Palomar Baseball Preview : Mt. Carmel Could Bring Chill to Torrey Pines

After Torrey Pines High School’s baseball team won its seventh consecutive game this season, a Palomar League coach said, “Yes, but they haven’t beaten anybody.”

Thereafter, Torrey Pines won six more to raise its record to 13-0. The last time the Falcons played, they tied Madison in the Lions tournament; that game will be concluded May 14.

But most Palomar coaches say it is only today, when league play begins, that a team’s true mettle begins to show.

“I don’t know if we are the team to beat,” said Torrey Pines Coach Frank Chambliss, an older brother of Chris, the New York Yankee batting instructor. “I just hope we can stay hot. If we stay hot, we’ll be OK.”

Mt. Carmel has a way of cooling others’ title aspirations. After Vista won the inaugural league title, Mt. Carmel won the next six until last year, when Orange Glen ended the string. But Mt. Carmel went on to win its third San Diego Section 3-A title.

In addition to Mt. Carmel and Torrey Pines, Fallbrook drew the most praise from the league’s seven coaches, with Poway and Vista rated possible surprises.

The teams:

Fallbrook

Last year: 20-9, 7-5 league (third).

Coach: Dave Heid.

Top returners: Jeff Lawrence (senior, P), Jamie Willcox (senior, P), Eric Davison (senior, P), Mike Turiace (senior, C), Cory Conrad (senior, C).

Top newcomer: Dirk Fisher (junior, OF/DH).

Outlook: OK, pitchers, relax: Fallbrook probably won’t hit a section-record 43 home runs again. And Fallbrook probably won’t hit five in a row and eight in a game. Gone to Palomar College are T.J. Flynn (16 homers) and Bill Dunckel (8). Seven of last year’s 10 seniors now play in college. The power isn’t all gone, though. Fallbrook hit nine homers in its first seven games, including a grand slam by Fisher. Left-handers Lawrence and Willcox should keep Fallbrook close, with Fisher and Turiace providing power. “Balance is our strength,” Heid, the 11-year coach, said. His team lost to Mt. Carmel in the section semifinals last year.

Mt. Carmel

Last year: 24-6, 9-3 league (second, won San Diego Section 3-A title).

Coach: Sam Blalock.

Top returners: Mark King (senior, OF); Ron Kelly (senior, OF); John Tejcek (junior, 2B).

Top newcomer: Mark Van Aelstyn (junior, 3B).

Outlook: Only three starters return from last year’s team, which gave the school its third section title. But the newcomers, in a rematch of the section championship, beat Santana in Wednesday’s title game of the Lions tournament. “I’d say our best thing has been our pitching and defense,” Blalock said. ‘We have good speed. I think we’re going to be tough.” Kelly was named to the all-section team last year. Senior left-hander Joe Brownholtz and junior right-hander Byron Klemaske top the staff. Mt. Carmel was errorless in five of its first 11 games.

Orange Glen

Last year: 20-6, 10-2 league (first).

Coach: Art Warren.

Top returners: Sean Gousha (senior, C), Shannon Vinje (junior, SS), Brooks Townsend (senior, CF).

Top newcomer: Matt Taylor (junior, 3B/P).

Outlook: Gone are 11 seniors, including three pitchers, who led Orange Glen to its first Palomar title and the section semifinals against Santana. Pitching carried the team, which could have been the school’s best ever, according to Warren. Senior Eric Weiler heads a staff trying to replace Ray Chatton, David Miller and Duffy Daugherty, who is vying to be New Mexico’s quarterback. The young Patriots surprised Warren with 6 victories in the first 11 games. “I think we’re going to be in the middle of the pack,” he said.

Poway

Last year: 6-15, 4-8 league (tied for fifth).

Coach: Rudy Casciato.

Top returners: Mike Beam (junior, C), Ed Cornblum (junior, SS), John Uglow (junior, P), John Youngkin (senior, P).

Top newcomer: David Miller (sophomore, P).

Outlook: First-year coach Casciato packs quite a resume. He assisted seven years at one longtime power, University of San Diego High, and the next eight at another, Mt. Carmel. “It’s not that I don’t want to imitate Mt. Carmel, but Poway will be well-respected,” Casciato said. “We’re in search of identity.” Seniors Bill Wraith and Bill Bertsch, who seldom played last year, combined for 17 hits in their first 38 at-bats. Miller had a one-hitter in the Lions tournament, and Beam’s average has been near .400. A good start might be imperative for the inexperienced Titans.

San Dieguito

Last year: 8-13, 1-11 league (seventh).

Coach: Darold Nogle.

Top returnees: Brent Hansen (senior P/OF), Jack Minger (senior, C).

Top newcomer: Bryan Thistle (sophomore, SS).

Outlook: Nogle arranged for a tougher nonleague schedule because last year’s team collapsed in league after a 6-1 start. But San Dieguito lost six of its nonleague games this year. “Hopefully, the tougher

schedule will pay off,” Nogle said. “Now the thing we’re lacking is confidence in ourselves.” The team has good speed, and Minger has improved his defense greatly. Yet only two starters return. “We think we have a good chance of scrapping with anyone in the Palomar League,” said Nogle, who coached Torrey Pines the four years before last.

Torrey Pines

Last year: 13-11-2, 7-5 league (tied for third).

Coach: Frank Chambliss.

Top returners: John Lynch (junior, P/SS/1B), Bob Kennedy (senior, C), Tim Walker (senior, OF), Bob McGriff (senior, OF), Aaron Mirandon (senior, P/3B).

Top newcomer: Jason Wright (junior, OF).

Outlook: Counting last year’s finish, in which it won 10 of 11, Torrey Pines has won 23 of its last 25 games--including a tie with Madison in the 2-A final of the Lions tournament. Additional impressive numbers: Kennedy is hitting .481 and McGriff .439. Mirandon, who is 5-0 with 3 saves, has an 0.49 earned-run average. Lynch, also a strong hitter, is 4-0 and Mike Hochleutner 3-0. Mirandon was academically ineligible last season but is doing well in class this spring. Left-handers--pitchers and hitters--could pose a problem, as Torrey Pines has no left-handers. Chambliss said “politics” kept his team from receiving an at-large playoff berth last year, and that has fired up his players.

Vista

Last year: 7-15-1, 4-8 league (tied for fifth).

Coach: Mike Abruzzo.

Top returners: Shad Mix (senior, C), Mark Webster (senior, SS), Jerry Stafford (senior, P), Chuck Forehand (senior, 2B), Kevin Cargile (senior, OF).

Top newcomer: Herbie Weston (junior, P).

Outlook: Senior pitcher John Land, who was 3-0 and had two home runs, and two other starters have been declared academically ineligible. If they return, it won’t be for at least four weeks. Weston, a left-hander, has shown promise, as has David Stronjy, a fullback who is trying baseball again. Kris Kjeldsen hit three homers in Vista’s first 10 games.