Baseball:
And then there were three.
Eighty-five days after the baseball season started, Ayala, Bonita and Rancho Cucamonga are this site’s final three programs remaining in the CIF-SS playoffs.
The Bulldogs, Bearcats and Cougars each host the No. 1 seeds in Division 1, 2 & 4, respectively, in Tuesday’s semifinal round.
RCHS has moved their game up to 10 a.m. because of the expected 108-degree weather, while Ayala and Bonita will stick with their 3:15 start time.
CIF-SS Division 1: JSerra Catholic (26-6) at Ayala (24-2) at 3:15:
Pictured above is Ayala starter, Andreas Pasillas:
The Bulldogs and Lions have a few mutual opponents in common.
Ayala and JSerra both defeated Corona.
The Bulldogs beat Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, while the Lions lost to the Knights.
And JSerra swept Gahr in a doubleheader, while Ayala dropped an 11-2 decision to the Gladiators on April 1.
In spite of playing six less games, Ayala has scored 66 more runs than JSerra.
The Lions do not post their individual stats online.
But for the Bulldogs, they have a team batting average of .358 and their pitchers have a combined ERA of 2.36.
Andreas Pasillas (9-0, 2.85 ERA) is expected to get the ball tomorrow.
Pasillas has surrendered 21 earned runs in 51 2/3 innings.
He’s walked 25 and struck out 40 batters.
Offensively, Ayala is led by the program’s all-time hits leader, Cole Koniarsky.
Koniarsky is batting .418, with 41 hits, 31 runs, 36 RBIs, seven doubles and six home runs.
Troy McCain (.447, 34 hits, 29 runs, 25 RBIs, 10 doubles & six home runs), Ty Borgogno (.435, 37 hits, 25 runs, 22 RBIs and 10 doubles), Jacob Badawi (.362, 34 hits, 31 runs, 30 RBIs, eight doubles, two triples & three home runs), Mateo Matthews (.359, 33 hits, 18 runs, 33 RBIs, eight doubles & seven home runs), and Luke Solis (.329, 26 hits, 26 runs, 13 RBIs, three doubles, one triple & one home run) have all contributed in huge ways.
By the Numbers:
State Ranking by MaxPreps: JSerra (5); Ayala (12)
Runs For/Against: JSerra (187/72); Ayala (253/87)
League: JSerra (14-1, Trinity champs); Ayala (14-1, Palomares champs)
Current Win Streak: JSerra (4); Ayala (4)
2021 Playoff Scores:
6/3: Ayala 3, Beckman 2
6/3: JSerra had a bye
6/8: Ayala 3, Notre Dame 2
6/8: JSerra 4, Capistrano Valley 0
6/11: JSerra 7, Yucaipa 1
6/11: Ayala 7, Corona 3
CIF-SS Division 2: Thousand Oaks (27-1) at Bonita (17-5) at 3:15:
Pictured above in Bonita’s Edrian Rangel, who will start on the mound for the Bearcats.
It goes without saying that Bonita has its biggest challenge of the season.
Edrian Rangel (5-2, 2.33 ERA) will get the ball from Ryan Marcos.
Rangel has allowed 14 earned runs in 48 innings.
He’s walked 14 and struck out 54 batters.
The Lancers don’t have a weak spot, 1-9, in their lineup.
But two of the power guys to look out for are seniors Roc Riggio and Max Muncy, who have combined for 21 home runs in 2021.
Riggio hit three in Friday’s 12-1 victory at San Dimas.
He’s batting .378, with 28 hits, 49 runs, 25 RBIs, a double and 11 home runs.
Muncy has monster numbers as well.
Muncy is batting .462, with 43 hits, 32 runs, 45 RBIs, nine doubles, two triples and 10 home runs.
When comparing numbers, keep in mind that the Bearcats have played six less games than the Lancers.
Ryan Kozma leads the Bonita offense.
Kozma is batting .400, with 26 hits, 16 runs, 18 RBIs, four doubles and five home runs.
