With seven other seniors on the field with him, University of Arizona-bound Daniel Poncedeleon led off the arms race by striking out five Montebello batters in two innings of work, although he had to escape a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second with his final K. Senior Alex Pedroza relieved and looked almost as impressive by notching four strikeouts as well as the save.

Senior catcher Nick Mandry led off the Matadores' second with a walk, followed by senior first baseman Mike Piazza's single up the middle. After a balk advanced pinch-runner Mason Peacock and Piazza, Poncedeleon hit a hot grounder to Montebello's shortstop, who threw home too late to catch the speedy Peacock.

Senior thirdbaseman Kyle Harper then banged a double to rightfield to score Piazza with the Matadores' last run in the opener.

Following a four-inning game between Whittier and Montebello, Harper took the mound in the nightcap and breezed against the Cardinals, allowing just a walk. Junior shortstop Andres Rodriguez and Piazza helped out by combining on a dazzling play, Rodriguez fielding a smash to his right and firing an off-balanced bouncer that Piazza deftly dug.

After the Matadores stranded bases loaded in the second inning as the sun was coming down fast, it appeared that the two squads would have to settle for an unsatisfying, two-inning tie. But the teams forged ahead in the gloaming as senior Mitch Petersen hurled a perfect third inning, getting the first two on tappers that didn't cross the mound.

Senior centerfielder Cory Hightower led off a rally that made Petersen the winner with a base on balls, advancing to third on senior transfer Karl Perez's fake bunt/full swing single up the middle. Hightower, in effect, won the game by racing home on a wild pitch but senior catcher Ray Chacon ended the game in darkness with a high-arching double to the left-center fence to score Perez, who also had an impressive double in the first inning.

Perez, a Whittier Pony protégé playing against many of his former peers, had a big season as a sophomore at California High of the Whittier Union School District.