SANTA ANA — The Huntington Beach baseball team faced an opponent Wednesday that was all too familiar.
And the result was the same.
La Mirada defeated the Oilers, 4-1, in the second round of the Boras Classic at Mater Dei High behind two home runs from Kevin Jeon, excellent pitching and a pair of outstanding catches by right fielder Aaron Sykes.
La Mirada’s 1st baseman Jason Rodriguez (19) makes the out as Huntington Beach’s Matt Haidl (1) tries to make it on time in the 5th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Michael Burgueno (2) slides safely into home plate as Huntington Beach’s catcher Trent Grindlinger (28) tries to make the tag in the 7th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Kevin Jeon (17), left, leaps in the air as he celebrates a home run with a friend against Huntington Beach in the 5th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Kevin Jeon (17) celebrates as he heads home after hitting a home run against Huntington Beach in the 5th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Kevin Jeon (17) celebrates as he heads home after hitting a 2-run home run against Huntington Beach in the 3rd inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Jared Grindlinger (12) tumbles after being hit by a La Mirada pitch in the 2nd inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Aiden Aguayo (22) catches the ball in the 7th inning for the last out of the game against Huntington Beach during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. La Mirada’s beat Huntington Beach 4-1. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Ethan Porter (24) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run in the 5th inning against La Mirada during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Trevor Goldenetz (27) catches a fly for the third out against La Mirada in the 1st inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Ethan Porter (24) slides into 2nd base as La Mirada’s Bear Calvo (27) makes the force out in the 3rd inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Luke Armijo (34) pitches in the 1st inning against Huntington Beach during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Tanner Brown (26) pitches against La Mirada in the 6th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s centerfielder Travis Friend (25) catches a fly for the the out against Huntington Beach the 2nd inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada’s Jason Rodriguez (19) pitches in the 7th inning against Huntington Beach during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Jared Grindlinger (12) pitches in the 1st inning against La Mirada during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s 2nd baseman Cole Clark (29) throws a ground ball to 1st base for an out in the 2nd inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Owen Bone (15) catches the ball for an out in the 7th inning against La Mirada during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption1 of 17La Mirada’s 1st baseman Jason Rodriguez (19) makes the out as Huntington Beach’s Matt Haidl (1) tries to make it on time in the 5th inning during the second round of the Boras Classic South baseball tournament at Mater Dei High, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
ExpandJeon also hit a pair of home runs in the Matadores’ 10-8 come-from-behind victory over the Oilers in last season’s CIF Southern California Division I Regional semifinals on May 31.
La Mirada (9-1) will face Mater Dei or Carlsbad in the semifinals Thursday at Mater Dei at 6 p.m.
The defeat Wednesday was the first of the season for the Oilers (7-1), the No. 1-ranked team in Orange County.
“I told him I don’t need to see you ever again,” Oilers coach Benji Medure said jokingly, referring to Jeon.
Matadores sophomore starter Luke Armijo picked up the victory, giving up four hits and one run with four strikeouts.
Jason Rodriguez pitched the last two innings, getting some help from Sykes’ two fine catches in the sixth and then pitching out of trouble after walking the first two hitters in the seventh.
“Luke, as a sophomore, to be in that magnitude of a game,” La Mirada coach Jimmy Zurn said, “gave us five of his best and then turned it over to our senior, Jason Rodriguez, on the back end. “And we talk about defense from day one. Pitching and defense are going to give you a chance to win every game.”
Jeon hit a two-run homer to left-center in the third and a solo shot in the fifth to give the Matadores a 3-0 lead.
Ethan Porter homered to lead off the fifth for the Oilers’ lone run.
Aside from giving up a home run, Huntington Beach starter Jared Grindlinger was effective, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and getting the side in order after giving up the home run and single in the third.
Duncan McLeod pitched the fourth and fifth and Tanner Brown pitched the final two innings for the Oilers, allowing a combined two runs on three hits with five strikeouts.
Medure said Armijo did a good job keeping his hitters off balance.
“He did a good job with the slider and his command was on today,” Medure said.
Related Articles
Huntington Beach could have its best baseball team in a long time Huntington Beach baseball top Aquinas in first round of Boras Classic South Orange County boys athlete of the week: Josiah Hartshorn, Orange Lutheran Orange County baseball stat leaders through March 22 Orange County baseball Top 25: Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei, Cypress move up in rankings, March 24 Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Huntington Beach baseball loses again to nemesis La Mirada in Boras Classic )
Also on site :
- Country Icon Is Nearly Unrecognizable Returning From Years-Long Hiatus
- Northern Ireland riots latest: Petrol bombs and fireworks hurled at police as Ballymena violence spreads
- NBA Star Shares ‘Fond Memories’ of Brian Wilson and Fans Can’t Believe They’re Related