Despite a recent loss to San Pedro, the Gondoliers have clinched the top spot in their league and will look to rebound at home on Tuesday
One of the hottest high school baseball teams in the Los Angeles City Section saw its 17-game win streak snapped Saturday, but the Venice Gondoliers remain firmly atop the Division I standings as the regular season winds down.
Venice (24-2, 16-0 Western League) fell 5-2 on May 3 to San Pedro in a non-league matchup, marking their first loss since mid-March. Prior to the setback, the Gondoliers had bulldozed their way through opponents, recording 16 of their 24 victories by margins of at least seven runs. Just one day earlier, they overwhelmed Fairfax 17-9 in their final road game of the season—pushing their road record to a perfect 12-0, as reported by MaxPreps.
Despite the loss to San Pedro, the Gondoliers have clinched the top spot in their league and will look to rebound at home on Tuesday, May 7, against University (10-14). Venice has dominated the Wildcats in recent years, winning 10 straight matchups since April 2021. In their two meetings last month, the Gondoliers came away with commanding wins of 12-0 and 14-7.
Led by a stingy pitching staff that has held opponents to just 2.2 runs per game, Venice boasts the best overall record in the City Section. Senior Noel Moreno leads the team’s rotation with a dazzling 0.52 ERA, while senior standout Canon King holds a 0.87 ERA and contributes heavily at the plate. King is batting .446 with a team-high five home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .892 slugging percentage.
Offensively, the Gondoliers are powered by a trio of senior sluggers. Shortstop Daniel Quiroz leads the team with a .538 batting average and a .612 on-base percentage. Third baseman Jesse Dominguez follows closely at .492 and tops the roster with 10 doubles and 32 runs scored. Quiroz, Dominguez, and King have combined for 100 hits this season, as reported by MaxPreps.
Sophomore Jace Lindblom has emerged as a key contributor, tallying 25 RBIs and posting a 1.16 ERA on the mound.
Venice’s dominance has extended across league and tournament play. They’ve outscored league opponents 190-35 and have wins over top programs including Palisades (12-3, 6-4) and Westchester (17-0, 11-0).
Their upcoming opponents, University, dropped a close contest to Rolling Hills Prep over the weekend, falling 6-5 despite multi-hit performances from Dylan Morales (2-for-4, triple, double) and Jacob Santos (1-for-4, two RBIs). University enters Tuesday’s game with a 10-14 overall record and will have a tall task facing one of the most balanced teams in the section.
After Tuesday, the Gondoliers will wrap up the regular season against Hamilton on May 9 before shifting focus to the City Section playoffs, where they will enter as heavy favorites.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
- May 7 vs. University, 6:00 p.m.
- May 9 vs. Hamilton, 6:00 p.m.
