrigal said.
The Arabs didn’t commit an error. They had 15 hits, all singles, and manufactured runs — one in the first and second innings, two in the fifth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth — with sacrifice flies and bunts, smart and aggressive base running and timely hitting.
Madrigal had three hits and drove in IVC’s first run with a single in the first. Jacinto Garcia also had three hits and scored three runs. Jeremy Dial had two hits and two RBIs.
Madrigal limited the Wildcats (2-3) to five scattered singles and didn’t allow a runner beyond first base. The left-hander struck out 11 and didn’t surrender a walk. After giving up a single to Hugo Rodriguez leading off the fourth inning, Madrigal picked him off.
IVC coach Jim Mecate removed the 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore because his pitch count had reached 91 and the Arabs had a 7-0 lead.
“Esau was incredible,” Mecate said. “He had complete command. His arm was nice and fresh. It had been a week since he’d pitched. We’ve made an adjustment in practice for him to throw less from the mound and from the two other positions he plays, first base and right field.”
Madrigal throws an 86 mph fastball that tails away from right-handed hitters, a change-up and a curve.
“He had all three working today,” Mecate said.
Imperial Valley improved to 5-2. Madrigal is 2-0 with one no-decision in three starts. He has 21 strikeouts in 17 innings.
“Today was one of my good days,” Madrigal said. “I was able to keep the ball down.”
West Los Angeles had only two outs in the outfield in seven innings against Madrigal, both to centerfielder Chris Gonzalez. The sophomore from Brawley made an outstanding sliding catch of a short fly in left-center field to end the fifth inning.
“He’s our angel in the outfield,” Madrigal said.
The Arabs didn’t commit an error. They had 15 hits, all singles, and manufactured runs — one in the first and second innings, two in the fifth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth — with sacrifice flies and bunts, smart and aggressive base running and timely hitting.
Madrigal had three hits and drove in IVC’s first run with a single in the first. Jacinto Garcia also had three hits and scored three runs. Jeremy Dial had two hits and two RBIs.
