City Western Baseball Preview : Balanced Group of Teams Could Take Race Down to Last Inning Again

Last year’s City Western League baseball title was won by Mission Bay High School on the last day of the season.

In the bottom of the seventh, with two out and Mission Bay trailing University of San Diego High, 1-0, sophomore Tony Lennan hit a two-strike, two-run homer to win the league championship for the Buccaneers.

It doesn’t get any closer, but City Western coaches believe that this year’s race for the league title will be just as tight.

“Everybody seems to have turned up with a good squad that can beat anybody. There doesn’t seem to be an easy mark,” said Allan LaMotte, the University City coach.

Kearny Coach John Gunther added: “It’s a real tough league. There’s a lot of baseball tradition in these schools. It’s fun to play in this league.”

Fun, yes, but nerve-racking.

Pitching could well dominate this season. Mission Bay has one of the county’s best pitchers in left-handed senior Sean Rees. But the Buccaneers are a little thin after him. That could make the defending champions vulnerable, since several other teams have more pitching depth.

Kearny has John Williamson, an imposing 6-foot 5-inch, 230-pounder who has accepted a football scholarship to San Diego State, and senior Brian Archer.

At University City, LaMotte has some depth with Brad Ledwith, Chad Hall and Jeff Sevier.

Left-hander Brent Woodall, a multisport star, leads the La Jolla staff with backing from Luke Williams and Willie Thompson.

Clairemont, last year’s runner-up, is expected to slip a notch but might be a surprise because of some talented transfers.

The teams:

CLAIREMONT

Last season: 13-11-1, 10-5 league (second).

Coach: Hugh McMillan.

Top returner: Lowell Ellis (senior, P/C).

Top newcomers: Brandon Garland (junior, P/SS), Brian Kilpatrick (junior, RF), Ray McDavid (junior, CF).

Outlook: The fact that there are more top newcomers than top returning players speaks volumes about this year’s team. Only three players return from last year, and none started. “It’s a complete rebuilding year,” McMillan said. “It’s a strange conglomeration.” Garland, a junior pitcher/shortstop, and Kilpatrick, a junior outfielder, are transfers from USDHS. McDavid, who starred in football and basketball at Clairemont, has limited baseball experience but could help because of his athletic ability. The top pitcher is Vic Beltran. “One strength we have is versatility,” McMillan said.

KEARNY

Last season: 7-14-2, 5-10 league (fifth).

Coach: John Gunther.

Top returners: John Williamson (senior, P/C/1B), Brian Archer (senior, P/OF), Jason Adams (senior, C/OF), Eric Mercado (senior, SS).

Top newcomer: Angelo Aves (junior, 3B).

Outlook: All the other coaches in the league say Kearny could cause trouble, but Gunther wonders why. “We have no one returning who hit over .230 last year,” he said. “We had a very weak offensive team.” Still, Gunther likes the way the Komets are coming together. “I would have picked us next-to-last or last before the season,” he said. “But we’ve worked hard, we’re hustling, and we’ve had some success.” If Williamson and Archer pitch well, Gunther is willing to concede that the other coaches might be right. “I always see pitching as being a dominating factor,” he said. “If we have a chance, it will be because our pitchers do well.”

LA JOLLA

Last season: 15-10-1, 8-7 league (fourth).

Coach: Dick Huddleston.

Top returners: Brent Woodall (senior, P/1B), Brad Raulston (senior, CF), Jeff Schultz (senior, SS), Adam Lenain (senior, C).

Top newcomer: Darren Kaffka (senior, RF).

Outlook: “We have a lot of experience. This is a senior ballclub,” Huddleston said. “We’re looking toward a good year. We’re playing well without some key players, so we feel good.” Injured but expected to return are Raulston, third baseman and pitcher Jorge Romero and pitcher Mark Hanna. In Woodall, a left-hander, La Jolla has one of the top pitchers in the county. Outfielder and designated hitter Greg Ricchiuti is hitting well. Huddleston added, “We have some good depth, and the kids can play multiple positions.”

MISSION BAY

Last season: 17-7, 11-4 league (first).

Coach: Dennis Pugh.

Top returners: Sean Rees (senior, P), Tony Enomoto (senior, 2B), Tony Lennan (junior, 1B/OF), Colin Davis (senior, C/OF).

Top newcomer: Brian Miranda (junior, P/OF, transfer from Mt. Carmel).

Outlook: The defending champions remain strong. “We’ll be right in there,” Pugh said. “The key will be not losing to someone you should beat.” Rees, a talented left-hander who is being heavily recruited by colleges, is a big reason for Mission Bay’s success. “When we have Rees pitching, we think we can win every time,” Pugh says. “But after Rees, our pitching is undefined.” Enomoto is playing well, Pugh said. Davis hit .415 last season.

UNIVERSITY CITY

Last season: 4-18, 2-13 league (sixth).

Coach: Allan LaMotte.

Top returners: Brad Ledwith (senior, P/C), Jim Shafer (senior, SS), Bob Alvarez (senior, RF).

Top newcomers: Chad Hall (senior, P), Jeff Sevier (junior, P).

Outlook: After struggling last year, University City is loaded with experience and could contend. “Our nucleus of seniors has good chemistry,” LaMotte said. Joining Ledwith, Shafer and Alvarez in the senior class are center fielder Steve Woodard, first baseman Rich Guerra and third baseman Todd Fisher. LaMotte added: “We have good pitching, defense and we seem to be able to score runs without a lot of power. We’re opportunistic, and we have good team speed.”

USDHS

Last season: 17-8, 9-6 league (third).

Coach: Dick Serrano.

Top returners: Duke Gonzalez (senior, P/1B), Matt Siesel (senior, OF/P), Brent Whelan (senior, C).

Top newcomer: Gavin Millay (freshman, OF/1B/DH).

Outlook: When the Dons’ top pitcher, Gonzalez, returns, University of San Diego High is expected to challenge for the league championship. Gonzales, a right-hander, had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder seven weeks ago and is expected back in two weeks. “We’ll get stronger as we get healthier,” Serrano said. Along with Gonzalez, Serrano will count on Siesel and Whelan to provide leadership. Top non-seniors are outfielder Tony Moeder, a junior, and shortstop Jeff Desjardins, a sophomore who played second base last year. Millay, brother of former USDHS and University of Arizona star Gar Millay, will be used in a variety of positions.