RANCHO CUCAMONGA — This is a week that many area high school baseball coaches are looking for momentum before league play starts or resumes next week. That was the case on a cool and windy Tuesday for Los Osos coach Travis Kelly and Centennial coach Ryan Simpson. And it was Kelly’s team that got a little momentum with a four-run first inning that led to a 5-3 victory in a nonleague contest. “The biggest thing we want to see is finishing strong,” Kelly said. “We don’t take anybody lightly. We’re going to prepare for Hillcrest (in final nonleague game) just like we prepare for anybody else. We want to see our guys come out and play hard for seven innings and we’ll find out where the result is. This week is about getting our groove back coming off spring break.” It was a rough start for Centennial (10-2) and starting pitcher Charles Rogers. Rogers allowed the Grizzlies’ first three batters in the first inning to reach base on a hit by pitch and two walks. Simpson said Rogers was having trouble with his off-speed pitches early. An error and a wild pitch helped the first two runs to score and the rally was capped by a two-run double to center by Andrew Cromwell to give Los Osos (8-3) a 4-0 lead. “It bit us, the wind, on the one play where they hit that double and scored the two runs,” Simpson said. “We talked before the game that you have to play this way deeper than you think it’s going to be. It was a routine flyball that just kept going. When you spot a good team four runs at the beginning, it’s going to be hard to come back from.” Rogers settled down after that, Cromwell’s hit was the last hit Rogers allowed in four innings. He allowed just one walk and one hit batter in his final three innings. Centennial battled back with two runs in the second on an RBI single by Jesse Mendoza and a sacrifice fly by Anden McNevin and another run in the fourth on an RBI single by Jaden Walk-Green. Kelly said he was hoping for his starting pitcher Jordan Mejico to go a little longer, but the Huskies got his pitch count up and Mejico came out after three innings. Related Articles All-CIF Southern Section: Three Inland boys basketball players receive top honors All-CIF Southern Section: Three Inland girls basketball players earn top honors Inland girls athlete of the week: Olivia Garate, Murrieta Mesa Inland boys athlete of the week: Billy Carlson, Corona IE Varsity’s high school softball rankings, March 31 Los Osos leadoff hitter Joshua Chairez hit a home run to cap the scoring in the fifth inning, and the Grizzlies’ bullpen didn’t allow a Centennial baserunner to get into scoring position over the final three innings. “We had plenty of guys in scoring position (in the game) and just didn’t come through with that one big hit that we usually get,” Simpson said. Reagan Samples reached base three times for Los Osos, while Ethan Lebreton did the same for Centennial. Los Osos was playing without third baseman Wyatt Mohler, who was a late scratch from the lineup with some muscle tightness. Kelly said he wouldn’t play Friday against Hillcrest but should be ready for next week’s Baseline League series against Chino Hills. ...read more read less