Scouting Report: Bonita Bearcats

The Bonita Bearcats and the Malibu Sharks enter Friday’s first-round playoff game with identical 17-7 records. Both teams finished second in their respective leagues, Bonita with an 8-4 league record and Malibu with a 7-5 league record.

Both the Sharks and the Bearcats excelled at home this season. Malibu was 12-2 at home and 5-5 on the road during the regular season while Bonita was 9-2 at home, 5-4 on the road, and 3-1 playing at neutral sites.

The Bearcats feature a well-rounded offensive attack. Five players had 25 or more base hits during the regular season. Three different Bonita players led the Miramonte League in batting average (Jiovanni Mier, .494), home runs (Jason Plowman, 5), and RBIs (Brett Bennett, 31). In the pitching categories, Plowman also led the league in wins (6) and was second in ERA (1.55).

Mier, a junior infielder, led the Bearcats in plate appearances (90), hits (42), doubles (11), runs scored (26), batting average (.494), and on-base percentage (.522).

Senior outfielder Bennett was second on the Bearcats in both hits (35) and batting average (.455).

Jeff Gelalich, a junior outfielder, batted .439 with 9 doubles and 2 triples. Ryan Henley posted a .380 average and E. J. Reyes batted .313.

Jason Plowman led the Bearcats' pitchers with a 6-1 record. He had 28 strikeouts and 8 walks in 40.2 innings of work. Nico Calderaro posted a 4-2 record with a 2.31 ERA. Calderaro struck out 37 in 36.1 innings on the mound.

Sophomore Matt Cathcart, who posted a 7-2 record with 63 strikeouts in 56.1 innings, will start for the Sharks.

Scouting Report: St. Bonaventure Seraphs

The Sharks (17-5) take on the St. Bonaventure Seraphs (22-4) today and Thursday in the final two games of the regular season. The Seraphs, who boast a perfect 10-0 record in league play to this point, clinched the Tri-Valley League championship on Friday with their 7-1 win over Oaks Christian.

The Seraphs are led by senior pitcher/shortstop Casey Serna. Serna, who has signed a letter of intent to play at Oregon next year, leads the Tri-Valley League in hitting (.500), slugging percentage (.921), on-base percentage (.574), and stolen bases (14). He trails only teammate Martin Medina in RBIs (29).

Sophomore outfielder Michael Abeloe is fourth in the league in hitting with a .446 average. Medina (6) and Serna (5) trail Stephen Williams (7) for the league lead in homeruns.

Two St. Bonaventure pitchers, Serna and senior Jeremy Dann, have posted seven wins on the season. Dann is ordinarily the Tuesday/Wednesday starter while Serna generally starts the Thursday/Friday games. Senior Martin Medina (6-1, 4 saves, 0.44 ERA) has become the Seraphs' closer.

Senior Nate Schoenbrun (1-0, 1.24 ERA) is expected to start for Malibu on Tuesday.

Scouting Report: Fillmore Flashes

Malibu (16-4) takes on Fillmore (10-12) in a pair of crucial Tri-Valley League games this week. The Flashes travel to Malibu High for a 3:30 game this afternoon with the rematch set for 3:30 Friday afternoon at Fillmore High.

The Sharks, 6-2 in league games, are tied with Nordhoff for second in the Tri-Valley League with four games remaining, including two next week against first-place St. Bonaventure (20-4, 8-0).

Although the Flashes are 1-7 in league games this season, Fillmore's Wednesday afternoon games against Tri-Valley League opponents have all been close thanks to strong pitching from senior Nick Hernandez. On consecutive Wednesdays in April, the Flashes lost to Nordhoff (3-1) and St. Bonaventure (2-1), then defeated Oaks Christian (3-1). Last Wednesday Fillmore shut out Channel Islands, 7-0, in a non-league game.

The Sharks enter today's game with an 11-1 record at home. The only home loss came against Nordhoff on April 18. Fillmore is 2-5 on the road.

Since Malibu's offensive slump against Nordhoff and Faith Baptist, Stephen Williams is hitting .625 will 4 RBIs, Justin Hale is hitting .571 with 6 RBIs, and Sean Conrad is hitting .417 with 3 RBIs.

