Peninsula Prep Baseball
SAN MATEO – By the time Serra gets back on the field Saturday to kick off the CCS-Division I tournament against No. 8 Palma, it will have been 10 days since the top-seeded Padres last played a game.
They're not alone. Everyone has been in wait mode. And baseball is a game that is meant to be played often.
Some teams scrimmaged other CCS teams. At Serra, coach Mat Keplinger concocted the first-ever Blue-Gold World Series – a three-game intersquad affair that featured seniors Jack Armstrong and Ian Josephson drafting teams that they managed while the coaching staff officiated.
Let it be known that Armstrong's squad captured the World Series Crown. Never bet against a catcher.
It was a different way of creating a game-like scenario during down time, a way of keeping the focus on baseball when ballplayers are being pulled in so many distracting directions – from proms to senior trips to graduation.
"There's a lot going on," Keplinger said. "This is a challenging time of year for spring coaches."
It happens every year. Baseball and life overlap. The most important part of the season often butts against one of those monumental moments in life. Consider what's unfolding in Mountain View.
Saint Francis will graduate its seniors at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Six hours later, the Lancers will be on the baseball field – after an hourlong bus ride to Pacifica – playing St. Ignatius Prep in their CCS-Division I opener.
"I'm curious to see if they can flip the switch after graduation," said Lancers coach Erik Wagle, whose team will be facing the Wildcats for the third time in the last two weeks.
There's another conundrum. The Division I bracket is a WCAL affair. Five of the eight teams are from the Peninsula's best league, which means there is some familiarity with the opponents. And in the end, it comes down to who makes the plays.
Even No. 6 Bellarmine, which found its way into the CCS's top tier by winning three straight road games to capture the WCAL tournament title last week, has some familiarity with Los Gatos, its first-round opponent. The two teams scrimmaged in February, and the Wildcats blanked the Bells, 8-0.
"The scrimmage was ugly," said Bellarmine coach Nate Sutton. "This will be a good test for us to see how far we've come as a team."
And the Bells don't have to worry about graduation as much as the Lancers. Their commencement ceremony is Friday. Just as big a hurdle is the mental side of avoiding a letdown after celebrating their biggest week of the season in winning the WCAL tourney.
"We're definitely riding high on confidence," Sutton said. "Our focus is there. I'm not concerned with our kids being focused."
Valley Christian, the No. 2 seed, opens with Soquel (25-1). The Knights bring a .351 team batting average into the postseason and had three hitters top .400 in at the plate this season, but it's a virtual certainty they have not faced a pitching staff like that of the Warriors, who had 10 shutouts and limited the opposition to two or fewer runs in 23 of their 30 games this season.
Brock Ketelsen was named the WCAL pitcher of the year by going 5-0 with a 0.65 earned-run average and 79 strikeouts in just 43 innings, but it could have just as easily been Quinten Marsh.
The first round takes on added significance because the Division I semifinalists will earn invitations to the Northern California tournament. A win Saturday guarantees the season gets extended by at least two more game, Sutton said. But Keplinger said the next tournament is the furthest thing from the minds of his Padres.
"We're thinking about the CCS," he said. "No one on our team has said a word about the NorCals."
No. 6 Bellarmine at No. 3 Los Gatos, 1 p.m.
Bellarmine Prep Bells, San Jose
Record: 17-13 (6-8, fifth in WCAL). Current streak: W4.
Coach: Nate Sutton
Team Stats: .269 batting average, .936 fielding percentage, 1.84 earned-run average. Bonus stat: Picked off nine baserunners this season.
Key Offensive Players: Ollie McNamara (.343 batting average), Evan Tavarez (.329, 25 hits).
On the Mound: Apolo Lapiz (3-1, 1.24 earned-run average, 46 Ks in 56.1 innings), Preston Pera (4-3, 0.73 earned-run average, 26 Ks in 38.1 innings), Christian Duarte (4-3, 2.35 earned-run average, 43 Ks in 44.2 innings), Emmet Arnott (1.50 earned-run average, 5 saves).
Los Gatos Wildcats, Los Gatos
Record: 23-4 (13-1, SCVAL-DeAnza Division champion). Streak: 15 wins in 16 games.
Coach: Mike Minkel
Team Stats: .307 batting average, .962 fielding percentage, 1.92 earned-run average. Bonus stat: Los Gatos had 13 triples this year.
Key Offensive Players: Beau Musser (.390 batting average, 32 hits, 25 runs, 18 SBs), Lucas Carlisle (.367 batting average, .490 on-base percentage, 29 hits, 22 runs), Brady Simon (.370 batting average, 27 hits, 19 RBI).
On the Mound: Ethan Williams (5-0, 1.21 earned-run average), Chase Oberthier (4-0, 1.10 earned-run average), Matt Ludeman (6-1, 1.37 earned-run average, 63 Ks).
No. 7 Soquel at No. 2 Valley Christian, noon
Soquel Knights, Soquel
Record: 25-1 (14-1, Santa Cruz Coast League champion). Streak: W15
Coach: TJ Moran
Team Stats: .351 batting average, 1.80 earned-run average.
