After some uncertainty earlier this season, when highly regarded Cypress was losing games to Western and Tustin, the Centurions (20-6, 7-2) appear to have returned to form, and it was pitcher Kevin Lillicrop doing the honors on Wednesday. He threw a no-hitter and also had three hits in a 3-0 victory over Garden Grove Pacifica in an Empire League game. In the Marmonte League, Shawn Guzman drove in the winning run in the 10th inning to give Thousand Oaks a 1-0 win over Moorpark. Sean Barry struck out 15 and walked one in nine innings for Moorpark. Ray Lambert threw nine shutout innings for Thousand Oaks.

Simi Valley scored three runs in the sixth inning to knock off first-place Agoura, 3-2. Spencer Sommers had the go-ahead RBI single. Henry Baker struck out 11 in five innings for Agoura. Westlake defeated Newbury Park, 11-1. Luke Dykstra had three hits and three RBI. Tyler Flores had three hits. Zak Daniels had four RBIs. Calabasas defeated Royal, 1-0. In the Foothill League, Hart defeated first-place West Ranch, 3-2. Chad Haslock allowed one hit in 6 1/3 innings and also had two hits. Saugus defeated Valencia, 3-2. Chris Danielson threw a seven-hitter. Canyon pulled into a tie with West Ranch after an 11-2 win over Golden Valley. In the Sunset League, Huntington Beach defeated Los Alamitos, 4-3. Fountain Valley defeated Edison, 5-4.

In the Century League, Esperanza defeated El Modena, 10-3. Misael Serna had three hits and six RBIs. Mario Losi and Cole Garcia each had three hits to lead Anaheim Canyon past Villa Park, 11-4. In the South Coast League, El Toro defeated Tesoro, 13-0. Jonah Arenado went four for four. Gavin Collins hit a home run and had four RBIs. Chasen Ford threw a three-hitter with eight strikeouts. Capistrano Valley defeated Trabuco Hills, 10-8. Tyler Gnesda had five RBIs. In the Valley Mission League, Moises Ceja (6-1) struck out seven, walked one and allowed two hits to help Granada Hills Kennedy defeat Sylmar, 4-0. JJ Gonzalez had a double and triple. In the East Valley League, Poly defeated Verdugo Hills, 7-4. Javy Vazquez had two hits and three RBIs. North Hollywood defeated Grant, 3-1. Andrew Marmor threw a complete game. Brayden Harris had two hits.

In the Marine League, Banning defeated Carson, 10-0. Gino Brockway threw the shutout, striking out 10 and walking none. Andre Villarreal had four hits. In the Hacienda League, Bonita defeated Walnut, 2-1. Parker Merritt (7-0) threw a complete game. In the Tri-Valley League, Oaks Christian defeated Grace Brethren, 9-0. Chris Davis went three for three. Tyson Quolas had three RBIs.

In the Southwestern League, Vista Murrieta defeated Murrieta Mesa, 6-4. Tyler Russell struck out four and walked none in six innings. In the Baseline League, Etiwanda defeated Glendora, 12-6. In the Pacific League, Burbank defeated Pasadena, 5-2. Crescenta Valley defeated Burroughs, 4-2. Ted Boeke struck out nine and had two hits. Malibu defeated Villanova Prep, 24-3. Freshman Dylan Ross had four hits.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes

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Major League Baseball has always been very strict about its content appearing on YouTube and other video streaming sites. Peruse YouTube for highlights from your favorite players and teams, and you’ll find it nearly impossible to find quality footage. As soon as a clip from a game goes up on YouTube, it’s taken down. Up until now, it’s just a collection of slideshows and footage uploaded from fans’ shaky hand-held cameras at the ballpark. Finally, Major League Baseball is stepping up its effort to tear down those walls.

Today on Google+, the company announced that MLB is finally bringing baseball to YouTube. While this is a significant partnership for YouTube, which continues to roll out new content initiatives and partnerships, don’t expect it to be fully baked quite yet. Through its YouTube channel, MLB will begin offering game highlights from the current season, which will be uploaded 24 to 48 hours after the game. Not only that, but it will be offering classic fare, with thousands of hours of archived games going back to 1952, along with clips from “Baseball’s Best Classics” and “Best Moments.”

MLBAM first began putting full-game archives and highlights on its YouTube channel back in 2010, which were only available to viewers in Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and Russia. The new channel update will now bring that content to an even wider, global audience. However, it is missing a few key markets. Under YouTube’s new partnership with MLB, viewers will be able to watch two live games per day during the regular season. For free. However, for baseball fans living in the U.S., Canada, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, we have some bad news. No two-live-games-per day for you.

