CHINO HILLS — Norco entered Tuesday’s CIF Southern Section Division 1 pool-play elimination game looking to avoid a second consecutive shutout and keep its championship hopes alive.

The top-seeded Cougars responded with a complete performance.

Norco broke open a scoreless game with a four-run third inning, added five more runs in the seventh, and pulled away from ninth-seeded Ayala for a 9-2 victory.

With the win, Norco improved to 26-4 and finished second in Pool A. The Cougars advance to play at the Pool D winner, Orange Lutheran, on Friday. Ayala’s season ended with a 24-5 record.

After being shut out in their previous pool-play game, the Cougars found their offensive rhythm in the third inning against Ayala senior right-hander Caleb Trugman.

Dylan Seward started the rally with a one-out single to center. Codey Brown then reached first on a wild pitch after a strikeout, giving Norco two runners on base. Zion Martinez followed with an RBI single to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Jacob Melendez added an RBI single to make it 2-0, and Marcus Blanton followed with a single to load the bases. Ayala had a chance to limit the damage on a ground ball that could have ended the inning, but a fielding error allowed two more runs to score and extended Norco’s lead to 4-0.

That third inning proved to be the turning point.

Trugman settled in after the rally and retired the final nine batters he faced. He finished with 5 2/3 innings pitched, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out six and walking none.

Norco left-hander Jacob Melendez gave the Cougars a strong outing on the mound. He went the distance, allowing two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and three walks. While Melendez did not overpower Ayala’s lineup, he consistently pitched to contact and let Norco’s defense work behind him.

The Cougars turned two double plays in the first three innings and played error-free defense.

Ayala got on the board in the fourth inning after Easton Sarmiento drew a leadoff walk, but the Bulldogs were unable to put together the big inning they needed to climb back into the game.

Norco then put the game out of reach in the seventh.

Brown singled in a run to extend the lead, and Martinez delivered the biggest swing of the game with a three-run home run to right field. Elijah Alvarez added a sacrifice fly later in the inning, capping a five-run frame that gave the Cougars a 9-2 advantage.

Martinez led Norco offensively, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. He singled home a run in the third inning and added the three-run homer in the seventh. Seward also finished with two hits for the Cougars, who totaled nine hits in the win.

For Ayala, Aiden Granados, Jaden Valenzuela, and Elijah Duarte each collected two hits. Ivan Ruddell and Granados each drove in one run for the Bulldogs.

Ayala closed the season with 24 wins and a strong playoff run, but Norco’s combination of timely hitting, clean defense, and a complete-game effort from Melendez proved to be the difference.

Norco now turns its attention to Orange Lutheran as the Cougars continue their pursuit of a CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.

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Photos taken by Anthony Sarinana