TIMES’ ALL-VALLEY BASEBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR Tim Costic

MONROE: 6-1, 170 The junior first baseman-pitcher carried the Vikings through the playoffs, making only six outs in five postseason games. He was 12 for 18, had 2 walks, 5 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs. Three times in the playoffs he won games in Monroe’s last at-bat. He also won two games and saved another as a pitcher. Still, Costic had more than a five-game season. He batted .426 and ranked in the top 10 among Valley City players in home runs (5) and triples (6) and led the City in RBIs (37) and doubles (11). He also had an .819 slugging percentage. In 33 innings, he was 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA.

COACH OF THE YEAR Bob Lofrano

CHATSWORTH

Lofrano missed an appointment at Dodger Stadium for the City championship after Chatsworth lost in the 4-A semifinals, but 1988 rates in many ways as his best of 10 seasons with the Chancellors. Chatsworth climbed to the No. 1 ranking in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball magazine, after the Chancellors won the Colonial Baseball Classic in Florida. Chatsworth also won its eighth consecutive West Valley League title with a 15-0 mark and won 24 consecutive games before stumbling in the playoffs. In 10 years under Lofrano, Chatsworth is 165-51.

PITCHER OF THE YEAR Jason Edwards

HART: 5-10, 180 Hart tied a Southern Section single-season record with 26 consecutive wins and Edwards figured in nearly half the victories. The junior right-hander will bring an 11-game winning streak into next season. He led the Indians to the Foothill League title with an 11-0 record and his 1.28 ERA was second only to De La Maza’s among Valley Southern Section pitchers. He struck out 92 in 82 innings and walked only 18. He pitched in 17 games and when he wasn’t on the mound he moved behind the plate. He finished the season with a .299 batting average.

FIRST--TEAM SELECTIONS Mike Kerber: Canoga Park CATCHER: 6-4, 200: SR. Kerber was last year’s Valley and City Section 4-A Division player of the year and made the switch from first base to catcher this season. He batted .484 and had 2 home runs and 21 RBIs. As a pitcher, he split eight decisions and had a 2.84 ERA. He is headed to UCLA with fellow All-Valley players Adam Schulhofer and Joel Wolfe.

Mark Cavarretta: Crespi INFIELDER: 6-2, 180: SR. Cavarretta limped through part of the season after suffering a knee injury in a play at the plate, but after he was moved from catcher to designated hitter, he battered opposing pitchers. His resurgence fueled Crespi’s drive to a share of the Del Rey League title. He batted .418, drove in 32 runs and led Valley-area players with 14 doubles.

Brian Eldridge: Monroe INFIELDER: 5-11, 165: SR. Monroe rocketed to the City title after Eldridge caught fire. In a dozen games leading to the City final, the shortstop was 24 for 35 (.686), raising his average to .480. He tied Wolfe for the Valley lead in runs scored (32) among City players and finished with seven doubles and four triples. He will try to walk-on at Arizona in the fall.

Gino Tagliaferri: Kennedy INFIELDER: 6-0, 181: JR. The shortstop was an All-Valley pick as a sophomore and rates as an early favorite for next year’s player-of-the-year honors after a strong junior season. He led the Golden Cougars to the Mid-Valley title with a .368 average and five home runs. He led the City in RBIs during the regular season then settled for second with 32 behind Monroe’s Tim Costic.

Joel Wolfe: Chatsworth INFIELDER: 6-3, 205: SR. Wolfe is built like a power hitter but as Chatsworth’s fastest player batted lead-off. The UCLA-bound third baseman led the Chancellors to the No. 1 ranking in the nation and finished with a .406 average. He was second in the Valley among City players with 22 steals and drove in 29 runs, the fourth-best total among City players.

Matt McElreath: Notre Dame OUTFIELDER: 6-2, 195: SR. The switch-hitting center fielder batted .351, scored 24 runs and knocked in 27 for the Del Rey League co-champions, but league coaches voted him the MVP as much for his diving catches in the outfield as for his offense. McElreath is accustomed to sacrificing his body: He was a running back and defensive back for the Knight football team.

Rex McMackin: Chatsworth OUTFIELDER: 5-8, 165: SR. Chatsworth’s second Division I player along with Wolfe led the Chancellors in batting for the second consecutive season with a .450 average after a .522 year as a junior. He figured in 55 runs (27 runs scored and 28 RBIs) but hit only two home runs. McMackin and Wolfe will be college rivals: Wolfe at UCLA and McMackin at Arizona State.

Kevin Ogle: Reseda OUTFIELDER: 6-1, 185: SR. Playing for a losing team did little for Ogle’s visibility, but Cal State Northridge kept an eye on him. The Matadors signed the right fielder after he led Valley City players in home runs with seven in 57 official at-bats, an average of one homer every 8.2 at-bats. He also batted .421 and drove in 25 runs for the Regents, who won only seven of 19 games.

Luis Porres: Poly OUTFIELDER: 5-10, 155: SR. Poly graduated sluggers Danny Gil and Joey Speakes after reaching the City final in 1987 and was supposed to be power poor this season. But Porres provided support for one of the Valley’s best pitching staffs: He scored 26 runs and batted .449. He hit five home runs and was the City’s No. 3 RBI man with 30 behind Costic and Tagliaferri.

Adam Schulhofer: Canoga Pk OUTFIELDER: 6-2, 185: SR. After helping Canoga Park win last year’s City title, Schulhofer was moved to the leadoff position by new Coach Horace Consolo. The UCLA-bound outfielder batted .400, scored 24 runs and had 10 extra-base hits, including a Valley-leading 6 triples. He pitched less in ’88 than last year but was undefeated in three decisions and posted a 2.85 ERA.

Roland De La Maza: St. Gen. UTILITY: 6-0, 182: JR. De La Maza shared the Valley-area strikeout lead with Roger Salkeld of Saugus with 126. The junior right-hander showed remarkable control, walking only 23 in 79 innings to go with an 8-1 record and a Valley-leading 0.80 ERA. He showed his versatility at the plate, batting .426 for the Santa Fe League champions with 4 triples, 4 home runs and 23 RBIs.

Greg Nealon: Poly PITCHER: 6-0, 165: SR. About the only thing that could slow Poly’s left-hander was a mid-season bout with mononucleosis. Despite the illness, Nealon led Valley City pitchers with a 1.02 ERA and posted a 10-1 record. In 62 innings, he struck out 71 and walked only 14. He was selected the MVP of last weekend’s Bernie Milligan Game and will pitch next season for Hawaii.

Derek Wallace: Chatsworth PITCHER: 6-3, 160: JR. Chatsworth’s right-handed reliever posted a so-so 3.17 ERA but everything else about his senior season was superb. In 18 appearances, he was 7-0 and recorded a Valley-leading eight saves. He slammed the door for Chatsworth en route to the championship of the Colonial Baseball Classic in Florida, winning MVP honors with one win and two saves.