Naturally, it seems a little ill-conceived for the partnership to be announced without the ability to air in the U.S., Japan or South Korea, which happen to have two of the largest markets for baseball in the world. That being said, it’s a great start, and baseball fans will appreciate the ability to find highlights from their favorite players and teams on YouTube, just one click away from cute cat videos.

Source: techcrunch

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A North Side Chicago Public Schools principal says internal leadership problems, not "racist tendencies," led to his baseball team forfeiting a game Saturday on the city's Far South Side. The explanation came after a series of media reports, which the principal says are largely inaccurate, said that parents feared for their athletes' safety on the South Side.

"There were other, less salacious, causes for the game's cancellation," Principal Tim Devine wrote in an email to the Walter Payton College Preparatory High School community. "The reasons for the cancellation stem from leadership issues within the baseball program."

Payton's baseball coach, William Wittleder, told several news outlets Saturday that some parents didn't allow their sons to travel to Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy because of safety concerns. Wittleder said that he went to Brooks to apologize to the opposing coach and explain the reasons for the forfeiture. Wittleder couldn't be reached Sunday.

Payton is on the Near North Side, in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Brooks, also a CPS school, is in the Far South Side's Roseland neighborhood. CPS spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said Sunday evening that several factors led to the forfeiture, including that Payton athletes were only made aware of the game Wednesday. Other conflicts included no bus transportation to Brooks, Advanced Placement tests and players who were benched for missing practice for college visits and practice AP tests, Quinn said.

Devine criticized the Chicago Sun-Times and NBC Chicago for their "poor quality of reporting" in his 687-word email to Payton students, faculty and parents. Devine said neither outlet reached out to him for comment.

The story of North Side parents refusing to let their kids play a game on the Far South Side sparked indignation on Twitter and in the media. Brooks' baseball coach, Bryan Street, told the Sun-Times he would never agree to another game with Payton. Devine and Brooks' principal, D'Andre Weaver, issued a joint statement Sunday that said they had agreed to move past Saturday's event. "We look forward to both of our schools meeting on the field again soon," they said.

Source: chicagotribune

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David Ortiz has even run out of ways to talk about his red-hot return. Ortiz had two hits and three RBIs to extend his torrid start after a long layoff, and Felix Doubront overcame a wild first inning to pitch into the seventh as the Boston Red Sox beat the struggling Houston Astros 8-4 on Saturday night. ''I ain't talking about that anymore,'' said Ortiz, joking with the media as he dressed quickly in front of his locker. ''You make up a new question, I'll answer it. Otherwise, copy what I said yesterday and the day before.''

The 37-year old Ortiz made quite a return in his first seven games. He is hitting .519 (14 of 27) with two homers and nine RBIs since getting back into the lineup last Saturday after missing the 71 of the final 72 games last season and all of spring training with a heel injury. ''He's doing things that look to him to be very easy, but its hard to imagine or even script out that he'd have this kind of performance considering the layoff,'' Red Sox manager John Farrell said. It was 14th win in 19 games for the surging Red Sox (17-7). Boston can tie a club record for the most wins in April by completing a four-game sweep over Houston (7-17) on Sunday. The Astros, coming off 56 and 55 wins seasons the last two, respectively, in the National League, are finding their new league just as tough.

''I don't get caught up in the record,'' Astros first-year manager Bo Porter said. ''I deal with each day, each game, one game at a time.''Boston matched its best start since 2002 with its fourth straight win. The Red Sox went 18-8 in April 1998 and 2003. Jacoby Ellsbury had a two-run single for the Red Sox. Dustin Pedroia and Daniel Nava each added two hits and an RBI.

Doubront (3-0) walked three in the first, hit a batter, and had a wild pitch before settling down to hold the Astros to three runs, four hits, striking out eight and walking four over 6 2-3 innings. ''Seriously, I don't know what happened in the first inning,'' Doubront said. ''I was feeling like I was using more of my arm than my body. I was frustrated because I was thinking a little too much. But overall, after the first inning, I was really focused and I wasn't thinking about my mechanics at all. I was throwing the ball. I was so happy I did that.''

Houston starter Brad Peacock (1-3) gave up five runs on six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He hasn't gone past five innings in each of his five starts. ''I know we've got to start doing better,'' he said. ''I'm just going to keep working and hopefully I can get out of this.''Doubront retired 17 of 19 batters after the rough beginning. He was pulled with a runner on in the seventh. Alex Wilson escaped a bases-loaded, eighth-inning jam and Andrew Miller pitched the ninth. Trailing 2-0, Boston scored four runs in the second on Ellsbury's two-run single and Ortiz's two-run double into the left field corner. Ortiz's sacrifice fly made it 5-2 in the fourth after Nava doubled leading off and advanced on Pedroia's ground out to second.

