MONROVIA >> In the Rio Hondo League, the fortunes of a team can be changed on one pitch or one hit. In the case of Temple City, it was one player — Nicco Day.
The senior played a starring role in Temple City’s 6-2 win over host Monrovia on Friday. The win solidified the Rams’ position in second place in the league standings, one game behind La Canada.
It was a huge performance for Day. He went 3 for 4, including a two-run home run in the third inning and a double to right-center in the seventh inning. Day also pitched three innings in relief, allowed two hits and struck out six to preserve the win for starter Nathan Lee.
Day was brought in the fifth inning and struck out Nathan Thompson and Dominic Teneriello and picked off Logan Barnier at second base.
The Rams (9-6, 4-1), who only scored one run on six hits in their 4-1 loss to La Canada last week, came out of their offensive shell early by scoring two runs in the second inning on run-scoring singles by Joey Flores and Erik Lewis off Monrovia starter Logan Barnier, for an early 2-0 lead.
Monrovia (7-5, 3-3) scored its only runs in the fourth inning. Sebastian Sanchez scored on a single to center field by Coleman Mitchell that cut Temple City’s lead to 4-1. Nicholas Parker scored when Luke Heiberg beat out a throw to first base, on a double-play attempt, for a 4-2 Temple City advantage.
It was a bittersweet win for Nelson, who found out shortly before Friday’s game that Art Mazmanian, for whom he played for one season at Mt. SAC (1983), passed away earlier in the day.