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Kemuel Zhang and Canyon baseball come out on top in pitchers’ duel with Pacifica

April 18, 2026

GARDEN GROVE — By the middle innings of the Freeway League baseball game between Canyon and Pacifica on Friday, the contest had evolved into an outstanding pitchers’ duel between Canyon’s Kemuel Zhang and Pacifica’s Giovanni Caira.

The two starters matched zeros through four innings and both flirted with no-hitters.

The Comanches finally were able to manufacture the game’s only run in the fifth inning for a 1-0 victory over the Mariners.

“He really stepped up for us because we haven’t had much offense lately and he just put the team on his back,” Canyon coach Jason Smith said of Zhang. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he is always competing. And what makes it so great is that he is an awesome kid.”

The Comanches (11-11 overall, 5-3 league) and Mariners (12-8, 3-3) are in second and third place, respectively, with El Modena in first place.

Except for a hitter who reached on an error in the first, Zhang was perfect through three innings.

Anton Romo doubled to lead off the fourth for Pacifica. Romo moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and with one out and runners on first and third, Zhang struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning.

Zhang gave up a two-out double in the fifth and retired the Mariners in order in the sixth.

The right-hander gave up a two-out single in the seventh before striking out the next hitter to come away with a complete-game victory.

Zhang allowed three hits and finished with nine strikeouts.

“The approach really was just trusting in myself,” Zhang said. “Just honestly throwing it down the middle. If they are going to hit it, they are going to hit it. I think I executed very well and mixed up my pitches.”

Ciara was perfect through 5 1/3 innings before walking Bryce Lloyd with one out in the fifth.

Matt Simons followed with the Mariners’ first hit.

Lloyed slid into third on the hit but was initially called out by the home plate umpire. After the umpires conferred, Lloyd was ruled safe.

The ruling was significant because one out later, Lloyed scored on a two-out bunt single from James Allen.

Caira allowed one run on two hits with a walk and five strikeouts through six innings.

“I personally think they missed it but you know what, I’ve missed a lot of calls when I am coaching,” Pacifica coach Mike Caira said. “That one play didn’t define us. Hats off to them. Two outs and they bunt. But these guys are working their butts off … and we have a lot of baseball left.”

Orange County Register

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Kemuel Zhang and Canyon baseball come out on top in pitchers’ duel with Pacifica

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