Rancho Alamitos, pitcher Henry Garcia, (#3), delivers a pitch to Schurr’s Evan Sanchez, (#9), in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Rancho Alamitos’ Ethan Shepherd, (#2), fields the ball and throws to first base against Schurr, in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Javon Bryant, (#33), celebrates at third base after hitting a triple to score 2-runs against Rancho Alamitos, in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s James Borbon, (#16), is called safe ar second base after tag by Rancho Alamitos’ Carson Lamb,(#9), in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Isaiah Trevino, (#15), holds up the championship plaque and celebrates with his teammates, after the Spartans defeated Rancho Alamitos 9-0 in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr High School celebrates after defeating Rancho Alamitos in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Derek Flores, (#3), is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run against Rancho Alamitos, in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Javon Bryant (#33), is called safe at home plate and scores a run against Rancho Alamitos in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s David Torres, (#7) fields the ball and throws to first base against Rancho Alamitos’ , in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Joseph Tapia,(#32), hits a pinch-hit single against Rancho Alamitos, in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr pitcher Joey Amano, (#10), delivers a pitch to Rancho Alamitos’ Ethan Shepherd, (#2), in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. The Spartans defeated the Vaqueros, 9-0 to win the CIF-SS Division. 8 Championship. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
Schurr’s Joseph Tapia, (#32), holds up the championship plaque and celebrates with his teammates, after the Spartans defeated Rancho Alamitos 9-0 in a CIF-SS Division 8 championship baseball game at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. May 30, 2026. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)
RANCHO CUCAMONGA — The Rancho Alamitos baseball team ran into an opponent that played like an offensive juggernaut and a pitcher who was nearly unhittable in the CIF-SS Division 8 championship game Saturday at Morongo Field.
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Schurr pitcher Joey Amano gave up one hit and walked one batter over six innings and the Spartans collected 11 hits in a 9-0 victory over the Vaqueros.
Amano was within four outs of a no-hitter when Rancho Alamitos’ Carson Lamb delivered a two-out single in the sixth inning.
The Vaqueros’ only other batter to reach base was Andrew Ballesta, who walked with one out in the second inning.
“Their pitcher just really kept us off balance,” Rancho Alamitos coach Sammy Macias said. “They played really well.”
Rancho Alamitos starter Henry Garcia, who led the Vaqueros to their first CIF Southern Section final with a one-hit shutout against Oxford Academy on Tuesday, gave up three first-inning runs.
He had no problems in the second and pitched out of trouble in the third inning. But because of a CIF rule limiting a pitcher to 30 recorded outs in a calendar week, Garcia could pitch only three innings against the Spartans (16-16).
Jacob Neri came in to pitch the fourth for the Vaqueros (15-12) and got out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the score at 3-0.
“We wouldn’t be in this situation without him,” Macias said if Garcia. “He’s had an unbelievable season. Every goal he has set, he achieved.”
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The Spartans broke the game open with a six runs in the fifth inning. They sent 12 batters to the plate, collected four hits and took advantage of two errors by the Vaqueros, plus they had two walks and a hit batter.
Garcia and Ballesta picked up the Vaqueros’ second and third hits respectively in the seventh inning off of relief pitcher Derek Flores.
“Our offense carried us here today,” Macias said. “But we couldn’t compete with their offense today. And we made some mistakes which cost us some extra runs. The kids are upset as they should be. But in the end, we did something special.”
Both teams qualified for the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin Tuesday. The regional brackets will be released Sunday.
Garcia, a four-year starter for the Vaqueros, said he was proud of the way his team battled.
“He’s definitely not an easy pitcher to hit off of,” Garcia said of Amano. “But it is not like we were just rolling over and letting them do whatever.”
“Not many people get to be in this situation that I’m in. Not many people get to say that they’ve pitched in a professional stadium. It’s definitely a dream come true for me and I’m glad I got to do it with my teammates.”
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