Imperial breaks up no-hitter on final out

The Tigers were one out away from being no-hit against the Sultans

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) - The Imperial Tigers saw their season come to an end Tuesday afternoon after falling 5-0 to Santana in the CIF San Diego Section Division 3 playoffs at McCarty Field.

Seventh-seeded Imperial struggled to solve Santana starter Micah Carrillo, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out Tigers hitters throughout the afternoon. Carrillo finished with a dominant outing, backed by solid defense from the Sultans.

Imperial senior Ayden Avilla got the start on the mound and struck out six batters over five innings. However, Santana capitalized on defensive miscues and timely hitting to build its lead. The Sultans scored four runs against Avilla, though only two were earned.

One of Santana’s key moments came when Tatum Morehouse lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Gavin Kelly to score and extend the Sultans’ advantage.

Carrillo remained in control deep into the game before Imperial freshman Dre Acuna broke up the no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh inning. The Tigers attempted to rally late, collecting another hit in the frame, but were unable to push a run across.

After the game, Imperial coach Javier Ramos credited Carrillo’s performance and praised his team’s effort despite the loss.

“I saw he attacked the zone really well with both pitches, his fastball and curveball,” Ramos said. “He was able to throw at any count, kept us off balance and got a lot of lazy fly balls to help his cause. We didn’t make the adjustment to put the ball on the ground, and he took advantage of it.”

Ramos also applauded his team for continuing to compete late in the game.

“He had a no-hitter into the seventh with two outs, so you applaud him for that,” Ramos said. “But our kids didn’t give up and ended up getting two hits at the end with two outs. That’s the kind of competitive spirit we’re going to need moving forward.”

The loss ends Imperial’s season, while Santana advances in the Division 3 playoff bracket.