Cavs in deep against CdM
Barry Faulkner
This star-studded 2004 New York Yankees have drawn comparisons to the
famed franchise’s historic murder’s row lineup of the late 1920s.
The lineup formulated Saturday by Corona del Mar High baseball
coach John Emme revealed the 2004 Sea Kings can send murderous rows
to the batter’s box.
“I told our guys [in the postgame address] I don’t think I’ve ever
filled out a lineup card with five guys who don’t start and thought
to myself ‘This is a pretty good lineup,’ ” Emme, in his seventh
season, said. “Today showed our talent and our depth.”
With reserves parading to the plate, interspersed with a few
veteran standouts, the Sea Kings amassed 18 hits in a 12-1 victory
over visiting Santiago in the first round of the Pride of the Coast
tournament.
Junior outfielder Tyler Ray (3 for 4 with two RBIs and three
runs), senior outfielder Dan Whitaker (2 for 2 with a walk and a hit
by pitch, one RBI and two runs), junior outfielder Andy Frenkiel (2
for 5 with an RBI and one run), junior third baseman Tyler Lance (an
RBI single) and junior second baseman Mitch Folks (a single), came
off the bench to get in their licks against the Cavaliers (2-9).
CdM stalwarts Barrett Sprowl (2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs),
Josh Bradbury (his sixth home run of the season) and Wess Presson (2
for 3 with an RBI and two runs) also did their share, before Bradbury
and Sprowl gave way to pinch-hitters.
But the star of the ample offensive show was none other than
senior shortstop Jeritt Thayer, who capped a 4-for-4 performance with
a two-run double in the sixth to finalize the scoring.
Thayer, known more for his slick fielding than his bat, finished
with a game-high three RBIs. He had just six hits this spring, coming
into Saturday, and raised his season average 122 points to .455 (10
for 22).
“He’s special,” Emme said of his defensive whiz, turned offensive
threat, who doubled his RBI output for the season. “I’m not sure I’ve
had anybody as polished as he is on both sides of the ball. He’s the
best fielder I’ve seen.”
Thayer, who played second base last season, when he frequently
occupied the glove-only half of the designated-hitter equation, gave
away his elation with a beaming postgame grin.
“It has been a while,” he said of a four-hit game, his best day as
a varsity batsman.
Thayer said the tournament, which coincides annually with the
week-long spring vacation, provides a more relaxed competitive
atmosphere than the Pacific Coast League schedule, the first third of
which the defending champion Sea Kings (8-4) completed Thursday
unbeaten.
Thayer, who transitioned quickly into baseball after playing a
starring role on the school’s CIF Southern Section Division II soccer
semifinalist, said the velocity displayed by three Santiago hurlers
didn’t hurt either.
“You had to wait for the pitch to get there, because it was coming
in slower than we’re used to,” Thayer said.
The Sea Kings, some of whom had to fight being over aggressive,
didn’t wait to wield the aluminum. The hosts batted around in each of
the first two frames, scoring five on six hits in the first, then
posting a four-spot on six hits in the second.
Sprowl, Lance, Ray and Thayer drove in runs with hits in the first
to help the comfort level of Ben Maggard, the Sea Kings’ junior
starting pitcher.
Bradbury sparked the second-inning uprising with a line-drive
dinger that barely cleared the left-field fence. It was Bradbury’s
16th homer in his two varsity seasons, as he progresses toward the
school single-season (12 by Ty Harper and Erick Wiethorn) and career
(24 by Harper in three seasons) home run records.
After Sprowl, hitting .581 this season, singled, Presson, Ray and
Whitaker all lashed RBI doubles in the inning to build the 9-0
cushion.
Maggard did more than his share to record his first varsity
victory, limiting the Cavaliers to two hits and no runs in his four
innings.
“Ben has been pitching great this season, so it was nice for him
to have an extended outing,” Emme said.
Sophomore left-hander Eric Eadington allowed just one hit in two
innings of one-run relief, before junior Aaron Harper worked a
scoreless seventh to close the deal.
The Sea Kings continue tournament play Monday at home against the
winner of Saturday’s afternoon clash between La Habra and Paloma
Valley at 11 a.m.
Emme said senior lefty Blake Contant (3-1) will be Monday’s
starting pitcher.
*--*
Pride of the Coast tournament First round
Corona del Mar 12, Santiago 1
Score by Innings
Santiago 000 001 0 -- 1 3 1
CdM 540 012 x -- 12 18 0
Toloza, Silva (3), Valdez (5) and Cabral;
Maggard, Eadington (5), Harper (7) and
Presson. W -- Maggard, 1-0. L -- Tolozo.
2B -- Lance (CdM), Presson (CdM), Ray
(CdM), Whitaker (CdM), Thayer (CdM). HR
-- Bradbury (CdM).
*--*
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