Matt Cathcart, expected to make his eighth start of the season today, is 6-1 with a 2.32 ERA. He has pitched a complete game in each of his last three outings.

Scouting Report: Montclair Prep Mounties

The Sharks take on Montclair Prep today in a non-league game at Malibu High. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Malibu (9-2) will be looking to extend a seven-game winning streak while the Mounties (10-4-1) will be going for their fourth win in a row.

Montclair Prep, a perennial power in the Olympic League, features a roster with twelve seniors including infielder Enrique Zenon, pitcher Kelvin Tolbert, and outfielder Andrew Cohen. Zenon is hitting .405 so far this season. Tolbert has a 4-1 record with a 2.19 ERA in five starts in 2008. Cohen is hitting .350 with 9 RBIs.

Malibu and Montclair Prep have had one common opponent this season. On April 1, Montclair Prep defeated LA Baptist, 2-0. Malibu defeated the Knights, 6-5, back on March 5.

Last season, Montclair Prep defeated Malibu, 11-3, in a game played at the Mounties' new field in the Mid-Valley baseball complex. Two years ago, the Mounties defeated Malibu, 3-0. Malibu's last win in the series was in 2005. With Malibu down, 3-2, Daniel Williams hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to provide the margin of victory in a 5-4 win--the eighth win in a row for the 2005 Sharks.

Scouting Report: Oak Park Eagles

The Sharks travel to Oak Park high this afternoon for the season's first meeting between the two Tri-Valley Conference rivals. Malibu, 7-2 on the season, is riding a five-game winning streak. Oak Park is 4-8 and coming off an 11-3 loss to El Rancho of Pico Rivera last Wednesday in the St. Paul Easter Tournament.

Oak Park is led offensively by senior centerfielder Mitch Halpert. Halpert, who missed the first five games of the season, is hitting .471 with 3 doubles and a homerun. Senior third baseman Eric Columbia is hitting .382 with 3 doubles and a triple through Oak Park's first twelve games.

Sophomore Matt Cathcart will be making his fourth start on the mound today. Cathcart is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 25 strikeouts in just over 18 innings of work.

The Sharks are averaging over seven runs per game during the current five-game winning streak. Stephen Williams is hitting .571 (with 3 homeruns, a double and a triple) and Sean Conrad is hitting .600 in that span.

Scouting Report: Channel Islands Raiders

Malibu ends a twelve-day break today with a trip to Oxnard to play the Channel Islands High Raiders. The Sharks (6-2) will be trying to win for the first time on the road against a Raiders team that will be going for its first home win.

Channel Islands is 1-8 on the season. The lone win came on the road against the Nordhoff Rangers in the first game of the year. Playing against league opponents in the tough Pacific View League, the Raiders have been outscored 63-8 in their last four games.

Offensively, Channel Islands is led by Raul Ornelas (.429 batting average, 4 stolen bases) and Jonjon Enriquez (.333 BA, 3 SB). Willy Gonzalez (3.86 ERA) and Danny Saldivar (3.50 ERA) have shouldered most of the burden on the mound for the Raiders so far in 2008.

The Sharks will be playing today without the services of senior centerfielder Nate Schoenbrun and junior pitcher/outfielder Matt Bordier.

Scouting Report: Antelope Valley Antelopes

The Sharks (4-2) take on the Antelope Valley Antelopes (2-4) today at Malibu High in the first doubleheader of the 2008 season. The Antelopes are coming off a 3-1 loss to Beverly Hills on Tuesday while the Sharks are hoping to build on their best offensive output of the season, a seventeen-hit, 12-4 win over the New Roads Jaguars on Thursday.

Antelope Valley, 5-19 last season, returns six seniors and six juniors to the 2008 squad.

The leading hitter for the Antelopes so far this season is junior catcher Mike Smith. Smith is 11-for-22 with 5 doubles, a homerun, and 5 stolen bases. Senior pitcher-first baseman Matt Simons (.389) and senior centerfielder Luis Escoto (.316) also figure prominently in the Antelope Valley offense.

As a team, the Antelopes have struck out an average of eight times per game through the first six games of the season.

Matt Simons (3.71 ERA), Nathanial Hamilton (5.25), and Alex Broskoff (7.00) have started five of Antelope Valley's six games on the mound. The pitching staff as a whole has posted a 4.67 ERA and has allowed just over one hit per inning.

Game one of the doubleheader begins at 11:00 a.m.

Scouting Report: South East Jaguars

The South East Jaguars enter today’s game at Malibu High with wins against Morningside and North Hollywood and losses to Lawndale and Mary Star. Last season the Jaguars were 7-20 (3-15 in the Eastern League).

The Jaguars return only two seniors this season: third baseman Eduardo Aguilar and first baseman Jose Cavillo. The squad includes four juniors, seven sophomores, and one freshman.

Junior shortstop Jesus Ramirez leads the team in hitting thus far this season with a .571 average. Ramirez also has five stolen bases in as many attempts. Sophomore infielder David Garcia is hitting .417 with three stolen bases.

Jacob Perrin is expected to take the mound for the Sharks today.

Scouting Report: La Canada Spartans

The La Canada Spartans (3-0) enter Friday's game against Malibu with wins over LA Baptist, North Hollywood, and Verdugo Hills. Last season the Spartans were 10-11 overall and 8-7 in the Rio Hondo League.

On the mound, the Spartans are led by junior Eric Smith and senior Wyatt Murphy. Smith has given up two earned runs in ten innings in his two starts this season. Murphy, who earned a win against North Hollywood on Saturday and a save against Verdugo Hills on Wednesday, has given up four earned runs in five innings of pitching.

Offensively, Smith has recorded two three-hit games so far this season and is hitting .750. Last season he hit .540 with 9 doubles and a homerun. Junior Brian Collins is 5-for-10 with a home run and four RBIs in three games in 2008. Senior outfielder John Ondrejcka hit .413 with 3 homeruns and 22 RBIs last year but has started the 2008 campaign with just two hits in ten at-bats. Senior catcher Max Shaetzle, who hit .333 last season, is also expected to contribute to the Spartans' lineup. Shaetzle has one of the Spartans' three homeruns through the first three games of the season.

The Sharks enter tomorrow's game with two one-run wins and a one-run loss. Ten of Malibu's fourteen runs scored in the first three games have come in the sixth and seventh innings.

Scouting Report: L.A. Baptist Knights

Malibu hosts LA Baptist today in the third game of the Southern California Invitational/Royal Tournament. The first pitched is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Both teams enter the game with 1-1 records on the season. The Knights lost their season opener last Friday to La Canada, 5-4, and rebounded on Saturday to defeat St. Monica's, 2-0. The Sharks opened with a win over Marshall before losing to Mary Star on Saturday.

Since 2006, the Sharks are 1-2 against the Knights. Malibu rode a strong pitching performance by Colbie Bell (one hit and eight strikeouts in five innings pitched) to a 4-2 win over LA Baptist in a rain-soaked game on March 2, 2006. Last season, on March 17, the Knights won both games of a doubleheader at Malibu by scores of 6-5 and 3-0.

The Knights were 10-13 last season (4-4 in league games), good for second place (in a three-way tie) in the Olympic League.

The Knights have eight seniors on the roster this season, including Ryan Cathers (3B-P), who led the team in hitting last season with a .431 average. Jim Auger and Ethan Koskela, who both will figure prominently in the Knights' pitching rotation this year, are also among the seniors on the LA Baptist squad. Koskela started against La Canada in the season opener and gave up four runs (two of them earned) in 4.0 innings. Auger pitched 6.1 shutout innings against St. Monica's on Saturday en route to his first win of the season.

Making his first start of the 2008 season today will be senior Nate Schoenbrun.

Scouting Report: Mary Star of the Sea

Malibu takes on the Mary Star of the Sea High School Stars in the second game of the Royal Tournament. Like the Sharks, the Stars scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of their season-opening game to record a come-from-behind win. Mary Star defeated Garfield, 4-1, on Friday behind solid pitching performances by starter Peter Ciaramitaro and reliever Nick Gioiello and a walk-off grand slam by Robert Abordo.

The Stars were 13-11 overall last season with a 7-8 record in the Camino Real League. At home, Mary Star compiled a 10-3 record.

Ciaramitaro and fellow senior Johnny Cigliano are expected to carry much of the offensive load for the Stars this season. Juniors Danny Martinez, Nick Gioiello and Nick Rukavina are also expected to contribute offensively.