Jose Altuve's run-scoring ground out cut it to 5-3 in the seventh. Stephen Drew, Nava and Pedroia each had RBI singles in the seventh. The Astros took advantage of Doubront's wild first to grab their first lead of the series. Doubront hit Brandon Barnes after a leadoff single before walking Brandon Laird. He then walked Chris Carter, forcing in a run, before Ronny Cedeno's sacrifice fly made it 2-0. The left-hander walked the next batter on four pitches, but got the final two outs easily.

NOTES: Farrell said OF Shane Victorino, sidelined since leaving Wednesday's game with a stiff lower back, has made slight progress, but was out again. ... Farrell also said that LHP Franklin Morales has been shut down for a few days with a strained muscle on his left side. Morales has been on the DL since March 22 with a strained lower back. ... Porter loaded his lineup with right-handed hitters from 1-7, with switch hitters in the final two spots. ... Porter had glowing praise for Boston 2B Pedroia before the game. ''I think people should ask, 'Why don't more people play the game that way?' I've been a fan of Dustin Pedroia's before I came to Fenway for these four games,'' he said. ''He'll do what he can to beat you.'' ... Boston RHP Ryan Dempster walked out the player's parking lot and went for a jog on the streets outside the park about 2 hours before the game. Fans that were lined up to get in didn't even seem to notice. ... RHP John Lackey (0-1, 4.15 ERA) is set to make his return from the disabled list Sunday against Houston's Bud Norris (3-2, 4.13 ERA). Lackey went on the DL April 7 with a strained right biceps. ... The Red Sox improved to 13-0 when scoring first.

Source: sports.yahoo

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Santa Ana Mater Dei, ranked No. 1 in Southern California and No. 1 in the nation in high school baseball, faced a severe challenge on Friday night from UCLA-bound junior pitcher Griffin Canning of Santa Margarita.

For eight innings, the Monarchs couldn’t score against Canning. And when Santa Margarita pushed across a run in the top of the ninth on an errant throw off a bunt to take a 1-0 lead, Mater Dei seemed in big trouble.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Monarchs got a leadoff single by Jeremy Martinez. He made it to third with two outs. Canning was one strike away from victory. The count went to 1-and-2 on Brian Soper. On Canning’s 111th pitch, Soper got an RBI single to right field to tie the game.

Out went Canning and in came Bill Heisler. Soper stole second. Then Davis Tominaga gave Mater Dei a 2-1 victory when he reached first on a high throw and Soper was able to race home from second and beat the throw at the plate with a perfect slide.

It was Mater Dei’s 19th consecutive victory since a 1-0 season-opening loss to Stockton St. Mary’s. Mater Dei improved to 9-0 in the Trinity League. Canning struck out eight, walked none and allowed seven hits. But Mater Dei pitchers were able to match Canning. Left-hander Jacob Erickson threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, which means in 24 1/3 innings as a starting pitcher, he has allowed zero runs. Aaron Cross pitched the final 3 2/3 innings for the victory, improving to 7-0. Ryan Fitzpatrick had three hits and three RBIs in JSerra's 8-4 win over St. John Bosco.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes

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Alan Trejo, a junior transfer from L.A. Cathedral, finally became eligible for Downey Warren on Monday and wasted little time in making an impact. He went four for four with three doubles and five RBIs in Warren's 18-1 win over St. Bernard in the St. Paul tournament. In the Anaheim Lions tournament, Frankie Rios hit two home runs and Chris Castellanos added a three-run home run in Long Beach Poly's 9-4 win over Saugus.

Matt McNab had three hits and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame's 5-1 win over Corona del Mar. Santa Margarita defeated Canyon Country Canyon, 14-6. Tyler Halleck had four hits, JJ Carr had three hits and three RBIs and Austin Ponzi had three hits and four RBIs. Santa Margarita also defeated Utah Lehi, 7-6.