Key Offensive Players: Noah Piona (.444 batting average, 36 hits, 23 RBI), Gabe Vigallito (.410 batting average, 34 hits, 17 SBs), Hudson Summerhill (.405, 34 hits, 27 RBI), Jake Escalante (.385 batting average, 37 hits, 23 RBI, 29 runs).
On the Mound: Jake Escalante (3-0, 0.78 earned-run average), Luke Shoemaker (6-0, 1.08 earned-run average), Dylan Holl (8-0, 1.74 earned-run average).
Valley Christian Warriors, San Jose
Record: 23-6-1 (10-4, tied for second in WCAL). Streak: L1
Coach: John Diatte
Team Stats: .288 batting average, .969 fielding percentage, 1.34 earned-run average. Bonus stat: Won the All Faiths Classic in Las Vegas in April.
Key offensive Players: Quinten Marsh (.512 batting average, 41 hits, 28 RBI, 14 doubles, .610 on-base percentage), Brock Ketelsen (.309 batting average, 29 hits, 29 runs, 5 HRs), Hunter Fujimoto (.338 batting average, 24 hits, 21 stolen bases), Christian Navarez (.333 batting average, .500 on-base percentage).
On the Mound: Quinten Marsh (6-2, 0.89 earned-run average, 65 Ks), Brock Ketelsen (5-0, 0.65 earned-run average, 79 Ks), Rohan Kasanagottu (4-1, 1.41 earned-run average, 6 saves), Kole Laubach (5-3, 1.44 earned-run average).
No. 5 Saint Francis at No. 4 St. Ignatius Prep, 3 p.m.
Saint Francis Lancers, Mountain View
Record: 19-9 (9-5, fourth in WCAL). Streak: L3
Coach: Erik Wagle
Team Stats: .260 batting average, .956 fielding percentage, 1.81 earned-run average.
Key Offensive Players: Tanner Wall (.316 batting average, 24 hits, 3 triples, 7 doubles), Gino Cappellazzo (.325 batting average, 25 hits, .500 on-base percentage), Jack Leeper (.320 batting average, 26 runs, 31 hits, 24 SBs), Henry Doomer (.333 batting average).
On the Mound: Landon Kim (5-3, 1.96 earned-run average), Nick Chow (5-1, 1.05 earned-run average, 76 Ks), Reid Cole (1-2, 1.59 earned-run average), Ian McMahon (4-2, 2.29 earned-run average).
St. Ignatius Prep Wildcats, San Francisco
Record: 17-9-2 (10-4, tied for second in WCAL). Streak: L1
Coach: Brian Pollzzie
Team Stats: .270 batting average, .967 fielding percentage, 1.76 earned-run average. Streak: L1
Key Offensive Players: Archer Horn (.360 batting average, 7 HRs, 29 runs), DJ Delaney (.325 batting average, 4 HRs, 23 runs), Emmett Johnson (.345 batting average, 9 doubles, 23 runs).
On the Mound: Chase Gordon (4-2, 2.06 earned-run average), Archer Horn (2-0, 2.10 earned-run average, 33 Ks in 16 innings), Finn DeMuth (3-1, 0.30 earned-run average), Spencer Guido (3-2, 1.56 earned-run average), Tycco Giametti (2-0, 1.08 earned-run average).
No. 8 Palma at No. 1 Serra, 1 p.m.
Palma Chieftains, Salinas
Record: 21-6 (14-4, SCAL-Gabilan Division champion). Streak: W3
Coach: Brian Neff
Team Stats: .335 batting average, .950 fielding percentage, 2.40 earned-run average.
Key Offensive Players: Alan Gonzales (.468 batting average, 10 HRs, 37 hits, 51 RBI), Johnny Carnazza (.467 batting average, 43 hits, 31 RBI, 4 HRs), Rocco Razzeca (.420 batting average, 37 hits, 38 RBI, 4 HRs, 23 SBs), Manny Dorantes (.347 batting average, 41 runs, .550 on-base percentage).
On the Mound: Alan Gonzales (6-1, 1.13 earned-run average, 75 Ks).
Serra Padres, San Mateo
Record: (23-6 (12-2, WCAL champion). Streak: L1
Coach: Mat Keplinger
Team Stats: .311 batting average, .969 fielding percentage, 2.33 earned-run average. Streak: L1
Key Offensive Players: Ian Josephson (.495 batting average, 46 hits, 7 HRs, 22 RBI, 24 SBs), Evan Bradshaw (.389 batting average, 37 hits), Davis Minton (.360 batting average, 32 hits, 3 HRs), Tyler Harrison (.333 batting average, 28 hits, 4 HRs).
On the Mound: Riley Lim (5-0, 2.40 earned-run average), Kelley Crawford (4-2, 1.91 earned-run average), Aiden Waters (5-0, 1.25 earned-run average), Ricardo Calderon (5-0, 2.45 earned-run average), Nate Hui (1.72 earned-run average, 5 saves).
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