Sea Kings ready for CIF slugfest

Barry Faulkner

When baseball teams travel by bus, coaches usually occupy the row of

seats closest to the door. Corona del Mar High Coach John Emme,

however, may want to move back a few rows to avoid being trampled by

anxious Sea King hitters when the team arrives today at Apple Valley

High for a CIF Southern Section Division IV second-round playoff game

at 3:15 p.m.

“Based on what I was told, they have a short porch in left and the

wind blows out,” Emme said of the scouting report he delivered to his

players at Monday’s practice.

Emme said his man on the scene of Apple Valley’s 5-1 first-round

win over Palos Verdes Friday, reported a left-field fence

approximately 300 feet from the plate.

That would be good news to anyone swinging a bat, but was

particularly well-received by a CdM team hitting .362 with 33 homers

and boasting a 215-105 scoring advantage over opponents this season.

“I was told [the Sun Devils] like to flex their muscles trying to

hit home runs,” said Emme, whose No. 3-seeded squad takes a 21-5

record and a 13-game winning streak into today’s contest. “I think

we’ll be willing to step into that ring and see what comes.”

Whether the Sea Kings advance to Friday’s quarterfinal round won’t

hinge only on their ability to score runs. Shutting down the Mojave

River League champions (12-10) will also be vital to their success.

To that end, Emme will hand the starting pitching assignment to

junior Ben Maggard, who has emerged from a two-week audition to

replace senior standout Todd Macklin (sidelined by an inflamed right

pitching elbow) in the starting rotation led by senior left-hander

Blake Contant.

Contant (9-2 with a 1.99 ERA) earned the victory in Friday’s 13-8

first-round triumph over visiting Cabrillo of Lompoc. Emme said

Contant would pitch today only in a one-inning save situation.

Maggard made his playoff debut Friday, finishing the game with one

inning of relief. He allowed two singles and a run and struck out

two. This season, Maggard is 2-0 record with a 3.21 ERA. He has given

up 15 hits and 13 walks in 19 2/3 innings and has 15 strikeouts.

Emme believes Maggard’s calm disposition will help him answer the

challenge today.

“The kids often wonder what goes through [Maggard’s] veins,

because he shows no emotion on the mound,” Emme said.

What the Pacific Coast League champions have consistently shown

this season is a potent offense, led by senior first baseman Barrett

Sprowl and senior designated hitter Josh Bradbury.

Sprowl has built his team-leading .522 batting average with a

whopping 48 hits, including 14 doubles and four home runs. His 24

RBIs are tied for second on the team with junior Wess Presson,

trailing only senior Nik Palchikoff’s 27.

Bradbury, who launched his 10th homer of the season against

Cabrillo, is hitting .369 and has 22 RBIs. The UNLV-bound slugger has

20 varsity homers, four short of Ty Harper’s school career record.

The single-season dinger record of 12 (held by Harper and fellow 1999

graduate Eric Wiethorn) is also well within Bradbury’s reach.

Presson, a three-year varsity performer, is hitting .349 with

three homers and a team-leading seven stolen bases.

Palchikoff is hitting .303 with five homers for the Sea Kings.

Today’s winner advances to meet either St. Bonaventure (19-5) or

San Dimas (18-8) in Friday’s quarterfinals.