Baseball and Politics

First, the politics: Residents of the District of Columbia are represented by a non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. They have no representation in the U.S. Senate. Although they are citizens of the United States and must pay federal taxes like the rest of us, D.C. residents do not have the same representation the rest of us have. But perhaps you're saying to yourself, "D.C. is too small to have two senators and a voting representative in the House." Fine. Then let's take away Wyoming's congressional representation because its population (506,529--according to the most recent Census Bureau estimate) is smaller than the District's (553,523).

Second, more of the politics: Residents of the District of Columbia are eligible to vote in presidential elections, thanks to the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1961. In the 2004 election, John Kerry received 90 percent of the vote in D.C. That, of course, is why Republicans have no problem denying voting rights to the people of the District of Columbia. It's all about moral values, after all. Not.

Third, the baseball: As you may have heard, Washington, D.C. has a new baseball team, the Nationals. The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission is trying to sell the naming rights to RFK Stadium where the Nationals are currently playing. (Move over, Bobby.) Recently, the Pentagon was rumored to be interested in paying $6 million for the name "Armed Forces Field at RFK Stadium" and, more importantly, for the right to recruit fans inside the stadium. Apparently someone thought about that for a minute or two and decided against it. Anyway, D.C. still doesn't have a corporate sponsor for its baseball field. (You'd think the team was still playing in Montreal.)

Some enterprising Washingtonians have launched a campaign to name the field--at least until a real sponsor comes along--Taxation without Representation Stadium. Baseball fans, Democrats, and others who like the idea that all U.S. citizens should have representation in Congress, can support the cause at this web site.

(See what happens to the blog when the Sharks don't have a game on Saturday?)

Sharks 13, Santa Clara 2

The Sharks used the long ball to jumpstart a sluggish offense en route to a 13-2 victory over Santa Clara today at Francis Gherini Memorial Field in Oxnard.

Malibu’s first hit of the game was Michael Gwyn’s first homerun of the season, a blast that tied the score 1-1 in the third inning. One inning later, Jamie Van Soelen’s league-leading fourth homerun put the Sharks ahead to stay as Phil Johnson and Geoff Roth combined to limit the Saints to two runs on six hits. Johnson went five innings to earn his fourth win of the season.

Santa Clara got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. After Johnson retired leadoff hitter Eric Navarro on a comebacker, Anthony Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. A.J. Laboriante followed with a double down the left field line that moved Gonzalez to third. Brian Yunker popped out to short center field, but Gonzalez tagged and scored on the play just ahead of Weinstock’s throw to the plate.

After a leadoff walk to Weinstock, Santa Clara starter Phil Smith settled in and retired the Sharks in order until Gwyn came to the plate with one out in the top of the third. Down in the count 0-2, Gwyn jumped on a hanging curve ball, sending it over the fence in left.

In the top of the fourth, with one out and Phil Johnson on first via a walk, Van Soelen hit an 0-1 pitch over the fence in right to put the Sharks up 3-1. Jason Puklus followed with a line drive single to left. After Puklus stole second, designated hitter Brooks Fitch then hit a ground ball to third. Saints third baseman Anthony Gonzalez threw wildly to first allowing Puklus to score and Fitch to reach second. Gwyn walked to bring Stephen Williams to the plate. Williams lined a 1-0 pitch to score Fitch and move Gwyn to third. After Weinstock walked to load the bases, Roth flied to center. A perfect throw nailed Gwyn at the plate to end the inning.

The Sharks loaded the bases again in the fifth inning but failed to extend their 5-1 lead. Daniel Williams singled to center and stole second. Johnson walked. After Van Soelen flied to left for the first out, Puklus walked to load the bases. Fitch struck out, bring Gwyn to the plate. On an 0-1 pitch, Williams attempted to steal home but Laboriante applied the tag to end the inning.

Santa Clara put together three singles in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-2, but the Sharks answered with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Gwyn was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Stephen Williams followed with an infield hit. With runners on first and second and no outs, Weinstock beat out a well-placed bunt to load the bases. Jared Weinstock, hitting for Roth, grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning. Daniel Williams then flied deep to the left field corner. The ball was caught in foul territory, but Stephen Williams tagged and scored easily from third.

Stephen Williams waits for a pitch against Santa Clara.

