SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A Preview : Western Pits Pitching Against Troy’s Power

Western High School has the No. 2 seeding and two of Orange County’s best pitchers, but Troy Coach Bruce King thinks the Pioneers--and not his Warriors--should be more apprehensive about today’s first-round CIF Southern Section 3-A playoff game at Anaheim’s Glover Stadium.

“If we keep hitting like we do, I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t win the game,” said King, a first-year coach. “We’re not intimidated at all. If anything, maybe they should be a little intimidated of our power hitting.”

The Warriors have posted some impressive offensive numbers lately. Troy (12-9) has 78 hits, including 17 home runs, in its last six games. The Warriors led the county in home runs with 28.

Left fielder David St. Clair has eight homers and 23 RBIs, third baseman Mike Case has six homers and 15 RBIs, and shortstop David Shirota has five homers and 10 RBIs.

Pioneer Coach Dave Bowman, however, is hardly concerned.

“I’m worried about what my guys do, not theirs,” Bowman said. “If we play our game, we won’t have much to worry about. The Freeway League has some short fences, but our field is more toward regulation size. I don’t care how well they swing the bat--they’re not gonna hit as many home runs as they’ve been hitting.”

Not if Western pitchers David Tellers and Rich Lodding can help it.

Tellers is 10-1 with a 1.27 ERA and 62 strikeouts, and Lodding is 9-2 with a 1.58 ERA and 63 strikeouts. Bowman wouldn’t reveal which right-hander would start today’s 3:15 p.m. game.

Lodding also is the team’s leading hitter at .383, with 21 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Tellers (.372, 29 RBIs) and Mark Tranberg (.371, 23 RBIs) provide more offensive support for Orange League-champion Western (22-4).

Troy will counter with senior right-hander Mike Greer, who is 6-4 with 83 strikeouts. A first-team all-league selection, Greer is batting .415.

In other 3-A first-round games:

Foothill (15-8) at Gahr (20-5)--Right-hander Mike Pope has been the Knights’ best pitcher during the past three weeks, but Foothill Coach Gerry Sedoo will probably start lefty David Fox, because he thinks Pope is a better reliever. Both may see action against the third-seeded Gladiators, who have an outstanding offensive lineup.

Gahr, the San Gabriel Valley League champion, is led by Vern Hildebrandt (.448, 9 doubles, 14 RBIs), Phil Wang (.440), Keith Harrison (.400, 18 RBIs) and Pat Redaja (.392, 18 RBIs). Pitcher Steve Vernola (10-1, 0.83 ERA, 63 strikeouts) had not allowed an earned run in 43 innings until Warren scored in the bottom of the seventh last Friday.

John McTaggart (.438, 4 homers, 30 RBIs) is Foothill’s leading hitter but has a bone spur in his right foot and may not play. Harvard (12-7) at Canyon (15-8)--The Comanches finished second in the Century League without the benefit of a power hitter. Canyon hit no home runs this season, and its RBI leader was Ralph Pacheco with 13. Phil Gasca is hitting .448, and Ralph Garcia is batting .375.

The Comanches will start either Wayne Elmore (5-1) or Mike Townley (6-5). Townley had a seven-hitter in last Friday’s victory over Orange and added four hits and three RBIs.

The Saracens, second-place finishers in the Pioneer League, are led by pitcher/center fielder Merritt Robinson, and freshman third baseman Jason Evans, who both are hitting better than .400. Corona (16-6) at Fullerton (15-8)--The Indians didn’t clinch a playoff berth until the last game of the regular season when they beat Sunny Hills, 8-7, on a hit batsman with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Fullerton, second-place representative from the Freeway League, is led offensively by leadoff hitter T.J. Richards, who, two weeks ago, had eight hits and eight RBIs in two games, and cleanup hitter Jeff Bailey, who has four home runs and 27 RBIs.

The Panthers were 8-0 in the Ivy League until they lost three of their last six games and had to settle for a co-championship with John W. North. Corona has relied on two pitchers--right-hander John Vigrass and lefty Mike Kummer--and the offensive punch of shortstop Jason Young, catcher David Cianflocco and center fielder Raul Moreno.

Edgewood (17-7) at Valencia (12-9)--The Tigers, who finished second in the Orange League behind Western, are an offensive-minded team, led by Brett Gregory (.500, 26 runs), Tim Churchill (.427, 5 homers, 31 RBIs) and Andy Ruscitto (.424, 6 homers, 22 RBIs, 24 runs).

The Trojans, who are coached by former Cal State Fullerton star Sam Favata, were co-champions of the Valle Vista League with Covina. They lost to Rio Mesa in last year’s 3-A semifinals, 3-1. Warren (9-9) vs. Sonora (24-1) at Fullerton College--The top-seeded Raiders, who have 22 straight victories, shouldn’t have many problems with the Bears, who finished third in the San Gabriel Valley League. Sonora is batting .354 with 26 homers and has one of the county’s top pitchers in senior left-hander David Bird, who is 12-0 with an 0.99 ERA and 132 strikeouts.

Ramona (15-9) at Tustin (18-4)--This should be a pitching duel between left-handers Steve Surico and LaVon Edwards. Surico, a senior who has signed a letter of intent with Loyola Marymount, is 9-1 with a county-leading 0.58 ERA and 132 strikeouts for the Tillers, Century League champions.