mhs baseball season preview: swinging for the...
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B12 The Malibu Times March 6, 2014 S p o r t s
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MHS baseball season preview: Swinging for the fencesBy Dick DornanSpecial to The Malibu Times
Sometimes the toughest of losses can prove to be the most ben-eficial.
As the 2014 baseball season begins this week, the Malibu High School Sharks plan to keep that in mind as they embark on a journey to defend their Frontier League championship and pursue the dreams of a CIF title.
In order to achieve both goals, the Sharks are looking back at May 21, 2013 for their motivation and sense of purpose. That’s when, after setting a school record with 24 wins, Malibu stumbled in the second round of the CIF Division VI playoffs in a 10-6 loss at Calvary Chapel in Downey.
Leading 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Sharks were six outs away from advancing to the CIF quarterfinals for the first time in school history.
In the blink of an eye, Calvary Chapel exploded for six runs and ran away with the victory. Nearly 10 months later, the loss resonates in the minds of this year’s 2014 squad.
“Obviously, it was a hard loss for us. But we’ve become a stronger team,” said senior Noah Simon, the reigning Frontier League Pitcher of the Year. “It made us work harder over the summer. We are now the team that people are coming after instead of us being the underdogs, which is a good feeling. We want to win CIF but we will take it game by game and go for league first.”
When Simon says, people follow. Now a senior and one of three cap-tains on the team along with Chase Lambert and Chris Falk, Simon’s leadership will be invaluable to a team that is expected to contend for a sec-ond consecutive league title.
Simon earned first-team honors in 2013 after posting a 10-2 record with a 1.83 earned run average, 65 strike-outs and only six walks. He will be the ace of the pitching staff and play cen-terfield on days he doesn’t pitch.
Lambert was named the Most Valuable Player of the Frontier League after hitting a team-best .454 batting
average with 44 hits, 31 runs, 19 RBIs and 13 doubles. On the mound, Lambert went 3-0 with a 0.79 era, eight saves, 50 strikeouts, eight walks and allowed only eight hits in 26 2/3 innings pitched.
He has made a steady return from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. He will serve as the team’s designated hitter with hopes of returning to the infield at second base in another four to six weeks.
“We’ve got to keep the pedal down,” said Lambert. “We have to keep going and not think we have the game won. We were thinking ahead to the next game last year instead of thinking about the game we were playing that day. We won’t forget that.”
Falk returns as Simon’s battery mate at catcher and will play a signifi-cant role in developing the pitching
staff that includes Andre Simoneau (4-3, 2.88 era), Ezra Allen, Miles Tade and Declan Sheridan.
“I have to be able to give them confidence so they can pitch at their very best,” Falk said.
Third baseman Austin George (.390 average) suffered a season-ending knee injury playing football. The devastating blow to the team was mitigated somewhat when Mesa State-commit Kris Keach transferred to MHS. He will replace George in the lineup.
The Sharks also return first base-man Bronson Bard (.322 avg., team-leading 23 RBIs), second baseman Dylan Ross (.311 avg.) and outfielder Nick Anthony.
Allen has become the everyday shortstop for the Sharks and will be the team’s closer on the hill.
“We just have to work a little
harder and not get too cocky,” Allen said. “Last year we got caught up in the moment and didn’t work as hard as we should have worked. But I am really excited to hopefully win league again and winning a CIF champion-ship.”
Malibu begins its season this week as part of the Southern California Invitat ional Tournament. Then the Sharks will battle Burroughs of Burbank (March 15) and Santa Monica (March 21) in doublehead-ers as preparation for defending their league championship.
“We’ve worked all year for this. The guys are super excited to get the season started,” Malibu coach Ari Jacobs said. “We are ready to get roll-ing. They are ready to repeat and have another monster year.”
MHS upcoming games
Thurs., March 6Varsity golf league tournament, at River Ridge, 1 p.m.
JV baseball vs. San Marcos, at San Marcos, 3 p.m.
Varsity baseball Southern California Invitational, at home, 3 p.m.
Fri., March 7Varsity softball vs. Campbell Hall, at home, 3:15 p.m.
Varsity lacrosse vs. West Ranch, at West Ranch, 4 p.m.
Sat.,March 8Track and field OC/VC Invitational, at Oaks Christian, 9 a.m.
JV baseball vs. Pacifica, at home, 2:30 p.m.
Mon., March 10JV baseball vs. University, at home, 3 p.m.
Varsity softball vs. Brentwood, at home, 3:45 p.m.
Tues., March 11
Varsity boys volleyball vs. Pacifica, at Pacifica, 4 p.m.
Photos by Dick Dornan / TMTAbove, from left: Senior captains Chase Lambert, Noah Simon, Chris Falk
Right: Kris Keach works on his timing for hitting.
xSuper surfers
The Malibu Middle School Surf Team won six tro-
phies at the Scholastic Surf Series competition at Bay Street in Santa Monica on Feb. 22.
Grif fin Churchill won fourth place in bodyboard, Novalis Terzani took third place in boys’ shortboard and SJ Murphy got fourth place in boys’ shortboard. Other awards included Saxon Rhodes winning third place in girls’ shortboard and sixth place in girls’ longboard. Betsy Lee won first place for girls’ longboard.
The Malibu Middle School Surf Team competes at
the Scholastic Surf Series. Pictured, from left: Betsy
Lee, Saxon Rhodes, Coach Dale Rhodes, SJ Murphy,
Griffin Churchill and Novalis Terzani
Photo courtesy Jerri Churchill
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