ABC's People of the Year

I would have been happy being named "Person of the Week." To be named "Person of the Year" by ABC News for this new venture in blogging is, well . . . I'm humbled. I couldn't have done it without you, the readers. Both of you.

Okay, so it is "People of the Year" and not "Person of the Year." And so what if there are millions of us? It is, after all, my first "People of the Year" award. I'm going to enjoy it, even if I do have to share it with millions of other people who blog about topics that are far less important than Sharks baseball--and even if there are 10,000 new bloggers every day.

Read all about it here.

January Schedule (Part 1)

Rick Johnson sends word that Malibu is signed up for a tournament at Oxnard High School during the MLK holiday weekend (January 15-17). The tournament fee is $50 per player. Players should contact Rick to confirm their availability.

Sharks 6, Campbell Hall 2

The Sharks completed the Harvard Westlake tournament with a 6-2 win over Campbell Hall. Eight Malibu players had at least one hit in the 12-hit offensive outburst and Jason Puklus gave up just one hit in four innings of shutout pitching.

Malibu's big offensive outburst came in the top of the third inning when Brett Weinstock led off with a base hit. Daniel Williams followed with a triple into the right field corner. Williams scored when the throw to third was wide of the base and got by the third baseman. After Jamie Van Soelen flied to left and Geoff Roth popped out to the shortstop, Jason Puklus tripled to center field and then scored on a single by Brooks Fitch. Colbie Bell followed with a single, but the inning ended when Stephen Williams flied to right.

The scoring started for Malibu in the second inning when Roth doubled, moved to third on Fitch's one-out groundout, and came home when Colbie Bell, who reached first after being hit by a pitch, got into a rundown on a steal of second.

The Shark's last run came in the sixth inning when Michael Gwyn hit a two-out triple and scored on Brett Weinstock's single to left.

Weinstock, Roth, Puklus, and Fitch each had two hits on the day.

Thanks to Rick Johnson for organizing and managing the team through the fall season and two post-season tournaments.

Harvard Westlake 8, Sharks 2

Host team Harvard Westlake defeated Malibu 8-2 on the second day of the four-team tournament in Encino. The Sharks started strong in the bottom of the first inning when starting pitcher Brett Weinstock led off with a double into the left field corner. Daniel Williams moved Weinstock to third on a 4-3 groundout and Jamie Van Soelen followed with a base hit to drive in Malibu's first run.

Malibu scored again in the fourth inning when Geoff Roth hit a one-out ground-rule double. After Jason Puklus lined out to center, Brooks Fitch singled to drive in Roth. Colbie Bell followed with another single, but the inning ended when Stephen Williams flied to left.

Although the Sharks played solid defense, Harvard Westlake put together a nine-hit attack and went ahead 7-1 after three innings. Michael Gwyn, Brooks Fitch, and Wes Semkin pitched well in relief of Brett Weinstock and Stephen Williams, but the Sharks were unable to make up the deficit.

Malibu plays Campbell Hall tomorrow at 1:30 in the tournament finale.

Sharks 5, LA Baptist 4

Malibu came away with a 5-4 win over the Knights of LA Baptist on the first day of the Harvard Westlake tournament. Strong pitching performances by Geoff Roth, Brooks Fitch, and Wes Semkin and clutch hitting by Jamie Van Soelen and Daniel Williams led the way for the Sharks. Van Soelen had two doubles off the screen in left centerfield and drove in three runs. Williams was two-for-three with a walk and scored three runs.

Roth pitched 3.1 innings, giving up just two earned runs. Fitch, who came in to close off a rally by the Knights in the fourth, gave up no runs in 1.2 innings and Semkin preserved the one-run lead with two shutout innings to close out the game.

The Sharks take on host Harvard Westlake today at 10:30 a.m.

Welcome

This, the first day of winter, is a great time to inaugurate a blog dedicated to Malibu High School Baseball. From now until the conclusion of the playoffs, check here for all the news about Sharks Baseball.