Diamond standouts bestowed with All-CIF baseball recognition
In winning league championships this season, the Crescenta Valley High and St. Monica Academy baseball teams featured an impressive core of players they could count on.
Crescenta Valley won the Pacific League title for the third straight season with Trevor Beer and Brian Erickson leading the charge and St. Monica captured the Independence League crown with Beau Barry paving the way.
For their collection of work, Beer, Erickson and Barry received All-CIF Southern Section first-team recognition after the CIF Southern Section office unveiled All-CIF first-team squads for all seven divisions Monday.
Beer and Erickson helped the Falcons go 25-5, 14-0 in league and advance to the Division II quarterfinals. Barry and the Crusaders finished 10-4, 6-0 and qualified for the Division VII postseason.
The UC Santa Barbara-bound Beer, a left-hander, went 11-2 with a tidy 0.80 earned-run average. He struck out 137 and walked just 19 in 78 2/3 innings. Beer was tabbed the league’s pitcher of the year.
Beer also batted .381 with 13 extra-base hits. He drove in 18 runs and scored 18 runs.
“He had a great senior year and he worked so hard as a pitcher and at first base,” Crescenta Valley coach Phil Torres said. “The results showed.
“Trevor meant a lot to our team and it wasn’t just the wins or losses. You don’t find players like that all that often.”
Erickson, a senior outfielder, provided the Falcons with power at the plate and an accurate arm.
Erickson batted .402 with 29 RBI. He contributed 24 runs 12 doubles, 15 walks and registered a .514 on-base percentage.
“He’s a great athlete and is very coachable,” Torres said. “Brian proved to a lot of people that he’s a great outfielder.
“He provided leadership, plus he’s smart and fast.”
Barry stood out at as a senior catcher for St. Monica.
Barry hit .534 with four home runs, eight doubles and 24 runs batted in. He contributed 15 stolen bases and scored 18 runs en route to being named the league’s most valuable player.
“Beau went out there and knew exactly what needed to be done,” St. Monica coach Phil Gleason said. “He’s been such a big part of the program since he arrived here.
“It’s his work ethic and attitude that make him stand out. You like to have those kind of players around. It shows the fact that it’s exciting for a small program that we can pump out good players. He’s persistent and it’s well-deserving for Beau to get a top honor like that.”
Crescenta Valley’s Will Grimm and Mark Golbranson of St. Monica picked up second-team nods.
Grimm flourished as a pitcher and handled himself well setting the table at the lead-off spot.
The sophomore finished 9-1 with a 1.75 ERA. He struck out 58 and walked 22 in 64 innings.
Grimm batted .372 with seven doubles and 17 RBI. He scored 27 runs and walked 18 times for a .500 on-base percentage.
Golbranson, a junior infielder, batted .414 with 10 doubles, four triples and 17 RBI. Golbranson added 23 runs and 28 stolen bases.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