After Chris Hernandez reached for the Saints on an error, Roth entered in relief of Johnson. A controversial play on a sacrifice bunt allowed Hernandez to advance all the way to third. The Santa Clara batter appeared to come into contact with his own bunt in fair territory up the first base line. Although Williams threw to Johnson at first for the out, alert baserunning by Hernandez allowed him to reach third. Roth responded by striking out Ruben Landeros and getting Matt Tougas to ground out to Puklus at short.

The Sharks sealed the victory with seven runs in the seventh inning. Van Soelen walked and Puklus was hit by a pitch. After a pitching change for the Saints, Fitch walked to load the bases. Gwyn then popped to short for the first out and Stephen Williams walked to drive in Van Soelen. Brett Weinstock was hit by a pitch to score Puklus. Roth struck out for the second out of the inning. Daniel Williams then roped a single to left to drive in Fitch and the younger Williams. Weinstock also scored and Williams went to second as the ball got past the Santa Clara left fielder. Johnson followed with a single that drove in Williams. Van Soelen doubled into the left field corner to knock in Johnson with the seventh and final run of the inning.

For the Sharks, Jamie Van Soelen was 2-for-4 with a homerun and a double. Michael Gwyn was 1-for-2 with a homerun, a walk, and a hit by pitch. Brett Weinstock was 2-for-2 with two walks and a hit by pitch. Daniel Williams was 2-for-4 plus a sacrifice fly. Stephen Williams was 2-for-3 with a walk. Van Soelen and Daniel Williams had three RBIs each.

The Sharks return to Santa Clara on Monday for another game with the Saints.

Finding Santa Clara

The Sharks play tomorrow and Monday at Santa Clara High School in Oxnard. For those who haven't been there, you can find a map here. The address is 2121 Saviers Road.

The Sharks in the News

Kevin Connelly's account of last Saturday's 1-0 loss to Harvard Westlake appears in The Malibu Times this week. Here's a link to the story on the The Malibu Times web site.

JV Update: Sharks 4, Santa Clara 3

Greg Kernodle tripled to drive in Sloan Campi with the tying run and then scored the go-ahead run on a groundout as Malibu defeated Santa Clara 4-3. Wesley Semkin pitched a complete game to earn the win for Coach Adam Paulson's squad.

Sharks 14, Santa Clara 2

Just three days after failing to get a runner past second base against Harvard Westlake, the Sharks pounded out thirteen hits in the course of a 14-2 win over the Santa Clara Saints. Brooks Fitch (3-2) pitched a complete game, his fourth of the season, allowing only one earned run while striking out twelve.

After Fitch got out of a 28-pitch first inning unscathed, Malibu turned four walks, a sacrifice fly, and a base hit into two runs in the bottom of the first. After Brett Weinstock and Geoff Roth walked, Daniel Williams was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jamie Van Soelen followed with a fly to right that scored Weinstock and sent Roth to third. Phil Johnson walked and, after Jason Puklus struck out, Fitch hit a one-hopper off the glove of the third baseman. Roth scored on the play but Williams was gunned down at the plate by the Santa Clara shortstop.

In the second inning, Stephen Williams walked with one out. Weinstock followed with a double deep to left that scored Williams. After Roth popped out, Daniel Williams drove an 0-1 pitch into left field to make the score 4-0.

Daniel Williams

The Sharks batted around and added three more runs in the third inning. Puklus led off with an infield hit and moved to second on Fitch’s second hit of the day. Michael Gwyn knocked in Puklus with a single to left. After Stephen Williams flied out to left, Weinstock was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Roth then singled to drive in Fitch and Gwyn to make the score 7-0.

Santa Clara’s Chris Hernandez shut out the Sharks in the fourth and fifth innings, but Fitch continued to dominate the Saints hitters. Santa Clara finally scored in top of the sixth when Fitch hit a batter with one out and then committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first. With the Saints runner on third, Fitch struck out the next two hitters, but the second strikeout victim end up on first and a run scored as Fitch’s two-strike curveball in the dirt eluded Gwyn.

Phil Johnson (3B), Brett Weinstock (2B), and Geoff Roth (RF)

Malibu sent thirteen hitters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson led off with a fly out to deep center. Puklus then drove the ball to the fence in center for a double. Fitch walked and was replaced on first by George Azzi. Gwyn’s single drove in Puklus. After Stephen Williams walked to load the bases, Weinstock grounded into a fielder’s choice that erased Azzi at the plate. Roth’s single to left center drove in two runs. Daniel Williams was then hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Van Soelen walked to force in Weinstock. Johnson singled to center to drive in two more runs. Puklus walked and then Azzi singled to drive in Van Soelen with the seventh run of the inning before Duncan Daw, hitting for Gwyn, struck out.

