Gunnar Nichols pitches Burroughs to school's first ever CIF Southern Section championship in 1-0 win over Moreno Valley

Nichols is committed to play baseball at Pepperdine.
Gunnar Nichols pitches Burroughs to school's first ever CIF Southern Section championship in 1-0 win over Moreno Valley
Gunnar Nichols pitches Burroughs to school's first ever CIF Southern Section championship in 1-0 win over Moreno Valley /

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Moreno Valley pitcher Frank Camarillo put it best. 

"He had a next level curveball," Camarillo said of Burroughs starter Gunnar Nichols. 

In a true pitchers' duel, Nichols, a Pepperdine commit, threw a complete game striking out 10 to lead Burroughs to the school's first ever CIF Southern Section title. The Bears won 1-0 over Moreno Valley. 

Camarillo, a UCSB signee, struck out eight also pitching a complete game, but he gave up a run in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single from Mason Medina. That run ended up being the difference in the game.

"We gave the ball to our horse and we just couldn't put any runs across the board today," Moreno Valley head coach Brad Allcock said.

Nichols frustrated Moreno Valley all game. The senior got out of three key jams on Friday to consistently bail out his team. 

First, Nichols struck out two straight Moreno Valley hitters in the fourth inning after the Vikings had a runner on second with one out. In the top of the fifth, a throwing error led to Moreno Valley's Hector Rodriguez going from first to third after a swinging bunt. Nichols then struck out George Banuelos with a treacherous breaking ball to get out of the inning. In the top of the sixth, Moreno Valley had runners on first and second with no outs. Nichols induced a double play and then struck out Greg Luna to end the frame.

"I just stayed relaxed and I just did what I did all season and used my past experiences in those moments," Nichols said. "I really just felt like I needed to get out of those moments and I was going to do it myself."

Burroughs head coach Matt Magallon said his this year's Burroughs team may not be the most talented in school history, but it has the best ever chemistry. The tight bond played a role in winning the title, according to Nichols.

"It definitely helps," Nichols said. "It keeps our energy up in the dugout, throughout the game and it definitely through this long season helped keep us connected and play well in the bad moments we had."


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