By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor With approximately one month to go in the 2018 prep baseball regular season, almost every Pasadena area program is in position to make a run at a postseason berth. Maranatha (8-4, 3-0) has the deepest roster and pitching staff. The Minutemen are atop the Olympic League standings by one-game over […]
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
With approximately one month to go in the 2018 prep baseball regular season, almost every Pasadena area program is in position to make a run at a postseason berth.
Maranatha (8-4, 3-0) has the deepest roster and pitching staff.
The Minutemen are atop the Olympic League standings by one-game over Heritage Christian.
MHS went 2-2 in Florida last week at the IMG National Classic, including victories over Brighton (Utah) and Ridgewood (Illinois).
Two guys really stood out and both earned all-tournament honors.
Dawson Netz pushed his scoreless innings streak to an incredible 31, and that includes a no-hittier and two consecutive shutouts.
He’s walked one batter over the past three appearances and fanned 31.
Max Blessinger had eight hits in four games and also won the final game of the tournament on the mound.
Blessinger leads Maranatha in average (489), hits (22), runs (15), doubles (4), triples (3) and stolen bases (12).
Netz is now 5-0 with a 0.22 ERA. He’s walked 5 and has struck out an area-best 48 batters.
Look for Marco Martinez and the other bats to heat up this week in a two-game series with Whittier Christian.
Poly (10-2, 3-0) will control their own destiny throughout and likely won’t be heavily challenged in the Prep League.
The Panthers are clicking on all cylinders, both offensively and on the mound.
In fact, Matt Queen and Sean McTigue combined on a no-hitter in Saturday’s second game.
Poly swept Oxford Academy by scores of 4-3, and 13-0, respectively, and they pounded out 17 hits in game two.
Matt Queen, for the second year in a row, is leading the area with a better than .520 average.
Cameron McFarlane, Franco Alonso, Sean Tibay and Ty Evans are also key to the Panthers making a playoff run.
La Salle (8-7, 2-2) had a 1-3 week and have been on a slide after starting the season 7-1.
But first-year coach Eddie McKiernan has the pitching to be dangerous in two-game series’ each week now that tournament commitments have been pretty much met.
Landon Smith is the area’s best pitcher that no one knows about.
Smith is 1-1, with a 1.24 ERA and he’s allowed just five earned runs over 29 innings.
He’s walked 10 and struck out 37 batters so far.
Zane Lindeman is still dangerous any time he takes the mound and is 2-0 with a 0.33 ERA.
Every time the Lancers do battle, the question is never really about their pitching, it’s will La Salle be able to push a few runs across to support that pitching staff, that includes Jeff Daley, who is 4-2.
Loyola Marymount-bound shortstop Ethan Patrick has carried over his excellence from last year.
The senior leads the Lancers offense in several categories, including batting average (.489), hits (22), runs (13), RBIs (14), doubles (5) and triples (4).
Brennan Mace has been solid, hitting .448 with 13 hits, Mark Daley (.308, 12 hits) and Henry Kavanaugh (.318, 14 hits) are the only other Lancers’ starters over the .300 mark.
Muir (6-4-1, 2-2) was swept in a two-game series with Arcadia in Pacific League play.
But the Mustangs’ still made positive progress under first-year coach Adonis Harrison.
Despite being undefeated in 2018, Arcadia had nothing but great things to say about the revamped Muir baseball program and the way they battle throughout the week with the Apaches.
Amaris Harrison leads the offense.
The sophomore has team highs in average (.389), hits (13) and RBIs (12).
Brian Love, Emiliano Martinez and Valente Vera have been solid on the mound.
Love is 1-1 with an 0.89 ERA and 17 strikeouts, Martinez is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts and Vera is 1-2 with a 1.95 ERA and he’s fanned 15 batters in 14 innings.
Muir will have a two-game series with second-place Burroughs this week.
Pasadena (10-7, 1-3) split a two-game series with second-place Burroughs last week to earn their first Pacific League victory.
The news gets better, because the Bulldogs get two with last-place Hoover (1-13, 0-3) this week.
After falling to the Indians, 4-1, on Tuesday, the Bulldogs ace pitched like an ace.
Alvie Castro allowed just one hit over 6 1/3 innings, walked three and struck out 11 Indians’ batters in the 7-1 victory on Friday. He’s 4-1 on the hill with a 0.93 ERA and he’s struck out 33 batters in 30 innings.
Adrian DePasquale has been solid throughout, and leads the Bulldogs in average (.404), hits (19) and RBIs (13).
Castro is close behind, hitting .353 with 18 hits, 13 runs scored and 12 RBIs.
Jacob Green has contributed both on the mound (1-1, 1.47 ERA) and at the plate (.366 with 15 hits).
St. Francis (5-9, 0-3) had a phenomenal and much-needed 96-hour stretch of excellence at the St. Paul Tournament.
At the beginning of last week, the Golden Knights were 1-9 and worse yet, they were riding an eight-game losing streak.
But they showed their heart and mettle, going 4-0, in wins over Paramount, San Pedro, Los Altos and Mary Star.
