HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PREVIEW:

AJ Wolfson had fractured the growth plate in his right shoulder before. When he was about 12, Wolfson said he had no idea how it happened. It just happened.

The second time, his right shoulder, his throwing side, gave out March 30, a day after a Sage Hill School baseball game.

Wolfson called the game insignificant. The 2 1/3 -inning outing sidelined him from pitching for four months.

“I woke up and I couldn’t move my arm up,” Wolfson said. “I had very limited mobility in my arm.”

That isn’t the case anymore. Wolfson, a junior, is the ace at Sage Hill.

Coach Andy Berglund figured Wolfson would turn into a pitcher once Wolfson stopped relying so much on his arm. That was the problem last year.

As a pitcher, Berglund said Wolfson used his upper body, instead of incorporating his legs and hips into his delivery.

Wolfson showed he had a naturally strong arm, firing throws from third base to first base with ease. When it came to throwing off the mound toward home plate, Wolfson’s mechanics were way off.

“I basically didn’t know how to pitch,” Wolfson said.

Berglund suggested Wolfson attend a pitching clinic held by Seth Etherton, a former major league pitcher.

Wolfson, injured, went. After one day, he was on his way to becoming a pitcher, and not just a thrower.

He stayed with the team, doing his best to contribute to Sage Hill’s finest season. For the first time in school history, the Lightning won the Academy League title and a playoff game in baseball.

Berglund used Wolfson as a pinch-hitter, a designated hitter. Thirty plate appearances after the injury taught him one thing.

“I didn’t hit that well,” said Wolfson, who still managed to hit .333 after the injury. “I didn’t feel 100%. My swing was kind of odd.”

At least Wolfson was able to swing. To pitch again required four months of rehabilitation.

Physical therapy began three times a week, slowly changed to twice a week, and then to once a week. The stretching and resistance bands allowed him rebuild his strength in his shoulder.

The next project was the head on his shoulders. Confidence. Can he throw again? Can he get batters out? Individual workouts with Etherton helped him develop as a pitcher.

“He taught me how to throw an accurate fastball,” Wolfson said. “He taught me how to throw a curveball. He basically taught me everything about pitching.”

Wolfson’s first start on the mound is at home today at 3:15 p.m.

What better team to return from an injury than against your school’s rival?

“I’m ready,” the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder said of facing St. Margaret’s. “Bring it on.”

CORONA DEL MAR  

Coach: John Emme (12th year)

2008 record: 9-16, 4-8, in the Pacific Coast League (fourth place)

Returning starters: P Matt Morris (Sr.); P Steven Manning (Sr.); P-SS Danny Moskovits (Sr.); CF John Doering (Sr.); 2B Michael Bloom (Sr.); OF Mitch Sands (Sr.); OF Will Morrow (So.); C Beau Attyah (Jr.)

Key newcomers: OF-C Parker Werline (Jr.); 1B-DH Michael Borchard (Jr.); INF-P Brian Hurst (Jr.); OF Brian Ford (So.); INF Mitch Gardner (So.); INF Brent Lawson (Fr.); OF Chase Carlisle (Jr.)

Key dates: at home against Newport Harbor, March 17; at Beckman, March 20; at home against Laguna Hills, March 27; at home against University, March 31; at home against Beckman, April 14; at Laguna Hills, April 28; at home against Laguna Hills, May 1.

Outlook: The Sea Kings have what it takes to return to the postseason after missing it last season for the first time under Emme. Errors plagued CdM last season. Emme said the team committed 64, and without the lack of offensive productivity as the team hit .258, the young Sea Kings couldn’t overcome their defensive shortcomings. Emme said CdM would contend for a league title with defending champion Laguna Hills. The starting outfield, Doering, Morrow and Sands, is hurting with knee problems. Emme expects the three to return and bolster the lineup. Moskovits, who’s headed to Harvard, will pitch this season after not doing so last season due to right shoulder and elbow issues.

COSTA MESA

Coach: Jim Kiefer (fourth year)

2008 record: 15-13, 8-4 in the Orange Coast League (second)

Returning starters: SS Mikey Molina (Sr.); P Tyler Peterson (Jr.); 2B Brian Waldron (Jr.); 1B Nick Pederson (Sr.); P Will LeValley (Sr.)

Key dates: at Estancia, March 20; at home against Laguna Beach, April 2; at home against Estancia, April 21, at Estancia, April 24; at home against Calvary Chapel, May 1; at home against Laguna Beach, May 14.