Scouting Report: Marshall Barristers

The Sharks begin the 2008 season this afternoon with a home game against the Marshall Barristers. Malibu defeated the Barristers, 6-2, when the two teams met at Marshall High in the second game of the 2007 season. Nate Schoenbrun pitched a complete game and Jared Weinstock hit a three-run homerun in the top of the seventh to ice the game for Sharks.

After losing their first three games last season, including the Malibu game, the Barristers went on to record a 19-12 record for the season. Marshall tied for first in the Northern League with a 12-3 league record.

This season the Marshall roster is loaded with seniors--thirteen to be exact. Five players who started for the Barristers against Malibu last year are expected to be in the starting lineup today. (Malibu, with only three seniors on the roster, also will likely have five starters from last year's matchup starting today.)

Senior pitcher and first baseman Simi Machado is expected to lead the Barristers offensively in 2008. Last year Machado hit .419 with 4 homeruns and 29 RBIs. Machado also racked up more innings on the mound than any other Marshall player while compiling a 7-5 won-loss record with a 2.39 ERA.

Junior infielder Mark Andrade was second on the team in hitting in 2007 with a .356 batting average.

For the Sharks, seniors Stephen Williams, Jacob Perrin, and Nate Schoenbrun, together with junior Sean Conrad, are expected to provide most of the offensive firepower. Williams hit .411 with 5 homeruns and 18 RBIs last season. Perrin, who found his power stroke with 3 homeruns in the fall season, hit .286 with 5 doubles and a triple last year. Conrad hit .304 with a team-high 7 doubles while Schoenbrun hit .268.

Among the other juniors expected to make a major contribution to the Sharks' success this year will be infielders Tony Gwyn, Justin Hale, Monty Biglow, and Travis Vititoe. Malibu also hopes to get both quality innings on the mound and some offensive punch from junior Matt Bordier and sophomore Jesse Conrad.

The Sharks are expected to start sophomore Matt Cathcart on the mound in today's game. Cathcart started three varsity games as a freshman last year. He got no decision against Campbell Hall, defeated Santa Paula, and took the loss against Oaks Christian.

Today's game is the first game for both teams in the Royal Tournament, which will continue through next weekend. Game time is 3:00 p.m.

Scouting Report: Oak Park Eagles

The Sharks (3-6) play their first-ever Tri-Valley League game today at home against the Oak Park Eagles (5-2). The home-and-away series will conclude on Friday at Oak Park. Both games are scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. (For a map to Oak Park High School, click here.)

Oak Park is coming off two shutout wins over Village Christian (13-0) and Kilpatrick (26-0). The Eagles' three other wins, all in the El Segundo Tournament, were by identical 12-4 scores over Crenshaw, Redondo, and Cathedral. The Eagles lost one-run games in the tournament to San Pedro and Whittier.

Leading the Eagles this season is senior Blair Walters, who is currently hitting .583 with 3 homeruns and 19 RBIs. Walters is also Oak Park's number one starter. Last season he posted a 6-2 record with a 1.78 ERA in 51 innings on the mound.

Also off to hot starts for the Eagles are senior catcher Ty Muller and junior pitcher and outfielder Mitchell Halpert. Muller is hitting .632 with six extra-base hits. Halpert, hitting .542, has 2 doubles, 2 triples, and a homerun.

Last year, Oak Park rode a nine-run third inning to a 14-7 win over Malibu in the only matchup between the two teams.

Scouting Report: L.A. Baptist Knights

After playing four consecutive games on the road, the Sharks return home today for the first of this season's three Saturday doubleheaders. Malibu will be looking to reverse a three-game losing streak before beginning Tri-Valley League play on Wednesday against Oak Park.

The Sharks' opponent for today's twin bill, L.A. Baptist, compiled a 10-13 record last season. In a rain-soaked game at L.A. Baptist a year ago, Malibu came away with a 4-2 win.

The Knights, who will be playing their first game of the season today, bring a team full of seniors into the 2007 campaign. Their offensive leader is expected to be senior first baseman John Balbuena. In 2006, Balbuena led the Knights in batting average (.371), homeruns (2), and RBIs (20).

