CdM, Sage looking for first-round success

Barry Faulkner

Members of the Corona del Mar High baseball team have grown

accustomed to the program’s place in the CIF Southern Section

playoffs, but postseason euphoria has made its first appearance this

spring at Sage Hill School.

In its second season of varsity competition, Sage Hill, earned its

first playoff berth by finishing third in the Academy League. The

Lightning also recorded their inaugural playoff victory, defeating

Division V visitor La Verne Lutheran, 4-2, in Tuesday’s wild-card

round.

The Lightning (14-8) will try to extend their season today when

they make the estimated 100-mile trip to Acton to meet Vasquez (17-3)

in a first-round contest at 3:15 p.m.

CdM (17-8), champion of the Pacific Coast League and making its

sixth straight CIF playoff appearance, plays host to Hesperia (13-9)

today in a Division IV first-round clash, also at 3:15.

Coach John Emme’s Sea Kings won five games and the 1999 section

title in Division IV, but are 1-4 in their other playoff competition

with Emme at the helm, including two straight defeats in playoff

openers.

The Sea Kings won 11 of their last 12 league games to claim their

third league crown in five years. They are on a three-game winning

streak and have won six of their last seven. They are also as close

to full strength as they have been this season, according to Emme,

who believes this unit may have the best chemistry of any of his CdM

squads.

Hesperia’s Scorpions shared the Mojave River League title with

Serrano, but had to settle for the league’s No. 2 playoff

designation. They lost their last two regular-season games, draining

the momentum from what had been a five-game winning streak.

Hesperia is led by the senior pitching tandem of 5-foot-11

left-hander Danny Schubert (5-2 with a 1.27 ERA and 67 strikeouts in

44 2/3 innings) and 6-0 right-hander Ryan Ferrer (6-1 with a 1.78 ERA

and 58 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings).

The Scorpions are paced offensively by senior outfielder Adam

Sers, who comes in hitting .461 (26 for 56) with 18 RBIs. Cody

Puckett, a 5-6 sophomore third baseman, is hitting .431 with nine

RBIs, and junior Anthony Aguilar has a .382 average and seven RBIs.

None of the three top hitters have a home run this year.

Hesperia averages 6.9 runs with five double-figure outputs.

Opponents are averaging 4.8 runs and have been held to three or fewer

runs 13 times.

The Sea Kings are paced offensively by junior third baseman Josh

Bradbury, who entered the final regular-season game hitting .427 (32

for 75) with eight home runs and 21 RBIs. He has also scored a

team-leading 27 runs.

Senior shortstop Keith Long was hitting .387 with one homer, 18

RBIs and 22 runs. Senior designated hitter Nick Karpe posted a .354

average with four homers, 18 RBIs and 16 runs.

On the mound, junior Todd Macklin had a 4-2 record with one save

in 36 innings, through 24 games for the Sea Kings, who could also

count upon senior Nick Rhodes. Rhodes, a three-year varsity

performer, was 3-0 through 24 games, striking out 20 in 21 innings.

His workload was diminished by arm problems, but he is throwing as

well as he has all season right now.

Rhodes started the Sea Kings’ playoff game last season.

Neither CdM nor Hesperia have fared well against strong

competition this season.

CdM has defeated only three teams that advanced to the playoffs

and one of those, PCL rival Calvary Chapel, was knocked out in the

wild-card round Tuesday. Only Garden Grove and Northwood are still

playing after absorbing losses from the Sea Kings. Further, CdM has

defeated only three teams with winning records this spring.

Similarly, Hesperia has wins over only three playoff squads, one

of which has already been eliminated. Only two of the teams Hesperia

has beaten posted winning records.

Sage Hill lost its last three regular-season games, but rode the

pitching of senior Zach Friedrichs (a four-hitter) and some clutch

hitting by first baseman George Dempsey (two RBIs) to knock off La

Verne Lutheran.

Friedrichs, who quarterbacked the football team and was a standout

on the soccer squad, entered the playoffs hitting .464 (25 for 56)

with one homer, 29 RBIs and 26 runs. He plays shortstop when not on

the mound.

Junior Tim Wilkins, a second-team All-CIF Division VI honoree last

season, is another catalyst for the Lightning. He entered the

playoffs with a 5-1 record, a 2.16 ERA, 53 strikeouts and just eight

walks in 35 2/3 innings. Wilkins also finished the regular season

hitting .350 with two homers and 13 RBIs.

Jordan Salinger hit .321 the first 21 games, with one homer and

nine RBIs, while sophomore infielder-pitcher Matt Loper (6-1 with a

2.84 ERA) has been another steady contributor for first-year coach

Bert Emerson.

Vasquez, a freelance school that has not won a playoff game since

opening in the early 1990s, had a breakthrough season this spring

under first-year coach Bob James.

Senior Eddie Cook, who has committed to Chapman University as a

pitcher, boasts an 8-0 record, a 1.01 ERA, one save, 62 strikeouts

and only 17 walks in 48 1/3 innings. He is also hitting .465 with one

homer and seven RBIs.

James said Cook will be today’s starting pitcher.

Senior catcher Vince Ortiz is hitting .463 with one homer, 17 RBIs

and 21 runs. He is also 5-1 with an 0.96 ERA. He has fanned 45 and

walked just 13 in 36 2/3 innings.

Senior right fielder Justin Turner is another big offensive

threat. He is hitting .450 with 14 RBIs and 18 runs.

Sage Hill and Vasquez have one common opponent. Western Christian

defeated the Lightning, 3-2, but was defeated twice by Vasquez, 5-2

and 9-0.

Should Sage Hill win, it would then meet the Boron-Kern Valley

winner in Tuesday’s second round.

A CdM victory would propel the Sea Kings into Tuesday’ second

round, against either Temple City or Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary.