Oak Park 14, Sharks 7

The Oak Park Eagles scored nine runs in the third inning and defeated Malibu by a score of 14-7 in a non-league game on Saturday. The Sharks dropped to 5-5 on the season as the Eagles ran their winning streak to six games.

Malibu got on the scoreboard early as Brooks Fitch hit a two-out solo homer to left in the top of the first. Stephen Williams followed with a double, the first of three on the day for the sophomore catcher, but was left on base as Mike Gwyn grounded out to end the inning.

Oak Park countered with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Shortstop Zach Granowitz reached on an error and immediately advanced to third when Jacob Perrin’s pickoff attempt sailed wide of first base. Granowitz scored when the next batter, Cory Ott, grounded out to Gwyn at third. After Matt Alexander grounded to Fitch at first for the second out of the inning, Zack Thornton and Blair Walters both singled before Perrin struck out Mitch Halpert to end the inning.

Right fielder Sloan Campi reached on a two-out infield hit and stole second in the second inning, but was left stranded.

In the bottom of the second, Oak Park took a 2-1 lead on another unearned run as Garrett Brinkley reached second with one out on second baseman Colbie Bell’s throwing error. Brinkley advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored as Bell misplayed Eric Columbia’s ground ball. Columbia moved to second when Granowitz grounded out. Perrin then hit Ott with a pitch to set up one of the more bizarre plays of the day.

Alexander hit a towering popup that dropped untouched near the mound. Perrin picked up the ball and threw quickly to Bell at second to get Ott, who had rounded the bag too far, for the third out of the inning.

The Sharks seemed poised to take control of the game in the top of the third, but they quickly lost control in the bottom half of the inning.

After Greg Kernodle grounded out to start the third for Malibu, Jared Weinstock lined a double to deep center field. Weinstock moved to third and Fitch reached second on a throwing error by Oak Park third baseman Garrett Brinkley. Williams followed with his second double of the day, a drive that plated both Weinstock and Fitch and chased Eagle starter Mitch Halpert from the game.

With Jake Whitaker on in relief, Williams scored as Gwyn reached on an error by Ott at second base. Perrin followed with a flare to right for a base hit and Bell walked to load the bases. Campi’s grounder to third resulted in a force at the plate on Gwyn for the second out of the inning. Jace Dispenza then walked to drive in Perrin before Kernodle grounded to short for the third out.

All nine Oak Park hitters scored in the bottom of the third. Thornton, leading off, was hit by a pitch. Walters followed with a double to center. Whitaker’s single knocked in Thornton. Doug Deakin was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. A single by Brinkley scored Walters before Columbia’s single to the wall in right knocked in Whitaker and Deakin. Granowitz reached on a throwing error. Brinkley and Columbia then scored when Kernodle allowed a ground ball off the bat of Ott to go through his legs at short. Granowitz then scored as Ott got into a rundown between first and second. Alexander’s single scored Ott.

After Perrin walked Thornton, with eight runs in and nobody out, Coach Gallo made the call to the bullpen for Wilder Philipson. Walters greeted Philipson with a base hit, his second of the inning. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Whitaker plated the ninth run of the inning with the first out. Philipson then struck out Deakin and Brinkley to drive a stake through the heart of the inning that would not die.

Weinstock singled to lead off the fourth for the Sharks. When Fitch walked, it appeared that Malibu might be ready to chip away at Oak Park’s 11-5 lead. But Williams struck out and Nate Schoenbrun, running for Weinstock, was doubled off second when Gwyn flied to center.

Philipson walked Columbia to lead off the fourth, but promptly turned a comebacker off the bat of Granowitz into a 1-6-3 double play. Ott popped to short to end the inning.

Malibu went quietly in the fifth, as did the Eagles, thanks to another double play.

In the top of the sixth, Dispenza led off with a walk. Kernodle replaced Dispenza on a fielder’s choice and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Schoenbrun struck out, Fitch walked. Williams then drove a fastball from reliever Dave Schmidt to the deepest part of the park for a two-run double that made the score 11-7 and forced the Eagles to bring on ace Zack Thornton to pitch.

The Eagles capitalized on Philipson’s control problems to score three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Down 14-7, the Sharks went in order in the top of the seventh as Thornton sealed the win for Oak Park.

The Sharks face three more non-league opponents before resuming Frontier League play against Oaks Christian on Tuesday, April 4. Next up is a home game against Fillmore on Tuesday, March 28.

Oak Park Preview

The Sharks take on Oak Park in a non-league game on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Malibu and Oak Park expect to match up in league play in 2007 when the Tri-Valley League and the Frontier League combine.

Oak Park is currently riding a five-game winning streak. The Eagles are led by senior pitcher Zack Thornton and junior first baseman Blair Walters.

For directions to Oak Park High School, click here. (The baseball field is located in the northeast corner of the campus behind the student parking lot.)

Sharks 13, Nordhoff 3

The Sharks sent twelve batters to the plate and scored six runs in the top of the third inning and rode the pitching of Jared Weinstock and Mike Gwyn to a 13-3 win over Frontier League rival Nordhoff on Friday.

With Malibu already up 2-0, Greg Kernodle led off the third inning with a bunt single down the third base line. Kernodle stole second and then advanced to third as Weinstock grounded out to Nordhoff first baseman, Todd Landsman. After Brooks Fitch was intentionally walked, Stephen Williams hit a ground-rule double down the left field line that score Kernodle and moved Fitch to third. Fitch and Williams scored when Gwyn’s ground ball bounced over the shoulder of second baseman Marty Myers. On a well-executed hit-and-run play, Jacob Perrin singled through the hole at second to chase Gwyn to third. Perrin advanced to second on the throw from the outfield. Colbie Bell’s base hit plated Gwyn before Ross Ellis was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Jace Dispenza greeted the first pitch from Nordhoff’s Rob Magill, on in relief of starter Tyler Erickson, with a two-run double into the left-center field gap. Kernodle walked to load the bases, but Weinstock fouled out and Fitch flied to left to end the inning.

Weinstock, making his second start of the season on the mound, gave up two hits in the bottom of the first, but kept the Rangers’ bats silent the rest of the way. His only problems came as a consequence of temporary lapses in control. Weinstock walked the bases loaded on the first fourteen pitches of the third inning. He immediately settled down, however, and retired the next three batters, allowing only one run on a fielder’s choice. In all, Weinstock allowed two runs (one earned) in four innings with three strikeouts and six walks.

Mike Gwyn, who entered in relief after Weinstock walked the leadoff hitter in the fifth inning, pitched three complete innings allowing only one hit and one unearned run.

Malibu started the scoring in the top of the first. Erickson hit leadoff hitter Greg Kernodle with a 1-2 pitch. Weinstock grounded into a fielder’s choice that erased Kernodle at second. Fitch followed with a double that moved Weinstock to third. A sacrifice fly to center by Williams scored Weinstock. Fitch then scored the second run of the game on Mike Gwyn’s infield hit.

With the score 8-1, the Sharks added a single run in the fourth inning. Gwyn reached on a one-out single and advanced to second when Perrin grounded into a bizarre 5-6-3 out. Bell then lined a single up the middle to score Gwyn.

Malibu put the game away with four more runs in the sixth inning. The first three batters–Williams, Gwyn, and Perrin–reached on walks. Williams scored on a wild pitch and Bell knocked in Gwyn on a groundout to short. After Nate Schoenbrun walked, Dispenza singled to knock in Perrin. Kernodle followed with a base hit that loaded the bases. Jake Jesson then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Schoenbrun with the thirteenth and final run of the game for Malibu.

In addition to the strong pitching and hitting performances, Malibu got exceptional defensive play from Jacob Perrin at short. Nate Schoenbrun and Jake Jesson had solid defensive games in the outfield and Stephen Williams had a good game behind the plate.

The win over Nordhoff moved the Sharks into second place in the Frontier League a game-and-a-half behind Oaks Christian. It also took Malibu over .500 for the first time this season with a 5-4 overall record.

The Sharks play a non-league contest on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Park.

Sharks 15, Santa Clara 2

Malibu turned fourteen hits and six Santa Clara errors into fifteen runs on Tuesday afternoon in a 15-2 win. The victory improved Malibu's record to 4-4 (1-1 in the Frontier League).

The scoring started early when Greg Kernodle led off the bottom of the first with a single. With Jared Weinstock at the plate, Kernodle stole second. Weinstock reached on an infield hit that moved Kernodle to third. After Brooks Fitch struck out, a balk scored Kernodle and moved Weinstock to second. Stephen Williams flied to center and Mike Gwyn fouled out to end the inning.

The Sharks sent eleven hitters to the plate and scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Perrin led off with a single and advanced to second when Colbie Bell was hit with a pitch. Wesley Semkin pushed the runners to second and third with a well-executed bunt. Jake Jesson singled to drive in both runners and advanced to second when the Saints' left fielder bobbled the ball. Kernodle followed with a walk before Weinstock singled to drive in Jesson. A base hit by Fitch knocked in Kernodle with the second run of the inning. After Williams was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Gwyn reached on an error by the Santa Clara third baseman. Weinstock and Fitch scored on the play to run the score to 7-0.

Malibu was retired in order in the third inning, but erupted for five more runs in the fourth. After Weinstock grounded out and Fitch lined out to left, Williams singled past the third baseman. Gwyn followed with a double that chased Williams to third. Perrin singled, scoring both Williams and Gwyn. After Bell singled with Perrin advancing to second, two wild pitches with Semkin at the plate scored Perrin and moved Bell to third. After Semkin walked, Jesson got his third RBI of the game on a base hit through the infield. Kernodle flied to left for what should have been the final out of the inning, but the ball was misplayed allowing Semkin to score to make the score 12-2.

The Sharks tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Fitch, leading off the inning, was hit by a pitch. Sloan Campi, hitting for Williams, grounded to short to force Fitch at second. Gwyn's second hit of the game moved Campi to second. Perrin's sharp ground ball to short went through the fielder's legs allowing Campi to score. After Bell was hit by a pitch for the second time on the day, Ross Ellis, batting for Semkin, singled to knock in Gwyn. Perrin then scored on another error by the Santa Clara shortstop.

Colbie Bell allowed two earned runs on five hits in six innings of work en route to his second win of the season. Wilder Philipson pitched a perfect seventh to close out the game.

Jacob Perrin collected three hits and scored three runs on the day. Jake Jesson was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Mike Gwyn was 2-for-5 and had the only extra-base hit of the game for the Sharks.

Next up for Malibu is a game against Frontier League rival Nordhoff in Ojai on Friday at 3:30.

Bright Sunshine

That's the forecast for tomorrow afternoon's game against Santa Clara. Between now and then, however, the forecast is for showers continuing through the night.

Stay tuned.

Editorial Notes

It's long overdue, but I've finally added a link labeled "2006 Statistics (Max Preps)" in the column to the right. Following this link will take you to the 2006 Malibu High Baseball page on Max Preps. The 2006 schedule, roster, and statistics are available on the Max Preps site.

Updates on the Max Preps page come from coaches. If you read here that Blutarsky went 3-for-4 in the last game and on the Max Preps page it says he went 4-for-4, it simply means that whoever kept score in the dugout was more generous than I was on one of those "do-you-score-that-a-hit-or-an-error" calls. Or it could mean that I made a mistake. At least it could mean that in theory. In practice, I don't actually make mistakes. (I'm kidding, Anne.)

The Malibu Baseball site is maintained by Coach Gallo, so he's the one who can correct the spelling of your name there, Coach Lehmkuhl. (Never mind. It's been corrected.) Although I don't work on the Malibu Baseball site, I'm not above stealing stuff from there to put on this blog from time to time.

Coach Buss, who likes to see himself and his dog here on the blog, recently asked about the absence of photos in recent weeks. They're coming. When I have time, I'll be editing some of the game summaries that have already been posted in order to insert some game photos. (If you have photos you'd like to see posted here, please let me know.)

I'm usually able to attend only the varsity games, but I'm happy to post information about JV games when I can get it and when I have time to post it. Coach Jacobs has promised to feed me some game summaries, so look for more stories about the JV team soon.

Just to be clear, this is a very unofficial web site unaffiliated with Malibu High School and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District that I maintain in my spare time (although I see that it's now 4:30 in the afternoon, which means that it's technically not my spare time) because I've always enjoyed watching my sons play baseball and I know that some day that will come to an end and I'd like to have a record of all the good times but I'm not very good at scrapbooking. So while I think I've been pretty fair to all concerned since this thing started--and I'm definitely not into critical comments--I've probably been (and will continue to be) partial to players named "Williams" (and dogs wearing baseball caps), so I thank you in advance for your indulgence.

Leave me a comment if you have, uh, a comment--or a suggestion.

Thanks for your patronage.

Northview 13, Sharks 2 (Game 2)

In the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Northview Vikings downed Malibu, 13-2. The Vikings pounded out eleven hits and were aided by seven Malibu errors and four walks.

The Vikings scored two unearned runs in each of the first two innings off starter Jared Weinstock. In the top of the third, a leadoff walk to centerfielder Will Davis and three consecutive hits led to four earned runs and an 8-0 Northview lead.

Malibu got on the board in the bottom of the third. Brooks Fitch led off with an infield hit. With Tony Gwyn running for Fitch, Stephen Williams hit a line drive off the base umpire's foot for a single. After Wilder Philipson struck out, Mike Gwyn grounded to short. Williams was forced at second, but the throw on to first got away allowing Tony Gwyn to score.

With Philipson on in relief of Weinstock, the Vikings added one run in the fourth and two in the fifth to go up 11-1. With one out in the bottom half of the fifth, Williams beat out an infield hit and advanced to second as the third baseman's throw sailed wide of first. A wild pitch moved Williams to third before Weinstock's grounder to third knocked him in.

The Northview scoring barrage ended in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer off Nate Schoenbrun.

For the Sharks, senior Jake Jesson singled and stole a base in his first start. Freshman Dusty Kramer caught the entire game in his first varsity start. Sophomore Stephen Williams, in his first game as designated hitter, went 3-for-3.

The Sharks, now 3-4 on the season, face Santa Clara at home on Tuesday in a Frontier League contest.

Sharks 4, Northview 2 (Game 1)

In the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, the Sharks scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Northview Vikings, 4-2. Jacob Perrin drove in the go-ahead run with a bunt single and pitched three shutout innings in relief of Wesley Semkin to earn his first varsity win.

Northview’s only runs came in the top of the first. With runners on first and second via a walk and a single, Will Davis tripled to the fence in right center to knock in Javier Lizarraga and Julian Galindo. Semkin retired Tony Mancuso to strand Davis on third and then proceeded to shut out the Vikings the rest of the way before turning the game over to Perrin at the start of the fifth inning.

The Sharks put together a two-out rally in the first as Brooks Fitch singled to right and Stephen Williams walked, but Jared Weinstock, making his first start of the season, grounded to second to end the inning.

After going down in order in the second inning, the Sharks got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Colbie Bell reached on an infield hit. Fitch followed with a run-scoring double to left center. The inning ended on the same play, however, when the relay from the outfield was redirected to second base where Fitch was tagged out after rounding the bag too far.

Perrin led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to right, but he was stranded there when Northview pitcher Brad McGuire struck out the next three Sharks batters.

With Malibu down 2-1, Bell led off the bottom of the sixth with his second hit of the game. He advanced to third when Fitch picked up his third hit of the game, a single to center. Williams followed with a single through the middle of the diamond that scored Bell and moved Tony Gwyn, running for Fitch, to second. Weinstock beat out a bunt to load the bases. With an opportunity to drive in his younger brother for the first time, Mike Gwyn grounded into 4-2-3 double play that left the score tied with runners on second and third and two outs. Perrin then pushed Williams across with the go-ahead run on a perfectly executed bunt past the pitcher’s mound. Ross Ellis followed with a single to left that scored Weinstock with an important insurance run.

Perrin, who gave up only one infield hit over three innings of relief, shut down the Vikings in the top of the seventh to nail down the Sharks’ third win of the season.

Oaks Christian 10, Sharks 0

Malibu was shut out for the first time since a 1-0 loss to Harvard Westlake on April 23 of last year as the Oaks Christian Lions rolled to a 10-0 win in the Sharks' Frontier League opener. The Lions scored four runs on only one hit in the top of the first inning and coasted to their second victory of the season.

In the JV game played at Oaks Christian, Oaks defeated Malibu, 11-5.

Next up for the varsity is a doubleheader against Northview at home on Saturday. The first game begins at 11:00 a.m.

Three Hot Bats

Over the last three games, Brooks Fitch is 5-for-7 with 4 RBIs and 4 walks; Stephen Williams is 7-for-10 with 7 RBIs; and Bennett Sherman is 3-for-4 with 2 doubles.

Another Rainout

Today's games--varsity and JV--against St. Monica's have been rained out. There will be no practice today.

Frontier League play begins on Tuesday against Oaks Christian. The varsity will be at home and the JV will be away. Both games start at 3:30 p.m.

Sharks 16, St. Bernard 11

The Sharks survived a slugfest against the St. Bernard Vikings yesterday, 16-11. With four runs in the first inning, six in the second, one in the third, and five more in the fourth, Malibu was able to hold off a late run by St. Bernard in a game called after five-and-a-half innings due to darkness.

Mike Gwyn hit the Sharks' first homerun of the season, a three-run shot to left center in the top of the fourth. Stephen Williams was 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Brooks Fitch continued his offensive onslaught with a single and a double. Bennett Sherman doubled twice and Greg Kernodle had three hits and two stolen bases.

Wesley Semkin pitched four innings for the Sharks to earn his first win of the season.

Next up for Malibu is a home game against St. Monica's tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

The Rest of the Tournament

The schedule has been set for the remainder of the Southern California Invitational/Royal Tournament. The varsity will play at St. Bernard's today at 3:00 p.m. and at home against St. Monica's Saturday at 11:00 a.m. St. Bernard's is located in Playa del Ray at 9100 Falmouth Avenue. (For a map, go here.)

Meanwhile, the JV hopes to have a dry field at last when St. Bernard's visits Malibu today at 3:00 p.m.

Oxnard 15, Sharks 2

Back on their home field after winning a rain-shortened game at LA Baptist yesterday, the Sharks encountered an offensive juggernaut. Oxnard pounded out eighteen hits while rolling to a 15-2 victory that dropped Malibu’s record on the season to 1-2.

Getting his first varsity start on the mound, sophomore Jacob Perrin held the potent Yellowjackets’ bats in check for two innings. In the third inning, however, centerfielder Devin Shepard’s knocked in two runs with a triple. Shepard, who finished the day with two triples and a double in four at bats, also scored in the inning to give Oxnard a 3-0 lead.

Meanwhile, the Sharks were squandering some scoring opportunities. After Greg Kernodle and Colbie Bell struck out to start the bottom of the first inning, Brooks Fitch walked. Williams followed with a single to right center that moved Fitch to third. Mike Gwyn walked to load the bases, but Perrin struck out looking to end the inning.

In the third inning, Fitch doubled down the left field line with one out, but was left on base as Williams struck out and Gwyn flied to left.

After Oxnard had gone up 8-0 with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, Malibu finally got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kernodle walked to lead off the inning. After Bell popped out to third, Fitch singled to left center and took second on Shepard’s errant throw to third. Williams then beat out a ground ball into the hole at short. Kernodle scored and Fitch followed with the Sharks’ second run as the throw across the diamond got away from the first baseman.

Oxnard added two more runs in the sixth and five in the seventh to add to Malibu’s misery.

On the day, Perrin gave up six runs (five earned) in four and two-thirds innings. Nate Schoenbrun, who collected his first varsity base hit in the fourth inning, pitch an inning in relief of Perrin. Wilder Philipson pitched an inning and a third in his first varsity appearance on the mound. Mike Gwyn pitched the seventh for Malibu.

Offensively, the Sharks struggled. Every starter except Fitch struck out at least once. There were thirteen strikeouts in all. Fitch was 2-for-3. Williams also had two hits. Senior Bennett Sherman, who started in left field for the Sharks, singled in his first varsity at bat. Nate Schoenbrun had the only other hit for Malibu.

The Sharks play next on Thursday against an opponent to be determined based on pool play in the ongoing Southern California Invitational/Royal Tournament.

Sharks 4, LA Baptist 2

The Sharks overcame drizzle, rain, and the L.A. Baptist Knights to pick up their first win of the season, 4-2. Senior Colbie Bell allowed just one hit while striking out eight over five soggy innings.

Going on the road for the first time this season, Malibu encountered a wet field and umpires determined to get in the matchup that had already been rained out once. The Sharks got on the scoreboard quickly as Greg Kernodle led off the top of the first with a walk and advanced to second on Bell's bunt single. Kernodle and Bell moved up on a wild pitch and, after Mike Gwyn popped out to second, Brooks Fitch singled through the left side to score Kernodle. Stephen Williams followed with a groundout to short that knocked in Bell with the Sharks' second run.

The Knights answered with a single run in the bottom of the first. The score then remained deadlocked at 2-1 until the fifth and final inning. With two outs, Kernodle and Bell singled and Gwyn walked to load the bases. Walks to Fitch and Williams drove in a run each to give Malibu a 4-1 lead.

With a half inning to go to make the game official and a steady rain falling, Bell walked three, hit a batter, struck out two, and gave up a sacrifice fly to escape with the win in a game where pitchers and fielders struggled with slippery baseballs and batters and runners struggled with treacherous footing.

Bell was his own best friend, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Kernodle also scored two runs while Williams drove in two.

Defensively, Jace Dispenza’s three catches in centerfield--each one looking up into the rain--rated as the top performance.

Back in Malibu, the JV game against L.A. Baptist was rained out.

Next up for the Sharks, weather permitting, is a home game tomorrow (Tuesday) against Oxnard beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Scouting Report: L.A. Baptist Knights

The Sharks take on the L.A. Baptist Knights tomorrow in a game rescheduled from Friday. Malibu is coming off a 3-1 loss to Santa Monica in the first game of the SoCal Invitational. L.A. Baptist has not yet played this season.

The Knights finished the 2005 season with an 18-4 record. Ranked in the CIF-SS Division V top ten for most of the year (and climbing as high as number two), L.A. Baptist was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Oaks Christian.

Coach Carl Gschwender's Knights are led this season by senior catcher Matt Berru (.269 BA in 2005) and junior pitcher Tom Gilbertson (3-0 record in 2005). Ryan Deyoung and Jason Pratts are the only other players returning from last year's team.

Malibu and L.A. Baptist met in the opening game of the 2004 Harvard Westlake Christmas tournament. Malibu came away with a 5-4 win. Wesley Semkin pitched two shutout innings to close the game and earn a save. (That game, incidentally, was the first game recorded on this blog. You can read the post here.)

Game time is 3:00 p.m. For directions to L.A. Baptist, which is located at 9825 Woodley Avenue in North Hills, go here.

Post-Game Notes (March 4)

The Sharks got the leadoff hitter on in every inning except the sixth against Santa Monica. . . . In spite of four leadoff hits and two leadoff walks, the Sharks advanced only two runners past second. . . . Freshman Sean Conrad got the start in right field. In his first high school game, he collected his first sacrifice bunt (third inning), his first RBI (fifth inning), and his first base hit (seventh inning). . . . Jacob Perrin, making his first varsity start, handled seventh chances without an error at shortstop. He made an outstanding play on a slow roller in the second inning and turned a double play in the fourth. . . . Wesley Semkin struck out four and walked two in five innings. . . . Mike Gwyn, pitching in relief, gave up a leadoff double in the sixth before retiring the last six batters he faced.

Santa Monica 3, Sharks 1

With the rain finally giving way to clear skies, the Malibu High Sharks began their 2006 varsity baseball season with a tough loss to Santa Monica by a score of 3-1.

Senior righthander Wesley Semkin held Santa Monica to two singles through the first four innings of a pitchers' duel with SaMo's Joe McGrew, but a combination of three hits and two Malibu errors in the top of the fifth gave the Vikings all of the runs they needed.

The Sharks answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth and threatened in the sixth and seventh innings, but failed to push any additional runs across.

Semkin was dominating in the early going. SaMo second baseman Kevin Gonzalez grounded to Mike Gwyn at third to start the game. Semkin then struck out two of the Vikings' leading hitters last year, Dylan Early and Mike Schwartz, to finish the first with a flourish.

Milan de Pillars had a two-out single in the second inning but was stranded when Alex West grounded to third.

A single by Garet Ramos and a walk to Gonzalez put Semkin in a one-out jam in the top of the third. He worked out of it with ease, though, striking out Early for the second time and getting Schwartz on a fly to Jace Dispenza in center.

After a one-two-three fourth inning, SaMo started the fifth with a leadoff single to center by West. Ramos bunted West to second. Shortstop David Castellanos followed with a single to center. A strong throw by Dispenza held West at third. With Castellanos stealing second, the throw by catcher Stephen Williams bounced in front of second. Second baseman Greg Kernodle blocked the ball and West broke for the plate. Kernodle's throw was wild, allowing West to score and Castellanos to move to third. Gonzalez followed with an RBI double down the left field line. He advanced to third when Early grounded to Jacob Perrin at short and scored when Perrin's throw on Mike Schwartz's ground ball glanced off Colbie Bell's glove at first base on what would have been the final out of the inning. In all, Santa Monica scored three runs in the inning, two of them unearned.

Offensively, the Sharks had runners on base in every inning, but two SaMo double plays kept Malibu from scoring until the bottom of the fifth.

Brooks Fitch started the second inning with a drive in the left-center gap but was thrown out at second on a strong throw by leftfielder Milan de Pillars. Perrin led off the third inning with a single to right and was bunted over to second by Sean Conrad. He advanced to third when Dispenza was thrown out trying to bunt for a base hit, but Kernodle followed with a ground out that ended the inning.

A missed opportunity was the story of the fourth inning, too. Bell led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Gwyn then walked to set the table for Fitch. On a 3-2 pitch, Fitch hit a line drive right at thirdbaseman Garet Ramos. Ramos doubled Bell off second on the play to kill the Malibu rally.

In the fifth, Semkin led off with a single through the right side. Sloan Campi, running for Semkin, moved to second on a wild pitch. Perrin then advanced Campi to third on a groundout to second. Campi scored the Sharks' only run of the game when Sean Conrad, playing his first varsity game, grounded out to second.

The Sharks mounted a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh after Gwyn had posted two shutout innings in relief of Semkin. Leading off the inning, Semkin drew a walk from Justin Negrete. Semkin was thrown out stealing second when Perrin struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch. With two outs and nobody on, Conrad singled past the first baseman and advanced to second when the right fielder bobbled the ball. Ross Ellis, batting for Dispenza, drew a walk, but the game ended on Kernodle's grounder to third.

The Sharks travel to L.A. Baptist on Monday in a makeup of a game rained out yesterday.

Scouting Report: Santa Monica Vikings

Santa Monica visits Malibu today at 11:00 a.m. in what will be the first game of the 2006 season for both teams. Coach Kevin Brockway's team, which finished 20-10 last season and went to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, includes ten seniors.

Junior catcher Mike Schwartz looks to fill the offensive vacancy left by Cody Decker's graduation last year. As a sophomore, Schwartz hit .333 with 2 homeruns and 20 RBIs. Junior centerfielder Dylan Early (.443 average) is also expected to put up some big numbers this season.

Senior RHP Chris Fiala looks to fill the top spot in the Vikings' pitching rotation this season. Fiala was 5-2 in nine starts in 2005.

Malibu did not face Santa Monica during the 2005 season. In American Legion play last summer, Malibu and the Santa Monica A team split their two meetings.

A Look Back--3/4/05

One year ago today, Malibu opened up the 2005 season at home against Vasquez. China McCarney, who finished the 2005 season with 104 strikeouts in 56.2 innings, struck out 14 in a complete-game 7-1 victory over the Sharks.

Another Rainout

Today's seasoner opener against LA Baptist has been postponed. Both varsity and JV games are scheduled to be played on Monday, March 6. (The varsity game on Monday will be at LA Baptist and the JV game will be at home.)

As a result of today's rainout, the varsity will open up at home tomorrow against Santa Monica (weather permitting, of course). Game time is 11:00 a.m. (There is no JV game tomorrow.)

Both squads will have a short practice (until about 2:30 p.m.) today.

For further updates, check back here or on www.malibubaseball.com.

Two Cancellations

The varsity game has also now been cancelled. In place of today's games, both teams will work out in the old gym until no later than 5:00 p.m. according to Coach Gallo.

One Cancellation

The JV game scheduled for this afternoon at Malibu High has been cancelled. There's no word as of 11:45 a.m. on the varsity game at Notre Dame High.

(For an up-to-date look at where the rain is falling in our area, go here.)

Tomorrow's Forecast

The Malibu High varsity and JV teams are scheduled to play a practice game against Notre Dame tomorrow (JV at home and varsity away). However, a significant storm bringing heavy rain is expected to move into the area tomorrow.

If a cancellation occurs before the varsity team leaves for Notre Dame High early tomorrow afternoon, that information will be posted here. Also, please check for an e-mail message from Coach Gallo.

Schedule Change

The Oxnard game scheduled for Monday, March 6, has been changed to Tuesday, March 7. The varsity game will be at Malibu and the JV game will be at Oxnard.

Food and Fun

There was a great turnout and beautiful weather for the baseball/softball cookout yesterday afternoon. Thanks to Coach Gallo and Coach Silva for organizing everything and thanks to all who brought food and drinks. Special thanks go to Coach Gallo and Robin Perrin for cooking dozens of hamburgers, hot dogs, and--just for Colbie Bell--strips of bacon. (Why, Colbie?)

Baseball/Softball Cookout

The baseball and softball teams will be joining forces for a cookout tomorrow at about 1:00 p.m. All players and parents are invited.

Practice for the baseball team will run from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with the cookout to follow immediately after.

An Intrasquad Game?

Weather permitting,* the Sharks will have an intrasquad game tomorrow afternoon. In the event of rain, practice will be held in the gym.

*Tomorrow's forecast calls for showers in the morning with a 40 percent chance of light rain in the afternoon.

The Captains

Coach Gallo has named seniors Colbie Bell, Brooks Fitch, and Michael Gwyn captains of the Sharks baseball team for 2006.

Meeting Tomorrow

The parents' meeting with Coach Gallo and Coach Jacobs will be tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 6:15 in the classroom between the old gym and the outdoor basketball courts at Malibu High. Coach Gallo will introduce his staff and provide some essential information about the baseball program.

The transportation fee for all players will be $125 ($50 for those who have played another sport this year). Spirit packs (containing gear for practice and games) will be $150. Coach Gallo will gladly accept payment from those ready to pay these fees at the meeting.

Last year's T-shirts ($5) and sweatshirts ($20), along with baseball caps ($20 fitted, $10 adjustable) will also be available for purchase at the meeting.

A New Season Begins

Workouts began today at Malibu High for the Sharks. Head coach Paul Gallo was conspicuously absent, having been stranded in Connecticut by yesterday’s snowstorm.

In spite of Coach Gallo’s absence, what appeared to be a record number of players (and coaches) were present for the first day of practice. Among the coaches back for another season are Jason Cavnar, Dave Buss, and Jeff Solny. Ari Jacobs, head coach of the JV team, made his debut, along with Jeff Drobman and Bobby Lehmkuhl.

Malibu High is coming off a 15-8 (10-2, Frontier League) season in 2005. Ten seniors (including six starters) graduated in 2005 leaving plenty of spots for returning players to fill.

Returning for their senior seasons are Colbie Bell, Ross Ellis, Brooks Fitch (a first-team All-Frontier League selection in each of the last two seasons, Michael Gwyn, and Wesley Semkin. Senior Bennett Sherman, who played quarterback for the Sharks football team last fall, is making his return to baseball after wasting the last several years of his life.

At the other end of the spectrum, a large group of freshmen--including Monty Biglow, Trevor Bourget, Sean Conrad, Michael Galate, Tony Gwyn, Justin Hale (looking lean and mean–well, lean anyway), and Travis Vititoe--is expecting to have an impact on the baseball program at Malibu High right away.

Missing: Matt Hale. (Where were you, Big Dog?)

Oxnard, Tomorrow

There will be one last game before the real coaches take over on Monday. Malibu plays at Oxnard tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. For directions to Oxnard High, go here. (The baseball field is behind the school.) Players should arrive for warmups at 9:30 a.m.

Brooks on Practice

"If you're not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he'll be ready to take your job."

--Brooks Robinson

A Pre-Season Meeting

A meeting for parents of all Malibu High baseball players will be held on Wednesday, February 15, at 6:15 p.m. in the classroom closest to the outdoor basketball courts at Malibu High. Coach Gallo will provide information about the upcoming season and introduce his coaching staff.

Getting Back to Work

Sharks Baseball--the program and the blog--is back. Today at 1:00 p.m. anyone interested in getting in some stretching, running, throwing, and hitting is welcome to meet up at the field.