In the top of the seventh, Santa Clara turned a single, two stolen bases, and an infield groundout into their second run making the final score 14-2.

Jason Puklus

For Malibu, Geoff Roth was 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Jason Puklus, Daniel Williams, and Brooks Fitch were all 2-for-3. Michael Gwyn was 2-for-4 and George Azzi was 1-for-1.

Scouting Report: Santa Clara Saints

The Sharks play three games in the next seven days against Santa Clara, including the makeup of a game rained out on March 18. The Sharks and Saints play today in Malibu and Friday and Monday in Oxnard. . . . Santa Clara enters the three-game series with a 4-10 record overall and a 1-5 record in the Frontier League. The Saints defeated Oaks Christian, 4-2, last Tuesday, but lost 10-0 in the game on Friday. . . . Each of Santa Clara's Frontier League opponents thus far has shut out the Saints once.

Schedule Change

The makeup game at Santa Clara scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday, April 27) has been changed to Monday, May 2.

Harvard Westlake 1, Sharks 0

One day after scoring eleven runs against Nordhoff, the Sharks were shut out for the first time this season.

Aaron Westine pitched a complete-game three-hitter, but one of the hits drove in a run and that was all it took for Harvard Westlake to defeat the Sharks on Saturday. Baserunning mistakes and a tough lefthander on the mound for Harvard Westlake kept Malibu on the short end of a 1-0 score.

After Westine stranded two baserunners in the top of the first, Brett Weinstock led off in the bottom of the inning with a double deep in the left centerfield gap. He was quickly erased, however, when Geoff Roth grounded back to the pitcher who threw to third in time for the tag. The Sharks never again got a runner as close to third as Weinstock had been.

Harvard Westlake scored its only run in the third inning by way of a walk, a stolen base, and a single.

Pitcher Aaron Westine and shortstop Alex Beck go after a pop fly.

In the fourth inning, Brooks Fitch led off with a single down the third base line. After Jared Weinstock struck out, Michael Gwyn singled to right, moving Fitch to second. The rally quickly ended, however, as Alex Beck grounded into a double play.

The Sharks threatened to score one more time in the bottom of the sixth. Daniel Williams reached first as the first baseman was unable to come up with a throw in the dirt. He stole second and, one out later, Jamie Van Soelen drove a 3-2 pitch deep to center field. Malibu's hopes died, however, as the center fielder made the catch near the warning track.

Manager Paul Gallo and Coach Dave Buss survey the defense.

Weinstock, Roth, Williams, Fitch, Gwyn, and Beck had hits for Malibu. Two Malibu baserunners were picked off.

Next up for the Sharks is a Frontier League game against Santa Clara on Tuesday.

Scouting Report: Harvard Westlake Wolverines

The Harvard Westlake Wolverines enter today's game with the Sharks with a 3-12 record. The wins have come against Grant High School (in the Daily News Victory Invitational), Culver City, and St. Francis of La Canada. . . . The Wolverines play in the tough Mission League with Chaminade, Crespi, Notre Dame, Loyola, Alemany, and St. Francis. . . . On the mound for the Sharks will be Aaron Westine (2-1, 3.00 ERA). Westine gave up only two earned runs in four-and-a-third innings against Oak Park last Saturday but took the loss as the Eagles defeated Malibu 8-1 in game one of a doubleheader.

Sharks 11, Nordhoff 7

Coach Paul Gallo juggled the Malibu lineup and came up with six hits and five runs from the top two spots in the order as the Sharks defeated the Nordhoff Rangers 11-7 in the final meeting of the season for the two Frontier League rivals. Brett Weinstock went 3-for-4 and scored four runs batting leadoff for the first time and Geoff Roth, in the second spot for the first time since March 7, added another three hits and an RBI. Daniel Williams, hitting third for the first time this season, responded with four RBIs including a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to break a 5-5 tie.

Phil Johnson delivers to the plate.

Roth, who replaced starter Phil Johnson in the third, scattered four hits over four and two-thirds innings to earn his second win in relief this season.

