TORRANCE — Peter Broughton made the most of what could have been his final home start during Friday’s CIF-Southern Section Division 4 first round game with Culver City.

Throwing just 72 pitches, Broughton faced the minimum (21 batters), allowed one hit and struck out six, leading South to a 2-0 win.

“I was definitely feeling the crowd,” Broughton said. “They helped me get through the game. I was living off everyone, my teammates and coaches.”

South (16-13) will visit Sonora of La Habra in Tuesday’s second round.

Broughton retired the first six hitters, utilizing what South coach Grady Sain called “exceptional command” to strike out three of the first six, including opposing pitcher Niko Weber-Smith on a backdoor curveball to end the second inning.

“I think (Broughton’s) success is pounding the strike zone,” Sain said. “He had some strikeouts but the guys played defense behind him and he faced the minimum. That’s an exceptional outing against a real tough team. We needed every bit of (Broughton) today, for sure.”

Jordan Espino singled to lead off the third inning, but was thrown out attempting to steal second base on the next pitch. After getting a popout, for the second out, Owen Rhodes made the third out with a leaping grab..

South’s offense gave Broughton all the support he needed in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Dane Rhodes reached on a dropped third strike, he took second base on a passed ball and scored on Isaac Orozco’s line drive to right field for a 1-0 lead.

Despite having the lead, Broughton stuck with the same mentality he began the game with.

“I’m pitching like we were down the whole game in the tightest game possible,” Broughton said. “I can’t let up a runner. That’s what I was going through (in my head) every batter.”

Broughton came back out in the fourth inning and limited Culver City to a pair of groundouts and a fly out. The UC Santa Barbara-bound Broughton induced six ground ball outs and eight fly ball outs.

“(Our defense) just kept the game in rhythm. (Broughton) was obviously in a groove and your job defensively is just to support him and make plays, and those guys did,” Sain said. “There were a couple of tough plays they made, and they made the routine ones, too. So it just kept the game in rhythm. And it gave (Broughton) a chance to take the ball and go back on the hill and do his thing.”

The Rhodes brothers played a critical part in giving Broughton a bit of breathing room on the mound. With one out in the fifth inning, Owen Rhodes singled and would take third on Dane’s double to right-center field. Owen later scored on a passed ball, for a 2-0 lead.

Niko Weber-Smith scattered three hits, walked three and struck out 11 over six innings of work for Culver City.

“You know you’re getting great pitching in the playoffs and so you just take advantage of any little opportunity you get,” Sain said. “We obviously did in those situations. It’s about taking advantage, getting some bags when you can and then having a clutch hit here and there. That was really the difference in the ballgame.”