On February 11, Malibu will play at Oxnard High in one last tuneup game before official workouts begin on February 13. (Details regarding the game will follow.) The Malibu-Oxnard matchup will be repeated in early March during the SoCal Invitational.

Coach Gallo has posted the 2006 schedule here. There will be a version posted here on the blog soon.

The End of Fall Ball

Malibu ended its fall season yesterday with a 7-4 victory over Crespi. Jacob Perrin, Michael Gwyn, Jace Dispenza, and Colbie Bell shared the pitching duties. Stephen Williams led a 15-hit Shark attack with two doubles, a triple, and a single in four trips to the plate.

Greg Kernodle finished the season with the Sharks' top batting average (.438) among players with over 10 at bats. (Michael Gwyn, who missed much of the season due to football and a knee injury, was four-for-eight with two doubles.) Stephen Williams finished with a .429 batting average and a .714 slugging percentage thanks to thirteen total bases (2 singles, 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 homerun) in seven at bats over two games against Crespi.

The Sharks will next be in action in January during several preseason tournaments.

They're Here!

Fresh-cut Christmas trees arrived today at the Malibu High Athletic Booster Club lot at the corner of PCH and Heathercliff. As a reminder, the tree lot is the main fundraiser for all of the athletic programs--including baseball--at Malibu High.

Thanks to all the baseball players (and others) who showed up this morning to help unload the trees.

O Tannenbaum, O Breakin' Down

Actually, it was the truck carrying the Christmas trees that broke down according to Coach Gallo. The bottom line, though, is that there will be no trees to unload today. Spread the word--and set aside some time on Friday to unload Christmas trees.

Games today: the JV plays at 8:30 and the varsity at 2:30. Both games are at Westhills.

O Tannenbaum!

Christmas trees will be delivered to the tree lot on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. All Malibu High baseball players are strongly encouraged to be there to help unload the truck.

The fall league schedule for Sunday has been changed (see the post below) so varsity players will be able to work at the lot before heading to Westhills for the 2:30 p.m. game against Chatsworth.

Also, while hours volunteered at the tree lot are always appreciated, Friday has been designated as the day for baseball and softball players to staff the lot. Baseball players should be sure to sign up for some Friday slots.

Change Is Good

Changes in this weekend's schedule appear to be complete. Here's where things stand for Week 8 of the Westhills Fall League:

• Malibu's JV team plays Westlake at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning at Westhills.
• Malibu's varsity team plays Chatsworth at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Westhills.

Home Games

Both Malibu teams will play at Malibu High this weekend. The varsity plays Oak Park on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and the JV plays Buckley at 11:40 a.m. (Please note that this is a change from the original schedule.)

(Help preparing the field prior to warmups for the 9:00 a.m. game would be greatly appreciated.)

Fall Batting Averages

Here, thanks to Dave Bowman, are the fall batting average leaders for Malibu through the first six games (based on a minimum of 10 at bats):

1. Greg Kernodle -- .500
2. Matt Bowman -- .455
3. Stephen Williams -- .400
4. Jared Weinstock -- .357
(tied) 5. Jace Dispenza -- .333
(tied) 5. Sloan Campi -- .333
(tied) 5. Wesley Semkin -- .333

Check back soon for more stats.

The End of Summer

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops. Today, October [26], a [Wednesday] of rain and broken branches and leaf-clogged drains and slick streets, it stopped, and summer was gone."

--A. Bartlett Giamatti, "The Green Fields of the Mind"

Saturday at Westhills

This week's varsity game will be at Westhills on Saturday. Start time is 3:00 p.m. Please contact Steve Weinstock if you cannot make it.

Pants Anyone?

Someone left a pair of grey baseball pants in the dugout at Chaminade on Saturday. Check with me at practice on Thursday (or give me a call) if you think they're yours.

Practice and Game Schedule

The varsity fall ball team will practice on Thursday afternoon. Saturday's game against Montclair Prep, originally scheduled for 3:00 p.m., will be at 9:00 a.m. at the Westhills baseball complex.

Upcoming: Chaminade

Both Malibu teams play at Chaminade on Saturday. The JV game begins at noon. The varsity game follows at 3:00 p.m.

For a map to Chaminade High, click here.

Practice and Games This Week

The next practice for the varsity fall ball team will be on Thursday. Expect a change in the practice schedule next week due to Yom Kippur.

The varsity team plays at Pepperdine against Taft on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. The JV game is at Malibu High on Sunday at noon against Highland Hall.

Traded?

Stephen Williams went 3-for-3 and doubled to knock in Jacob Perrin with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Highland Hall defeated Westlake High, 6-5.

No, Williams and Perrin haven't been traded. Highland Hall's manager Dave Bowman asked the two to fill in for some of his players who were unable to make today's game at Pepperdine.

No Games on Saturday

Due to disruptions (and lingering smoke) caused by the Topanga fire, all games scheduled for tomorrow have been postponed. Sunday's games, however, will be played as scheduled.

The Weekend Schedule

Malibu's varsity team will play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. against Calabasas at Calabasas. The JV team plays on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at Pepperdine against Monclair.

Back to Wednesday

Practice for the varsity fall ball team will be on Wednesday this week at 4:00 p.m. This will allow coaches the opportunity to go to Back to School Night on Thursday. (It will also allow players more time to surf on Thursday after the early out.)

Calabasas 4, Malibu 3

Malibu dropped the first game of the fall season to Calabasas on Saturday, 4-3. In spite of strong pitching performances by Colbie Bell, Jared Weinstock, Wesley Semkin, and Jacob Perrin, a series of defensive lapses leading to three unearned runs combined with a failure to get timely hits with runners in scoring position led to the loss.

Jace Dispenza hits for Malibu.

Leadoff hitter Greg Kernodle provided most of the offense for Malibu. Kernodle was 3-for-4 on the day. Weinstock, Perrin, and Nate Schoenbrun also had one hit each.

Jared Weinstock delivers in the fourth inning.

Stephen Williams awaits the play at first base.

Malibu returns to Calabasas for a rematch on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Jerseys

If you have a spare black jersey, please turn it in so incoming players will have one to use this fall. Coach Gallo will be at the field today at 1:00 and can redistribute jerseys then. Alternatively, you may bring whatever you've got to the first game. The uniform for both teams throughout the fall season is black caps, black jerseys, grey pants, and black socks. Washing the uniform occasionally would be a nice touch.

Schedule Change for Saturday

Saturday's varsity game will be at noon against Calabasas, not 3:00 p.m. as stated in yesterday's post. As a reminder, tomorrow's practice will be at 4:00 p.m.

For more schedule information, see the Westhills Baseball site here. (Please note: Schedule changes are a common occurrence during fall ball. We'll always post the latest schedule information available here.)