Best yet, in a pair of games, the Golden Knights rallied in the final two innings to clutch up and head back into Mission League play on a four-game win streak.
Chris Stamos is without question their ace.
Stamos is 3-1 with a 1.19 ERA, and the senior lefty has struck out 21 batters in 29 innings.
Hayden Byrnes and Aaron Treloar are also beginning to find the strike zone and have seen success because of that and allowing their defense to make plays behind them.
The offense is led by Mikey Kane, Aaron Treloar, Matt Odom and Christian Muro.
Kane has team-bests with hits (18) and average (.400), followed by Treloar (.395, 17 hits, 11 RBIs), Odom (.389, 14 hits) and Muro (.372, 16 hits, 14 runs).
To his credit, Treloar actually predicted the Golden Knights would go 4-0 last week and did his share to ensure it.
The Golden Knights have three Mission League games this week with last place Crespi (3-11, 0-6), and they hope to even their league record by the week’s end.
Quotable:
Muir coach Adonis Harrison: “Last week, the Muir baseball program had its best week in a long time. We learned how to play with the best and we learned how to be a team. If we play to our capability, we are a playoff-caliber team. We aren’t a secret anymore and we have to play with energy and accept every challenge that’s presented to us. We are truly battle-tested and now it’s time to see what we’re made of as a squad.”
St. Francis senior Aaron Treloar: “I think we learned a lot about ourselves. Most of our pitchers threw wonderfully, and we were able to keep ourselves in each game by staying loud in the dugout, and working counts late in games. If we continue to throw strikes and grind out at-bats, along with taking care of the little things, we are able to compete with any team.”
La Salle senior Ethan Patrick: “This past week, we started to show signs of improvement. Although we may have gone 1-3, we started to hit and work as a team better offensively. In order to win going forward, we need to continue to do well on the offensive side, and we really need to focus on our defense. This past week, we played poorly defensively, which cost us a few games. I feel like in order to win, we have to play defense like we are capable of.”
Pasadena senior Alvie Castro: “Burroughs is a good team and they like to work the count and battle till the end. They had all of our pitchers working and they would go opposite field. It was a great series but it could’ve been better. Our team is going to bounce back. To make it to the playoffs, we just have to keep battling. We aren’t a power hitting team, so if we want to make it to playoffs our pitching has to be spot on like it’s always been and we have to play small ball and execute when we have too. We can easily make the playoffs if we do our job right. I believe in my team and I know we are ready for this.”
Baseball Schedule, April 10-14:
Tuesday:
Baseball: Muir at Burroughs at 3:30
Baseball: St. Francis at Crespi at 3:30
Baseball: La Salle at Serra at 3:15
Baseball: Maranatha at Whittier Christian at 3:30
Baseball: Pasadena at Hoover at 3:30
Baseball: Firebaugh at Poly at 3:15
Wednesday:
Baseball: St. Francis at Crespi at 3:30
Baseball: Marshall at Rosemead at 3:15
Friday:
Baseball: Burroughs at Muir at 3:30
Baseball: St. Francis at Crespi at 3:15
Baseball: Serra at La Salle at 3:15
Baseball: Whittier Christian at Maranatha at 6
Baseball: Hoover at Pasadena at 3:30
Baseball: Arroyo at Marshall at 3:15
Baseball: Poly at Firebaugh at 3:15
Baseball Standings Through April 7
Del Rey League:
Bishop Amat (9-9-1 overall, 4-0 in league)
La Salle (8-7, 2-2)
St. Paul (6-7, 2-2)
Cathedral (7-5, 1-2)
Serra (6-8-1, 0-3)
Mission League:
Notre Dame (13-2 overall, 6-0 in league)
Harvard Westlake (10-2, 3-0)
Chaminade (12-2, 5-1)
Loyola (10-7, 3-3)
Alemany (5-9, 1-5)
St. Francis (5-9, 0-3)
Crespi (3-11, 0-6)
Mission Valley League:
Arroyo (6-6 overall, 3-1 in league)
El Monte (4-7, 2-1)
South El Monte (6-11, 2-1)
Mountain View (3-8, 1-2)
Marshall (3-9, 1-2)
Gabrielino (3-10, 1-2)
Rosemead (1-9, 1-2)
Olympic League:
Maranatha (8-4 overall, 3-0 in league)
Heritage Christian (11-4, 2-1)
Village Christian (11-4, 2-2)
Whittier Christian (9-11-1, 1-2)
Valley Christian (7-7, 0-3)
Pacific League:
Arcadia (14-0 overall, 4-0 in league)
Crescenta Valley (12-4, 3-0)
Burroughs (9-7, 3-1)
Muir (6-4-1, 2-2)
Burbank (4-7, 2-2)
Pasadena (10-7, 1-3)
Hoover (1-13, 0-3)
Glendale (3-10-1, 0-4)
Prep League:
Poly (10-2 overall, 3-0 in league)
Rio Hondo Prep (7-3, 3-1)
Chadwick (6-4, 1-1)
Firebaugh (6-5, 0-3)
Flintridge Prep (6-5, 0-3)
