HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Glendale’s Gantt Pitches a Perfect Game

David Gantt struck out James Downs on a full-count pitch to complete a perfect game and lead Glendale High to a 7-0 victory over Artesia on Tuesday in a Babe Herman tournament game at Hoover.

Gantt (1-3), a senior right-hander, went to three balls on only one other hitter and did not allow a ball to reach the outfield. He struck out seven, induced 13 ground balls and one popup to the second baseman. Gantt also had three hits and drove in a run for Glendale (6-6).

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Sylmar 5, Monroe 1--It promised to be the finest pitching duel in Valley Pac-8 Conference play. Sylmar’s Carlos Velazco versus Monroe’s Joel Zamudio. Each lost only one game last season.

With college and professional scouts behind the backstop clocking pitches, the game was everything it should have been--until the bottom of third inning when Zamudio bowed out because of shoulder pain.

Relying on a sharp curveball, Velazco (5-1) pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10.

“(Monday) I felt so good,” Zamudio said. “If there was a game (Monday) I would have thrown good.”

Zamudio struck out four of the first seven batters he faced. Then in the second, after loading the bases on three walks, he took himself out of the game.

Michael Perez (2-3) relieved Zamudio with one out in the third and retired the side four pitches later on a line drive that was turned into a double play.

But Sylmar (12-3, 3-0 in conference play) scored twice in the fourth on RBI singles by Hiram Damwijk and Xavier Gutierrez.