You've Got to Pay to Play

Just a reminder: If you haven't already paid your share of the fall baseball registration fee ($130 per player), please do so on Thursday. Checks may be made payable to Robert Williams.

Saturday at Calabasas

The first game of the fall season for the Malibu High varsity team will be 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, at Calabasas High.

The next practice will be on Thursday, September 22, at 4:00 p.m. Please note that school is out at 12:35 p.m. that afternoon.

Fall Schedules Coming

Westhills Baseball fall league schedules for both the varsity and junior varsity teams should be available Tuesday night. I'll post Malibu's schedules here within twenty-four hours. Complete schedules should also be available soon on the Westhills Baseball web site.

Meanwhile, workouts for the varsity team are scheduled for every Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. (Stay tuned for an announcement about practice times on shortened days.) The junior varsity is working out every Friday after school until further notice.

Sunday at 4:00

That's when the next fall ball workout for the varsity team will be held. We'll be at Malibu High, as usual.

Back on the Field

Malibu's varsity fall ball team will practice tomorrow--August 24--at 4:00 p.m. on the field at MHS.

SID at MHS

Coach Paul Gallo has been named Sports Information Director at Malibu High School. Among his first contributions in the new position was the creation of a blog to make information about about all of Malibu High's sports readily available. You can find the new blog at http://sharkssports.blogspot.com. (I'll be adding a permanent link soon.)

Congratulations, Coach.

Fall Ball Preview

The fall baseball season is just around the corner. Once again, Malibu will have both JV and varsity teams competing in the Westhills high school program. The season begins the weekend of September 24-25 and continues through December 4-5. (No games will be played Thanksgiving weekend.)

This fall, Steve Weinstock and Robert Williams will be managing the varsity team. Justin Vititoe will manage the JV team.

Please check back soon for information about upcoming practices.

JV for the JV

Also from Coach Gallo comes word that Justin Vititoe, a 2003 graduate of Malibu High and the first baseman on the Sharks team that made it to the second round of the CIF playoffs, will be coaching the JV team in the West Hills Fall League. Welcome back, JV!

Van Soelen's Catch

I'm not sure why he's still bothering to watch the Dodgers on TV, but Coach Gallo was and he sends along this observation:

While watching the Dodgers-Mets telecast on the National Fox feed, Malibu Shark Jamie van Soelen was on catching a foul ball. And it wasn't live, it was such a good catch, it was shown on REPLAY. Sitting in the first row of the Loge section, about half way up the third base line, Jamie reached over the railing quite a way, and snatched the ball out of the air, getting the praise of Steve Lyons. He was then shown smiling with his girlfriend, as he admired the ball. NICE CATCH!!!

Way to go, Jamie!

From the Archive: 1999 MLL Diamondbacks

Here's one from the archives. Anchoring the ends of the front row in this photo of the 1999 Malibu Little League Diamondbacks are current Sharks players Stephen Williams and Jared Weinstock.

The Diamondbacks seem to have been missing a few players on Picture Day. But on game day these guys came to play!

The End of the Break

After almost three weeks without blogging, I'm back. There's some catching up to do on the American Legion season. I'll try to post some season stats sometime in the next week.

Also coming up is some information on fall ball. Look for news about a couple of August workouts followed by information on the West Hills Fall League. Once again Malibu will have two teams--JV and varsity--in West Hills' league.

Summer Vacation Begins

The American Legion season ended for Malibu today with a 5-1 loss to Santa Monica in the regional playoffs. Brooks Fitch pitched seven strong innings for Malibu, but got almost no run support just one day after a 23-run explosion against Templeton. Daniel Williams and Jamie Van Soelen ended the tournament in the cheap seats after being ejected in separated incidents midway through the game.

Legion Playoff Update

After losing to Covina on Thursday by a score of 6-4, Malibu rebounded today with a 23-5 win over Templeton in the American Legion regional tournament. Jason Puklus, who hit a first-inning homerun against Covina, had one of two grand slams for Malibu against Templeton. Brooks Fitch had the other one when he came to the plate as the fourth batter of the game for Malibu.

Malibu plays next at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. All remaining games in the regional tournament will be played at Jackie Robinson Stadium at UCLA.

Legion Playoff Schedule

Malibu plays Covina on Thursday, July 21, at 11:00 a.m. in the first round of the American Legion playoffs. The game will be at Reeder Field on the campus of Cal State-LA.

The winner of Thursday's game plays at 2:00 p.m. on Friday at UCLA. The loser will play at 10:00 a.m., also at UCLA.

Batting practice will be on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Malibu High.

Abstract Brooks

Here, with a few filter and color level adjustments, is another version of the photo below showing Brooks Fitch hitting in the twilight at Jackie Robinson Stadium last Friday.

Legion Photos

It's taking me way too long to get caught up on the box scores (although I've just posted the box score for the June 21 game against Hollywood here) and for that I apologize to all concerned (and especially to John Puklus, who likes to have the stats available and up to date). While you wait for me to get caught up, please enjoy these photos from recent games.

Colbie Bell takes care of a foul pop against Brentwood on June 28.

Phil Johnson stands in against Brentwood.

Greg Kernodle strides in a game against Santa Monica on July 2. (Who was responsible for that third base line?)

Brooks Fitch cocks the bat in the twilight against Lawndale on July 8.

With Greg Kernodle on third, Stephen Williams starts his swing against Lawndale.

Phil Johnson delivers against Pali on July 9.

Doubleheader

Monday's game in Malibu against University, originally scheduled for 11:00 a.m., has been pushed back to 3:00 p.m. It will be followed immediately by a makeup of the June 25 game that was postponed due to a Saturday morning scheduling mixup.

Malibu closes out the regular season with two games at UCLA--on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. against Hollywood and on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. against Brentwood.

The Update from Coach Buss

For those of you who prefer to get your updated schedule information from Sharks Baseball instead of e-mail, here's the latest from Coach Buss:

Friday's game is at 5PM at UCLA. We are in the 1B dugout.

Saturday's game is at 2PM, UCLA. 3B dugout.

Monday we are home against University at 11AM. At Malibu HS. I still have not confirmed the 2nd half of the doubleheader . . . but be prepared for 2 games at MHS on Monday.

Clean uniforms Friday, please.

Friday's opponent is Lawndale. Saturday's is Palisades. And if you happen to be planning a pitching rotation, you might want to keep in mind that there's also a game scheduled for Tuesday.

Maj. Steve Reich

Paul Gallo writes today:

Steve Reich is a former opponent of mine at Shepaug Valley High School in Washington Depot, Connecticut and a player I later recruited while I was at Eastern Connecticut. I was hoping you could link this story on the blog for me, as a reminder that even if we do not agree with what is going on over in the Middle East, there are people, some whom we know personally, that believe in fighting for the freedom of this country.

