Norwalk’s strong season continues with shutout win over Firebaugh

Norwalk second baseman Ricardo Guzman (31) tries for the ball as a Firebaugh player steals second base in their Mid Cities League varsity baseball game at Norwalk High School on Wednesday. Norwalk defeated Firebaugh 10-0. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

NORWALK – Wednesday’s high school baseball game between visiting Firebaugh and Norwalk, wasn’t all about the score, but the gathering of family honoring the 10 seniors for the Lancers.

Sure, Norwalk (18-4, 12-0) won 10-0 in five innings, but the focus before the game was on a big portion of the current team.

Ten of the 15 Vikings players are seniors and have led them to their best record in many years and are very close to winning their first league title in that same span.

“We kind of knew last year that this would be the year, especially from last year that I have all of my pitching back,” said Norwalk coach William Wenrick, who is in his ninth year at Norwalk. Wenrick also won a CIF-SS Championship playing for Norwalk.

“As coaches, when this class of 2023 came in, I’m talking about all the coaches, baseball, football, basketball, and so forth, the football coaches said we have some good athletes, it’s going to be a good class and it has been.”

Wenrick added how important community is to his program.

“I just want everyone to know out there it’s for the community,” Wenrick added. “It’s great personally, really fulfilling, but here with our new administration, and the community, we do a lot of stuff for the community. We just want to thank the community for supporting us. We had a great senior night with the parents.”

The big side story to the ’23 Lancers season had two big possibilities staring them right in the face – an undefeated league title and championship.

The undefeated season and championship, which could coincide with the Norwalk Softball team, also completing the same goal could happen by next week. It would be a first in both programs history if both teams win out in league.

Softball has two league games remaining, while baseball still has a big game today (Friday April 21) against Mayfair and another game against them next Wednesday and finally a league season-ending game against Lynwood next Friday.

After all the festivities with the seniors and their families prior to the first pitch, the Lancers wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.

In the home half of the first inning, Norwalk pushed across six runs, as the first six batters all scored.

An all-senior lineup, starting with shortstop/pitcher Caden Barnhill, opened the game with a single. That was followed by center fielder Randy Martinez (walk), first baseman Kaleb Nakano (hbp), left fielder Jonathan Guzman (single), third baseman Gabriel Cancino (Dbl.) and Steven Martinez (walk), all scoring for the Lancers.

“Taking it in (senior night), I love being at Norwalk,” Nakano said. “We have 10 seniors and have been a pact for a long time. I really appreciate everyone, and I think that’s why we’ve had a lot of success this year.”

Nakano talked about his sister, Kendall, who is a star player on the softball team that also has a chance to win league and go undefeated in league.

“That (softball winning a league title undefeated) would be huge,” he said. “I know that our class, when we started in our freshman year, we were really dedicated to our game. We wanted to help get Norwalk back on the map. We found a lot of success already and the job is not finished. We want to take that game on Friday (Mayfair) and again (next Wednesday).”

The Nakano family has one more on the horizon, younger brother Keegan – class of 2030. Father Keith Nakano is also currently the assistant coach for softball.

Norwalk senior starting and winning pitcher, Angel Gonzalez (5 strikeouts), gave up a single in the first and second innings to Firebaugh (2-12, 2-10) shortstop Adrian Hernandez and centerfielder Gio Gonzalez, respectively, and that was it offensively for the Falcons the rest of the way.

Only one base runner, Jaime Ochoa (walk), in the third inning was the only blemish in the three remaining innings by two Norwalk pitchers.

Senior Kevin Carrillo and Barnhill combined for six Ks between them in the final three innings.

“It was good energy, and we felt the crowd and that made us feel good,” said Barnhill, who has been only one of the two seniors, along with Martinez, on varsity for all four years. “It’s really big to think that both teams could do that (winning league undefeated). “We’re just trying to put on a show and put out our best effort, because at the end of the day, this is our last time ever playing with these guys. I’ve been playing with my friend Randy Martinez for all four years. He’s like my brother.

“It’s very blessed to play all of our games here,” added Barnhill, of the new all-turf facility for baseball, softball and football. Barnhill was also the quarterback on the football team.

Meanwhile, the Lancers added a pair of runs in the second and fourth innings, to stretch the lead to 10-0, which led to the shortened game in five innings.

With one out in the second inning, Martinez doubled to left, followed by another two-bagger by Nakano, scoring Martinez and a run-scoring single to left field by Jonathan Guzman, sending Nakano in for the 8-0 lead.

The final two runs came across in the fourth inning, as Nakano connected with his second double of the game and came in on an error by the Firebaugh centerfielder allowing Jonathan Guzman to reach base. Guzman scored on a single to left by Cancino.

This will be the second consecutive year the Lancers have reached the CIF playoffs, with 2022 being the first time in the last eight years. They lost to Whittier Christian, 2-0 in a wild card game. Currently, the Lancers baseball team is ranked No. 3 in CIF-SS D3.

CIF playoffs begin in two weeks for both softball and baseball.