Pali Baseball Hits Stride

After scoring only one run in its first two games, the Palisades High baseball team has rebounded to win four straight, and the Dolphins have scored plenty of runs in the process. On Tuesday, Pali (4-2) held on to beat Taft 8-7 at George Robert Field, with Turhan Folse striking out four batters in the final two innings for the save. Taft, which plays in the West Valley League’the best league in the City Section’led 5-2 until the fourth inning, when the Dolphins scored six runs, including a solo home run by starting pitcher David Bromberg, who recorded his second win. Matt Skolnik was two-for-three and Monte Hickok added two hits and two RBIs for Pali in the nonleague game. The Dolphins wrapped up Westside Tournament play last week with back-to-back wins over local Southern Section teams. On Thursday, Pali shut down Brentwood 8-0 on the strength of Andrew Strassner’s complete game. He pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and no walks for his first victory. Hickok scored on an error in the first inning, then the Dolphins scored five runs in the sixth, the keyt hit being a bases-loaded single by Hickok. Two days later, the Dolphins’ offense broke out with 11 base hits in a 17-3 rout of visiting Crossroads. Manny Perez bashed Roadrunner pitchers with two hits and three RBIs, Kevin Seto added two hits and two RBIs and Bromberg pitched three innings with six strikeouts for his first win of the season. Seto scored on a fielder’s choice in the first inning, then Pali scored eight runs in the second and fourth innings to blow the game open. In perhaps their most exciting game this season, Pali outlasted visiting Roosevelt 4-3 in eight innings last Tuesday to earn their first victory. Geoff Schwartz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing Alex Thompson home with the winning run in the extra frame. Steve Nirenberg had two hits and two RBIs for Palisades (1-2). The Dolphins host Crenshaw in their final nonleague game today at 3 p.m. at George Robert Field and travel to Fairfax for the Western League opener next Tuesday.’STEVE GALLUZZO