On the mound last season, right-hander Tom Gilbertson had 50 strikeouts in 46.2 innings while putting together a 3-5 record. (Gilbertson was the losing pitcher against Malibu a year ago.) Lefty Jason Pratts was second on the team to Gilbertson in innings pitched in 2006. Pratts was 3-4 with a 4.72 ERA. Gilbertson and Pratts are both seniors this year.

The first game at Malibu High is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

Scouting Report: Montclair Prep Mounties

The Sharks travel to the Mid-Valley baseball complex tomorrow to take on Cher's alma mater, Montclair Prep. The Mounties, currently 3-1-1, have wins against North Hollywood, Monroe, and Poly so far this season.

Montclair Prep is led by senior pitcher/third baseman Naveed Rezvani. Last year, Rezvani led the Mounties in batting average (.447), hits (34), wins (9), and ERA (2.26).

Sophomore shortstop Matt Hartunian put up impressive numbers as a freshman with a .425 batting average, 6 homeruns, and 20 RBIs. Joining Hartunian up the middle is sophomore second baseman Ray Palafox who hit .330 last season.

Malibu and Montclair Prep have traded wins over the last two seasons. The Mounties won last year's matchup, 3-0, behind the pitching of Enrique Zenon. (Nate Schoenbrun threw two runners out at home in a game noteworthy for great defensive plays.) In 2005, Malibu won, 5-4, on a three-run homer by Daniel Williams.

Incidentally, Michael Jackson is also an alumnus of Montclair Prep.

Scouting Report: Huntington Park Spartans

Huntington Park enters tomorrow's game against the Sharks with a 1-2 record. The Spartans started the Royal Invitational Tournament with a 2-1 win over Lawndale before dropping a 3-2 decision to Mary Star of the Sea and being routed, 20-4, by Birmingham on Monday.

Huntington Park starter Mauricio Sanchez gave up ten hits and eight earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings against Birmingham. Meanwhile, Huntington Park hitters could manage only four hits in the game.

Danny Hernandez and Gustavo Corona lead the Spartans offensively. Hernandez is hitting .500 over the first three games of the 2007 season with a double and two stolen bases. Corona has a .333 average and two stolen bases. Each of his three hits thus far has been a double.

Randy Matos, who pitched eight innings to earn the win in extra innings against Lawndale a week ago, is the probable starter for the Spartans against Malibu. The senior hurler struck out seven without walking a batter in that outing.

Last season, Huntington Park finished with a 12-15 record. Matos was the leading hitter with a .356 average. Overall, the Spartans hit .239 over the course of the 2006 season.

Game time is 3:00 p.m. for the game, which is being played at South East High School.

Scouting Report: Culver City Centaurs

The Sharks face the Culver City High Centaurs today in the third game of the Royal Invitational Tournament. Game time is 3:00 p.m. at Malibu High.

The Centaurs posted a 21-11 record last season and went to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs where they lost to El Segundo.

Senior pitcher-first baseman MacArrin Tucker leads Culver City this season. Tucker hit .425 for the Centaurs last year with 16 RBIs. On the mound, Tucker compiled a 4-1 record with a 3.62 ERA.

Aside from Tucker, Culver City returns only four players who saw action in as many as 20 of the team's 32 games last year.

Culver City enters today's game with a 1-1 record. After posting an 8-7 win over Mary Star of the Sea last Friday, the Centaurs gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh on Saturday to fall to Birmingham by the score of 5-4.

Scouting Report: St. Monica Mariners

The Sharks open up the 2007 season tomorrow against the St. Monica High Mariners. The Mariners finished with a 13-11 overall record last year. Their 7-5 league record gave them a third-place finish in the Del Rey League.

Malibu and St. Monica met once last year with the Sharks coming away with a 3-2 victory on April 8. Brooks Fitch pitched four innings in relief of Colbie Bell to pick up the win.

The Saints are led offensively this season by sophomore first baseman Brandon Tobin and senior catcher Taylor Gelbrich. Tobin hit .416 with 2 homeruns and 19 RBIs last season while Gelbrich hit .306 with 2 homeruns and 16 RBIs.

On the mound, senior Giuliano Lepe figures to carry much of the load for the Mariners this year. Lepe started 7 games (including the game against Malibu), giving up 18 runs in 36 innings in 2006.

Tomorrow's game at Malibu High is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.