Sophomore Carlos Acuna grinds out complete game to send Birmingham to Dodger Stadium
If anyone needs a definition of what grinding means in sports, sophomore Carlos Acuna’s performance Wednesday at Cal State Northridge provided the answer.
In six of seven innings, the Birmingham High pitcher saw Carson put the first player on base. This is usually something that leads to disaster. But Acuna continued to make key takedowns in the seventh.
Coach Matt Mowry was asked if Acuna was on the verge of being cut.
“Hell, yeah,” he said. “He was about to come out.”
Except Acuna refused to give Mowry a chance. He lofted a fly ball to right field to end a 4-1 complete-game win and send Birmingham into the City Section Open Division championship game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Dodger Stadium against West Valley League rival El Camino Real, a 4-3 winner over Granada Hills. Birmingham have won eight City titles. El Camino Real has won 10.
Acuna threw 102 pitches to finish his pitching season with an 11-0 record. He struck out seven, walked three and allowed four hits. As he has all season, he threw with the maturity of a senior. Nothing bothers him.
“It’s an incredible season he’s having,” Mowry said.
He pitched 91 innings and since Birmingham opted out of the state playoffs, Saturday’s game at Dodger Stadium will be his last this season. He’ll play third base or second base, and that suits him.
“I love this team,” Acuna said. “I want to play one last match.”
In case of problems, Acuna turned to his cursor as an argument for withdrawal. The only run he gave up came in the sixth inning after Xavier Allen hit a double and scored on a groundout.
JJ Rodriguez contributed two RBIs for Birmingham and JuJu Monroe-Truitt had two hits and an RBI.
It will be No. 1 seed Birmingham against No. 2 seed El Camino Real on Saturday at a venue both programs are familiar with. Nathan Soto will start on the mound for Birmingham and Hudson in December for El Camino Real.
