Culver City Baseball Drops Doubleheader

There's no good time for a three-game losing streak, but may have picked the right week for a mini-slump, as the Centaurs dropped three straight yet remain atop the Ocean League standings because all of the losses came in nonleague games.

Coming off a stellar week in which they notched three league victories--two over rival Beverly Hills and another over Hawthorne, the Centaurs were edged by North Torrance, 7-6, in a Redondo Tournament pool play game last Saturday, then dropped both ends of Wednesday's doubleheader against Whittier Christian at Culver Park, by 3-2 and 4-1 scores.

In the afternoon game, Whittier Christian broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning and on for the victory despite two singles by junior outfielder and a double and a run scored by sophomore second baseman . 

Junior right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in five innings with seven strikeouts and no walks on the mound and senior pitched two innings, allowing one run on three hits.

In the nightcap, hit his third home run of the season to give the Centaurs a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but it was all the offense they could muster. The Heralds scored three runs in the third inning and added one in the fifth.

Junior right-hander allowed three runs on six hits with one strikeout and two walks. The Centaurs were scheduled to travel to South Torrance for another Redondo Tournament game Saturday. 

Atkison has 24 hits, 13 runs and 14 RBIs with a .429 batting average, including four doubles, three triples, a homer and six stolen bases, while Aceves is batting .435 with eight runs, 20 hits, 11 RBIs and four steals. Bradley is batting .354 with 17 hits, 19 runs, four RBIs and a team-best 10 steals.  

Culver City (9-8 overall, 4-0 in league) resumes Ocean League play against Inglewood on Tuesday and Thursday, then plays its final round game of the Redondo Tournament on Saturday.  

Culver City shared the league title with Santa Monica last spring and plays the Vikings in a two-game series to close out the regular season May 10 and 12. 

Softball

The Centaurs improved to 11-3-1 overall with a 7-6 nonleague home victory over St. Monica on Tuesday. They are 3-1 in the Ocean League and resume league action Tuesday at defending Southern Section champion Santa Monica and at home against Hawthorne on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.--a rematch of a 17-13 loss to the Cougars on April 12.