Nordhoff jumped on top early, scoring three runs in the top of the first on a walk, two singles, a double, and an RBI groundout. Malibu countered with two in the bottom of the first. Weinstock led off with a single to left and moved to second on Roth’s single through the infield. Both advanced on Williams’ infield groundout. Johnson drove in Weinstock with another groundout. Jamie Van Soelen followed with a walk. Brooks Fitch then struck out on a ball that bounced away from the Nordhoff catcher. Fitch reached first safely as Roth scored on the play. As Jason Puklus walked, Van Soelen was thrown out trying to score as ball four got past the catcher.

The Sharks went ahead in the second inning. Michael Gwyn was hit by a pitch. Stephen Williams followed with a single to left. Weinstock drove in Gwyn with his second hit of the day. Roth followed with a single that scored Williams. Weinstock then scored on Daniel Williams’ groundout to short.

Nordhoff tied the game in the top of the third. With one out, Johnson walked two consecutive batters, at which point Coach Gallo called on Roth. A double to deep left scored both Rangers runners, but Roth settled down and retired the next two Nordhoff hitters.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gwyn led off with a single to center. After Stephen Williams popped out to the first baseman, Weinstock and Roth both singled to load the bases. Daniel Williams then lined a 3-1 pitch off the Nordhoff third baseman’s glove to drive in both Gwyn and Weinstock.

Roth ran into trouble in the fifth as Nordhoff put together three hits and a hit batter. A series of groundball outs, however, limited the Rangers to a single run as Roth left three runners stranded.

Stephen Williams reacts to a pop foul.

With the score 7-6, Malibu broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. Jared Weinstock, batting for Van Soelen, led off with a line drive single to center. After Fitch was hit by a pitch, Jason Puklus loaded the bases with a bunt single. Weinstock was cut down at the plate for the first out of the inning on Gwyn’s fielder’s choice, but a walk to Stephen Williams drove in the first of four runs the Sharks were to score in the inning. After another fielder’s choice resulted in the second out, Roth hit a sharp ground ball to third. A wild throw allowed Roth to reach safely as Gwyn and Williams scored. Daniel Williams then knocked in Weinstock with a sharp ground ball off the chest of the third baseman.

In the top of the seventh, Roth ran into trouble again, but gave up only a single unearned run. With the bases loaded and the tie run at the plate as a result of two Malibu errors, Roth got a groundout to second to end the game.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Sharks and ran their record in the Frontier League to 6-1. Next up for the Sharks is a non-league game against Harvard Westlake tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

Nordhoff 4, Sharks 3

The Sharks suffered their third consecutive loss as the Nordhoff High Rangers broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh in Ojai on Tuesday. The loss was Malibu's first of the season in Frontier League play.

Brooks Fitch on the mound against Nordhoff.

Nordhoff jumped out to a 2-0 lead off Malibu starter Brooks Fitch with three consecutive singles, a fielder's choice, and an error on a ground ball that might have ended the inning. Malibu countered with two runs in the top of the second on back--to-back doubles by Jamie Van Soelen and Geoff Roth followed by a two-out single by Colbie Bell.

The Sharks had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth but failed to score as Fitch grounded into a 5-2-3 double play. Nordhoff came back in the bottom of the inning and broke the tie on a solo home run over the left field fence.

Malibu tied the game again in the top of the sixth. Van Soelen singled to left and moved to second on the Nordhoff outfielder's error. Roth followed with a single up the middle that drove in Van Soelen.

The Sharks got a runner to third in the top of the seventh with one out but were unable to score. In the bottom of the inning, Fitch walked the first batter, hit the second, and gave up a single to right that scored the game-winning run.

For Malibu, Daniel Williams was three-for-four. Jamie Van Soelen and Geoff Roth were both two-for-three with a double and a single. Brett Weinstock had two sacrifice bunts. Brooks Fitch gave up just two earned runs in six-plus innings on the mound.

Oak Park 5, Sharks 3

The Oak Park Eagles scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to complete a doubleheader sweep at Malibu High on Saturday. Jason Puklus pitched six shutout innings but was unable to retire a batter in the seventh as the Eagles fought back from a 3-0 deficit.

Jason Puklus works against Oak Park in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.

The Sharks' frustration from the first game continued in the bottom of the first inning of game two. Daniel Williams led off with a single up the middle. After Brett Weinstock lined out to center, Phil Johnson singled, moving Williams to third. Brooks Fitch flied out to short center. Williams tagged on the play and was called out on a close play at the plate.