Devon Diaz is having a big year, hitting .377, with 26 hits, 17 runs, nine RBIs and six doubles.
Aside from being their ace, Luke Mistone is contributing just as much with his bat.
Mistone is batting .385, with 30 hits, 14 runs, 13 RBIs and 11 doubles.
Logan Corthell (.338, 25 hits, eight runs, 15 RBIs & four doubles) and JT Fenton (.352, 19 hits, five runs, 12 RBIs, seven doubles & two home runs) have contributed in big ways for the Bearcats.
By the Numbers:
State Ranking by MaxPreps: Thousand Oaks (9); Bonita (74)
Runs For/Against: Thousand Oaks (255/61); (Bonita (137/67)
League: Thousand Oaks (27-1, first in Marmonte); Bonita (11-4, second in Palomares)
Current Win Streak: Thousand Oaks (4); Bonita (3)
Playoff Schedule:
6/4: Bonita 3, La Quinta 0
6/4: Thousand Oaks 6, Moorpark 0
6/8: Bonita 3, Ocean View 0
6/8: Thousand Oaks 6, Mission Viejo 2
6/11: Thousand Oaks 12, San Dimas 1
6/12: Bonita 7, Los Alamitos 4
CIF-SS Division 4: Murrieta Mesa (26-6) at Rancho Cucamonga (21-11) at 10 a.m:
Pictured above: RCHS starter, Nicolas Sanchez:
RCHS and Murrieta Mesa have agreed to start five hours earlier than their scheduled time, because of the expected 108-degree heat.
Nicolas Sanchez will get the ball from Cougars’ coach Tony Garcia.
Sanchez is 4-3, with a 3.21 ERA.
He’s allowed 14 earned runs in 30 2/3 innings.
Sanchez has walked six batters and struck out 34.
Colby Moran (.435, 37 hits, 29 runs, 21 RBIs, six doubles, one triple & three home runs), Caden Byers (.385, 30 hits, 19 runs, 23 RBIs & 14 doubles), Carter Garate (.381, 37 hits, 37 runs, 23 RBIs, 10 doubles, one triple & a home run), Nate May (.321, 25 hits, 15 runs, 20 RBIs, three doubles, two triples & a home run) and Derek Hurtado (.316, 25 hits, 33 runs, 12 RBIs, two doubles, one triple & two home runs) have paced the Rams offense.
RCHS has their own share of offensive weapons.
Jake Brown is having an incredible season at the plate.
The RCHS senior is batting .433, with 42 hits, 27 runs, 22 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples and three home runs from the leadoff spot.
Wilson Dunn (.393, 33 hits, 21 runs, 15 RBIs & three doubles), Jayden Lopez (.364, 32 hits, 25 runs, 12 RBIs, eight doubles, one triple & two home runs), Michael Woodward (.292, 15 hits, 14 hits, six runs, 15 RBIs, two doubles & two home runs), Bradyn France (.286, 20 hits, 21 runs, 10 RBIs & four doubles), Jacob Billings (.282, 24 hits, 18 runs, 21 RBIs, five doubles, one triple & four home runs), Aaron Whobrey (.277, 17 hits, 17 runs, six RBIs & one triple) and Jacob McCombs ((.268, 19 hits, 14 runs, 17 RBIs, one triple & two home runs) have all done their part in the Cougars’ success.
By the Numbers:
State Ranking by MaxPreps: MM (41); (RCHS (106)
Runs For/Against: MM (265-115); RCHS (206-150)
League: MM (12-3, first in Southwestern); RCHS (7-8, fourth in Baseline)
Current Win Streak: MM (3); RCHS (3)
Team Batting Average: MM (.331); RCHS (.305)
Team ERA: MM (2.51); RCHS (3.13)
Playoff Scores:
6/4: RCHS 7, El Modena 2
6/4: MM 5, California 0
6/8: RCHS 5, La Sierra 4
6/8: MM 15, Woodcrest Christian 3
6/11: RCHS 4, Downey 0
6/11: MM 6, Monrovia 2
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