Joe Prior hit his fourth home runs in the last seven days to lead Servite to a 5-0 win over Lehi. Agoura defeated Walnut, 7-0, behind Nick Shur, who struck out eight and walked one. Beckman defeated Village Christian, 2-1. South Hills defeated Dana Hills, 9-5. Glendora defeated Temple City, 11-3. Garrett Ouellette had a three-run home run. Martin Gallegos and DJ Peters each had three hits for Glendora.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes

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“By the time I was a freshman in high school, I realized that playing professional baseball was not in the cards for me,” Mark Ulriksen says, the player behind this week’s cover, “Hitting Forty.” “I still liked to draw and paint baseball, so I feel fortunate that I can continue my love for the sport with what I do for a living. As soon as spring training rolls around, I start reading the sports pages much more. I’m not a Yankees fan per se, but I’m a New Yorker at heart, and I can say the Yankees are sure old and beat up. In this lineup I put together, I added the ages of all the players and found the average was forty. And forty in baseball is old,” he says, with a laugh. See below for a slide show of more New Yorker illustrations, sketchbooks, and covers about baseball by Ulriksen.

Source: newyorker

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The Columbia Basin College baseball team showed some promise in a season-opening 9-4 loss to Shoreline on Saturday in Pasco. In Game 2, the Hawks lived up to that promise, destroying the Dolphins 13-2 behind a strong offensive performance and a sparkling pitching performance by Brandon Call and Steven Danek, who combined on a two-hitter.

In the opener, Mitchell Hoveke staked Shoreline to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second with a two-run home run. He drove in another run later and stole two bases. But it was pitcher Jason Shaw who shut CBC down.

“(Shaw) scattered five hits over seven innings and basically shut us down,” Hawks manager Chris Staton said. In the nightcap, the CBC offense woke up, scoring 13 runs on 10 hits. Ryan Atkinson and Jordan Feeney combined for four hits and six RBIs, and Daniel Besmer stole three bases and scored four runs.

Call allowed two runs on two hits through four innings, and Danek followed that with three hitless innings of relief. “We were able to take advantage of some bad bounces on their behalf and get out to an early lead,” Staton said. “Our pitchers did a great job of throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters. It was good to get a split after dropping the first game.”

Shoreline    040    021    200    —    9    10    4
Columbia Basin    010    100    020    —    4    8    0
Shaw, Rochon (8) and Delmar; Bevington, Lutz (5), Clark (6), Neville (9) and Wogamott. Highlights—Travis Key (CBC) 3x5, 2B, R, SB; Hoveke (S) 2x4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB, Fitch (S) 2 RBI.
Shoreline    011    000    0    —    2    2    5
Columbia Basin    114    133    x    —    13    10    2
Van Der Ven, Cormick (5), Medeiros (6) and Ulskey; Call, Danek (5) and Roletto. Highlights—Ryan Atkinson (CBC) 2x5, 2 RBI; Besmer (CBC) 4 R, 3 SB; Jordan Feeney (CBC) 2x4, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB; Savas (CBC) 2 R; Rapacz (CBC) 2B; Pocasangre (CBC) 3B; Danek (CBC) 3 hitless innings of relief.

Source: tri-cityherald

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Biggest star(s): Adrian Gonzalez, the Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman, who was, at one time, one of the game's more feared bats. Team Mexico also includes pitchers Yovani Gallardo of the Milwaukee Brewers and Sergio Romo of the San Francisco Giants. See the whole roster here.

Notable absences: Jaime Garcia, the St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, who chose to rehab his shoulder and not join Team Mexico. Oh, and of course, Fernando Valenzuela. Name you may not know, but should: Walter Ibarra. He's been a prospect in the Yankees organization since 2006. As a shortstop, though, he's a tough time cracking into the big league lineup. He's one of Mexico's younger players, and on a team that's not as stacked as the Yanks, he may see an opportunity to make an impression.

Who are you, Karim Garcia? Pardon us for sounding like Pedro Martinez. But Garcia is actually a member of Team Mexico. Not only that, he's the only member of Mexico's outfield who has played in Major League Baseball. This doesn't bode well.

Which Adrian Gonzalez is going to show up? Does Team Mexico have the guy who hit 18 home runs last year, or the guy who averaged 32.8 homers in the previous five seasons. He's Mexico's top hitter by far, and he'll need to perform. Bringing along his big brother is nice, but his big bat would be nicer.

Will Mexico make it out of pool play? Team Mexico isn't especially strong, so advancing isn't a sure thing. Canada will be its stiffest competition to advance (assuming the U.S. wins Pool D). Look for the March 9 game with Canada — both teams' final in pool play — to be an important one.

Source: sports.yahoo

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Javier Vazquez will not pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic because of discomfort in his knee and may miss another major league season. Vazquez, 36, last pitched in the majors in 2011, when he compiled a 13-11 record and a 3.69 earned run average for the Marlins.

Source: nytimes

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