The Sharks scored in the third as Colbie Bell led off with a walk and moved to second on Williams' groundout. Weinstock's base hit moved Bell to third. He then scored on Oak Park pitcher Blair Walters' throwing error.

As Puklus continued shutting down the Eagles' lineup, Malibu scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Phil Johnson reached on a error and was erased at second on Jared Weinstock's fielder's choice. A single by Puklus moved Weinstock to second. After Stephen Williams struck out, Jamie Van Soelen walked to load the bases. Alex Beck then singled to right driving in Weinstock and Puklus. The inning ended as Van Soelen was caught at home on an attempted double steal.

Oak Park stormed back in the top of the seventh. Matt Alexander led off with a triple to the right field corner. Puklus then hit Max Rosenberg with a pitch. Ty Muller followed with a double over the head of center fielder Daniel Williams that scored both Alexander and Rosenberg. Muller scored the tying run when Mitch Halpert reached on a throwing error by shortstop Brett Weinstock. Brian Kernochan then drove in Halpert with the go-ahead run on a triple to right center. Geoff Roth came on in relief of Puklus and got Trevor Duffy to ground to first for the first out of the inning. Cory Ott then singled to drive in Kernochan with the fifth run of the inning for the Eagles. Zach Granowitz also singled before Roth retired Chad Standrowicz and Alexander to end Oak Park's half of the seventh.

Facing reliever Brian Kernochan, Malibu was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the seventh. Kernochan pitched three innings and was credited with the win to run his record to 2-1.

Eight different players collected hits for Malibu. Geoff Roth's double in the second inning was the only extra-base hit for the Sharks.

Oak Park 8, Sharks 1

Oak Park's Zack Thornton limited Malibu to five hits in the first game of a doubleheader at Malibu High on Saturday as the Eagles downed the Sharks by a score of 8-1. The loss snapped Malibu's 10-game winning streak and ran Thornton's record to 6-1.

Aaron Westine limited Oak Park to three runs, one of them unearned, in four-and-a-third innings on the mound, but the Sharks squandered scoring opportunities in the third and fourth innings and never held the lead in the game. Five different Malibu hitters collected hits, but Thornton issued no walks and only two baserunners reached on Oak Park errors.

Aaron Westine delivers to Michael Gwyn in the second inning.

After wasting scoring opportunities of their own in the second and third innings, Oak Park got on the board in the fourth as Jake Whitaker walked with one out. Doug Deakin doubled down the right field line sending Whitaker to third. Brian Kernochan's groundout drove in Whitaker with the first run of the game.

Malibu countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Phil Johnson led off with an infield single. Brooks Fitch followed with a base hit to right. After Jason Puklus struck out, Jamie Van Soelen singled down the left field line to drive in Johnson. Jared Weinstock then reached safely on Thornton's error, but Thornton pitched out of the bases loaded jam and coasted the rest of the way, retiring the last eleven batters he faced.

Oak Park, meanwhile, scored two more runs off of Westine in the fifth inning. Max Rosenberg led off with a single, advanced to second and third on wild pitches, and, with Jared Weinstock on the mound in relief of Westine, scored on a passed ball. Matt Alexander, who walked before Westine was lifted, scored on a sacrifice fly when Sharks left fielder Jamie Van Soelen made a diving catch of a line drive off the bat of Ty Muller.

The Eagles scored five runs in the top of the seventh. Sophomore southpaw Jared Weinstock allowed a base hit by Rosenberg and then walked Chad Standrowicz and Matt Alexander before being relieved by Colbie Bell. Rosenberg scored on Ty Muller's sacrifice fly and Jake Whitaker drove in Standrowicz and Alexander with a single to center. With two outs in the inning, Whitaker scored as Brian Kernochan reached on an error. Bell hit Zach Granowitz with a pitch and the scoring was completed when Cory Ott drove in Kernochan with a base hit.

Brett Weinstock, Phil Johnson, Brooks Fitch, and Jamie Van Soelen had singles for the Sharks. Michael Gwyn had Malibu's only extra-base hit, a double to deep center in the third inning.

Aaron Westine, who took the loss, is now 2-1 on the season with a 3.00 ERA.

The End of the Streak

The Oak Park Eagles made the seventh inning their big inning twice, scoring five times in the seventh in both games of a doubleheader as they ended the Sharks' ten-game winning streak with a sweep, 8-1 and 5-3. Please check back later for a complete report and photos.