Outlook: The Mustangs look to contend for a league title after coming within one victory last season of claiming their first league championship since 1978. Kiefer, who has led the team to the CIF Southern Section Division playoffs the past two seasons, has one of the area’s top pitchers in Peterson, a first-team All-Orange Coast League selection. Peterson led Costa Mesa with a 7-4 record and a 3.58 earned-run average. He struck out 43 batters in 68 1/3 innings and went the distance five times, one resulting in a shutout. First place in league mostly will come down to three teams, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Calvary Chapel, the defending champ.

ESTANCIA

Coach: Matt Sorensen (second year)

2008 record: 7-20, 0-12 in the Orange Coast League (fourth)

Returning starters: SS Troy McClanahan (Sr.); P Gavin Montague (Sr.); INF-P-OF Ryan Boselo (Jr.); INF Matt Carlyle (So.)

Key newcomers: P-OF Tyler De La Pena (So.); 1B-P Andres Gonzalez (Jr.)

Key dates: at home against Warren, March 17; at home against Costa Mesa, March 20; at home against Laguna Hills in Beach Pit Classic, April 4; at home against Sage Hill, April 17; at Costa Mesa, April 21; at home against Costa Mesa, April 24.

Outlook: The Eagles have no where to go but up after going winless in league play. Sorensen said he was hired to get the players ready, upgrade the facilities, get the community involved and have a program the community can rally behind. Sorensen accomplished that in his first season last year. He now wants Estancia to win more games than it loses. McClanahan is the Eagles’ top player. Two transfers, De La Pena from Palm Desert High and Gonzalez from Mexico, are expected to contribute. Gonzalez is a left-handed pitcher, giving Estancia a loaded staff with seven pitchers. Montague will be the ace this year after not pitching last year due to undergoing right shoulder surgery.

NEWPORT HARBOR

Coach: Evan Chalmers (fourth year)

2008 record: 8-14-1, 4-11 in the Sunset League (sixth)

Returning starters: SS Jacob McCann (Jr.); CF-P Dillan Freiberg (Jr.); C Blake Davey (Jr.); 3B Cody Green (Sr.); 1B Alex Rios (Sr.); P Ryan Albert (Jr.); LF Kyle Cablay (Jr.)

Key newcomers: P Nick Vlahakis (Sr.); P Arturo Vasquez (Sr.); 2B Austin Wobrock (Jr.)

Key dates: at Corona del Mar, March 17; at Los Alamitos, March 20, at home against Esperanza, March 27; at Edison, March 31; at home against Los Alamitos, April 15; at Los Alamitos, April 17; at home against Edison, May 5.

Outlook: The Sailors faced tough pitching at the start of the season, opening at Riverside Patriot, ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section Division IV preseason coaches’ poll, and against Mater Dei, ranked No. 1 in Division I. Chalmers set it up this way so his batters get accustomed to good pitching before jumping into Sunset League play. The Sailors have a strong junior class, Freiberg, Albert, McCann and Davey, each started last season. Newport Harbor offensively should be much improved. Pitching might be an issue after losing RJ D’Cruz and lefty Patrick Brennan, All-Sunset League picks last season. Freiberg, a lefty, Albert, Vlahakis, Vasquez, a lefty, are slated to pitch.

SAGE HILL

Coach: Andy Berglund (second year)

2008 record: 15-7, 12-3 in the Academy League (first)

Returning starters: 1B Chris Griffin (Sr.); INF-OF Nick Ongaro (Sr.); OF Sean Vogel (Jr.); P-2B Alex Jimenez (Jr.); 3B-P AJ Wolfson (Jr.); C Dusty Orrantia (Jr.); DH-OF Jack Heffron (So.); OF-P Patrick Vorwerck (Jr.)

Key newcomers: SS Mo Kreitenberg (Jr.); 2B-P Mark Loper (So.); P-OF Allen Brown (So.)

Key dates: Today at home against St. Margaret’s; at home against Saddleback Valley Christian, March 17; at home against Oxford Academy, March 20; at home against Oxford Academy, April 7; at Oxford Academy, April 9; at St. Margaret’s, May 12; home vs. St. Margaret’s, May 14.

Outlook: With seven returning starters, the Lightning are primed to defend their Academy League championship. Berglund, in his first season as coach, guided Sage Hill to its first playoff victory and the Lightning reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs last season. Berglund, the Academy League Coach of the Year, said a run at a section championship is possible. Kreitenberg, a transfer from Los Alamitos, will start at shortstop. Vogel, a first-team All-Academy League pick, moves to the outfield. Berglund said Heffron, a lefty, would not pitch this year due to being overworked this summer. Heffron, who led local hitters with a .476 batting average, will be the designated hitter.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.