Shortstop Liebsack Harbor’s ‘Heart and Soul’

Shortstop Tony Liebsack might be the best-kept secret on the Harbor College baseball team.

He isn’t big and strong, and most coaches say he doesn’t have a powerful throwing arm. He’s not a flashy player like some of his predecessors at Harbor College.

But it’s Liebsack’s defense, clutch performances and leadership abilities that make him one of the best shortstops in school history. He epitomizes the Seahawks (48-5), who will try to win their third state community college title this weekend at UC Irvine. Harbor opens against Santa Rosa Saturday at 3 p.m.

Second-year Harbor assistant coach Tony Bloomfield was an All-American shortstop in 1983, Brian King was the Southern California Athletic Conference most valuable player in 1986 and Willie Parsons was an All-American in 1988.

But Liebsack, an all-City player at Gardena High, had no problems fitting in. Harbor Coach Jim O’Brien calls the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Liebsack the “heart and soul of this team.”

O’Brien said Liebsack is a determined, hard-nosed player who can make any play. So far Cal State L.A. and the College of Idaho have shown interest in recruiting the speedy infielder.

“The best thing about us right now is our defense and he’s the guts of the defense,” O’Brien said. “He’s as tough as they come. As a coach I know when the ball is hit to short(stop) there’s always an out.”

Bloomfield has the same confidence in Liebsack although he wasn’t impressed with the sophomore when he first saw him two years ago. Bloomfield believes hard work has helped make Liebsack a the player he is today.

“I’ve put so much pressure on him to be a top shortstop like we’ve had in the past and he’s exceeded my expectations,” Bloomfield said. “We’ve asked a lot out of him and he’s given us everything we ever asked for. I can’t even tell you the last time he made an error.”

“He’s the defensive leader of the team,” said second baseman Jonathan Lopez, who will play at Brigham Young next year. “We look up to him because he always comes through in the clutch. He’s just a scrappy player who always rises to the occasion--always.”

Liebsack is batting .329, has 53 hits, scored 44 runs and walked 23 times.

In last week’s regional playoff game against Rio Hondo, he went 2 for 3, scored two runs and walked twice. The Seahawks won, 7-4, in 12 innings.

“He can do it all,” Bloomfield said. “He’s the one guy on this team that if you took him out, we wouldn’t be here (state finals). You take any other guy out and we’d still win, but you take Liebsack out and I don’t know what we’d do.”

Liebsack is one of four captains on the team (outfielder Matt Nuez, catcher Gus Mungary and pitcher Pat Ahearne are the other three). He often conducts team meetings and helps motivate team members.

Bloomfield said Liebsack’s intensity reminds him of his playing days.

“He just takes charge,” Bloomfield said. “He’s like the dad in a family. He’s the guy everybody looks up to. He runs the show. He’s like a coach on the field and that helps us a lot.”

Liebsack smiles at such comments.

“I’m not like the big guys,” he said. “I don’t hit home runs, but I get on base and I bunt. Or I can hit and run. I just play as hard as I can. That’s all.”

Gardena Coach Mike Sakurai said Liebsack’s defense has been refined over the past two years.

“He was a great fielder in high school, but now he’s even better,” Sakurai said. “He’s a lot more polished on the field. He’s really improved his arm velocity and strength.”

Liebsack believes that is the result of taking a season off. After high school, he spent a year working full time at his uncle’s Gardena auto shop. Liebsack figured with Parsons in his second year at shortstop at Harbor in 1988, he wouldn’t get much playing time.

“I really didn’t fit into their plans,” he said. “And taking time off was good. I think I got bigger and more physically and mentally prepared. I know my arm has gotten stronger even though I still don’t have a very strong arm. What helps me is that I get rid of the ball pretty quick.”

As a freshman at Harbor, Liebsack was a second team all-conference player. He had a .336 average and was nicknamed “Mr. Dependable” for his solid defense.

“I can’t say enough good things about him,” O’Brien said. “His toughness and determination to win are unique.”

After the Seahawks went undefeated (20-0) in the conference, the only thing left is to win a state title.

Liebsack, who helped the Seahawks to a third-place finish in the state tournament last season, said this season’s team can win the title.

“I guess sometimes we get a little cocky and we take teams lightly, but we know we have to play tough in state,” he said. “And we know we can win.”