Sharks 13, Santa Paula 8

The Sharks scored five runs in the first inning and six in the fifth en route to a 13-8 victory over the Santa Paula Cardinals on Friday. Geoff Roth and Brett Weinstock both had three hits to pace Malibu's 14-hit attack.

In the top of the first, Daniel Williams led off with a single just to the left of second base. Brett Weinstock followed with a base hit. Phil Johnson then doubled to drive in Williams. After Brooks Fitch struck out, Jason Puklus singled to knock in Weinstock. Jamie Van Soelen's double scored Johnson and Puklus. Jared Weinstock grounded to short for the second out of the inning, then Geoff Roth doubled to drive in Van Soelen with the Sharks' fifth run.

Santa Paul scored one run in the bottom of the first. Johnny Carrillo walked, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored one out later on a single by Michael Cortez.

Cortez, pitching for the Cardinals, kept the Malibu bats quiet through the second, third, and fourth innings. Meanwhile, Santa Paula picked up a second run in the third inning, once again using the combination of a walk to Carrillo and a RBI by Cortez.

Jamie Van Soelen

Malibu's bats came alive again in the fifth inning. Williams led off with a double to right centerfield. Weinstock drove him in on the next pitch with a base hit to left. Johnson reached first and Weinstock advanced to second on a throwing error by the Cardinals' first baseman. After Brooks Fitch grounded into a fielders' choice with Johnson erased at second for the first out, Jason Puklus lifted a fly to center that scored Weinstock. Van Soelen then singled to left and Jared Weinstock walked to load the bases. Roth singled to knock in Fitch and Van Soelen. Stephen Williams completed the barrage with a double to left center that scored Weinstock and Roth.

Philip Johnson

With the score 11-2, Santa Paula fought back in the bottom of the fifth. Anthony Lopez singled and stole second. After Cortez lined out to Van Soelen in left, Eddie Delgadillo doubled to left center to score Lopez. A throwing error allowed Delgadillo to score as Randy Aguilera reached first. Catcher Toby Baca singled to left. Jesus Diaz flied to Roth in right. Daniel Alamillo and Travis McClain followed with base hits. Alamillo's single knocked in Aguilera and Baca. Geoff Roth relieved starter Phil Johnson on the mound. Carrillo then walked for the third time to load the bases. Lopez singled to drive in Alamillo and McClain with the Cardinals' seventh and eighth runs before Roth struck out Cortez for the third out of the inning.

Alex Beck

Malibu scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. A single by Brooks Fitch drove in Brett Weinstock in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Roth singled and scored on Weinstock's double down the third base line.

Roth allowed one base runner in both the sixth and seventh innings, but preserved the lead that he inherited when he entered in the fifth inning. Johnson was credited with the win, his third of the season.

Schedule Update

The starting time for the first game of tomorrow's doubleheader against Oak Park has been changed to 10:00 a.m.

Scouting Report: Oak Park Eagles

The Oak Park Eagles will visit Malibu High tomorrow for a non-league doubleheader against the Sharks. The Eagles are 8-3 overall and 2-0 in the Tri-Valley League following impressive home wins last week against Fillmore (20-2) on Wednesday and Carpinteria (14-4) on Friday.

Sophomore third baseman Chad Standrowicz was 4-for-8 in the two games with a total of 11 RBIs. Against Carpinteria, he had a career day with three homeruns and eight RBIs.

Senior catcher Max Rosenberg leads Oak Park hitters with a .462 average. Junior second baseman Cory Ott is second with a .432 mark.

Junior Zack Thornton has started six of Oak Park's eleven games this season and has a 5-1 record with a 1.40 ERA. Thornton averages five innings per start and one strikeout per inning. He has allowed only sixteen hits in his six starts. Senior Brian Kernochan (1-1, 6.72 ERA) is the Eagles' number two starter. Kernochan was the winning pitcher in last Friday's game against Carpinteria.

As team, Oak Park has a .343 batting average with five homeruns. On the bases, the Eagles are 6-for-11 in steal attempts.

The first game of the doubleheader tomorrow begins at 11:00 a.m.

No Day at the Beach

The home plate umpire takes a foul ball in the stomach off the bat of Jared Weinstock in the seventh inning of last Friday's game against Oaks Christian.

Photo Update

Some photos have now been added to the story about Tuesday's game against Santa Paula.