Steve Reich was an incredible pitcher and even more so an incredible person.

I haven't seen him in about 15 years, but I will miss him.

The story, briefly, is this:

Maj. Reich died in the crash of an Army helicopter a week ago in Afghanistan. There were 16 Special Operations Forces personnel, including Reich, on board when the chopper was brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade. Maj. Reich was serving his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan at the time.

Rather than follow Coach Gallo to Eastern Connecticut, Reich pursued a dream of attending the United States Military Academy. He pitched for the Cadets and holds career marks at West Point for strikeouts (259) and innings pitched (260). He played for Team USA in 1993 and 1995. In 1993, he was the flag bearer for the United States contingent in the World University Games. Reich signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 1996, but pitched only two games for the High Desert Mavericks of the California League before being called back into active duty.

There's more on Maj. Reich here and, with a few photos included, here.

We grieve with you, Coach.

Daily News Honors

Congratulations to Daniel Williams on being an Honorable Mention selection for the Daily News All-Area Team.

Spenser Buss

You don't have to be named "Williams" to get your picture posted on this blog (although it certainly helps). To prove it, here's a photo of Coach Buss's kid, Spenser.

According to Coach Buss, this is Spenser's first Little League photo.

You'll notice the cap is a little off-center. That, I understand, is a style point that Spenser picked up from watching Brooks Fitch play.

Saturday Split

Malibu split a doubleheader today, losing to Santa Monica A, 5-3, in the first game and beating Santa Monica B, 9-4, in the second game. Jacob Perrin was 5-for-6 in the two games. In the second game, Geoff Roth pitched a complete game for the win.

Please check back for box scores.

Five Days, Four Games

Malibu plays four games in the next five days including two afternoon games at UCLA. Tomorrow Malibu faces Brentwood for the first time this season. Game time is 2:00 p.m. On Friday, Malibu and Fairfax square off at Jackie Robinson Stadium, also at 2:00 p.m. The two Santa Monica teams visit Malibu on Saturday for games at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Check the complete schedule here. (Updates will be posted as they are received.)

Congrats, Grads!

Congratulations to the Sharks baseball players who graduated today at Malibu High.

George Paul Azzi
Alexander Robert Beck
Duncan Howard Daw
Philip William Johnson
Jason John Puklus
Geoffrey Isadore Roth
James D. Van Soelen
Brett Michael Weinstock
Aaron Scott Westine
Robert Daniel Williams

We thank you for what you've done for baseball in Malibu and wish you the best in your future endeavors, both academic and athletic. Malibu's coaches, players, and fans will miss you.

Mid-week Update

Malibu took a shortened game from Palisades with a run in the bottom of the sixth on Monday and then rolled over Hollywood on Tuesday. Box scores will be delayed a few days due to the general mayhem associated with tomorrow's graduation ceremonies at Malibu High.

Next up: Malibu plays University at UCLA on Saturday. Game time is 10:00 a.m.

Malibu 12, Hollywood 1 (Box Score)

Malibu	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	AVE
Puklus SS	2	2	1	0	1	0	.450
B. Weinstock p	1	2	0	0	1	0	.231
Williams CF	3	1	2	1	0	0	.421
Johnson 3B	2	1	2	3	1	0	.538
Roth 1B	3	0	0	0	0	2	.286
S. WIlliams C	2	1	1	3	1	0	.188
Kernodle 2B	3	1	2	1	0	0	.500
Van Soelen LF	2	0	0	0	1	0	.143
Perrin EH	3	0	1	1	0	0	.385
Dispenza RF	3	1	1	0	0	0	.222
Gwyn EH	2	1	1	0	0	0	.444
Fitch EH	1	1	1	2	0	0	.429
Jessen EH	1	1	1	0	0	0	.---
Campi EH	1	0	1	1	0	0	.---

BATTING

2B: S. Williams (3), Gwyn (1)
ROE: Dispenza
HP: B. Weinstock
LIDP: B. Weinstock
Team LOB: 8

BASERUNNING

SB: Puklus (1), Johnson 2 (4), Kernodle 2 (3)

FIELDING

E: Kernodle

Malibu	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA
B. Weinstock W (1-0)	4.0	3	1	0	1	3	0.00
Gwyn	1.0	0	0	0	1	2	0.00

HBP: B. Weinstock
Pitches-strikes: B. Weinstock, 68-41; Gwyn, 21-12
Groundouts-flyouts: B. Weinstock, 5-4; Gwyn, 1-0

This Week's Schedule

Malibu, off to a 5-0 start in the American Legion season, has three games scheduled this week. The Sharks take on Palisades today at 5:00 at Malibu High. Tomorrow, Malibu plays Hollywood at UCLA. Game time tomorrow is also 5:00 p.m. Finally, on Saturday at 10:00 a.m., Malibu plays University at UCLA.

Happy Father's Day

One of the things I've enjoyed most about baseball in Malibu over the past ten or twelve years has been the active involvement of so many great parents. Thanks to all of you--especially, today, to you fathers--who have spent so many hours over the years coaching, cheering for, and, best of all, just having fun with your sons and mine.

Happy Father's Day!

Malibu 3, Lawndale 2 (Box Score)

Malibu	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	AVE
D. Williams CF	2	1	1	0	0	0	.357
B. Weinstock 2B	3	1	0	0	0	0	.182
Puklus P	3	0	0	1	0	1	.444
Roth LF, P	1	0	0	1	0	0	.333
S. Williams DH, C	1	0	0	0	1	0	.167
J. Weinstock 1B	1	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Gwyn C, 3B	1	0	1	0	1	0	.400
Perrin 3B	2	0	0	0	0	2	.500
Kernodle 2B	2	0	1	0	0	1	.500
Dispenza RF, LF	2	0	1	0	0	0	.250
Van Soelen EH, 1B	2	0	0	0	0	1	.200
Schoenbrun EH, RF	1	1	0	0	0	1	.000

BATTING

2B: D. Williams (2)
ROE: B. Weinstock
HP: D. Williams
GIDP: Van Soelen
Team LOB: 5

BASERUNNING

SB: B. Weinstock (2), Schoenbrun (1)
CS: Kernodle

FIELDING

DP: B. Weinstock-Kernodle-Van Soelen; Gwyn-Kernodle-Van Soelen
E: J. Weinstock, Conrad, B. Weinstock

Malibu	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA
Puklus	3.0	4	0	0	1	4	1.17
Roth W (2-0)	4.0	3	2	1	3	4	5.48

HBP: Puklus
PO: Puklus, Roth
Pitches-strikes: Puklus, 44-28; Roth, 65-43
Groundouts-flyouts: Puklus, 1-2; Roth, 5-0

Time: 1:49