Prep Wrapup / Rob Fernas : Redondo Ace Houck Sharp for Playoffs

It has been said that a hot pitcher is the greatest asset a prep baseball team can have in the playoffs.

With that in mind, Redondo High Coach Tim Ammentorp feels good about the Sea Hawks’ chances entering the CIF-Southern Section 5-A playoffs this week.

Senior right-hander Mike Houck might not be Scott Davison, the two-time CIF Player of the Year who pitched Redondo into the 4-A semifinals last season, but he demonstrated again Friday that he ranks near the top of the South Bay’s current crop of hurlers.

With a playoff berth on the line, Houck came through with a seven-hit, six-strikeout effort to boost the Sea Hawks over rival Mira Costa, 6-3, at Redondo in a showdown for third place in the Ocean League.

“That was the best stuff he’s had all year,” Ammentorp said.

The 6-foot-4 Houck, an All-CIF forward in basketball, improved to 8-1 and helped himself at the plate with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.

The senior’s performance seemed to give Ammentorp renewed confidence that Redondo can make some noise in the playoffs, although as a third-place team it will draw a league champion for Friday’s first round or have to play in Tuesday’s 5-A wild-card game.

“Our season is not necessarily over,” said the first-year coach. “We could go three more weeks. With Mike on the mound, our kids feel we’re going to win.”

Houck took a shutout into the seventh inning, when Mira Costa rallied for three runs on three hits and a walk.

With Friday’s victory, Redondo qualified for the playoffs for the 13th consecutive year and the 14th in the last 15. The Sea Hawks (15-12 overall) finished with a 9-5 league mark to edge Mira Costa (12-9, 8-6) for the Ocean’s final post-season berth.

Ammentorp admitted that maintaining Redondo’s playoff streak weighed on his mind. Redondo entered the week a game out of third but caught Mira Costa on Wednesday when the Mustangs lost to first-place Culver City and the Sea Hawks beat Centennial.

“I felt pressure this week,” said Ammentorp, who had the unenviable task of succeeding 19-year coach Harry Jenkins, who guided Redondo to 10 league titles. “There are a lot things involved when you take over a program that’s been a winner.”

Redondo received an unexpected boost this week from right fielder Bobby Tassin, a junior who was promoted from the junior varsity to fill in for an ineligible player. Tassin went 1 for 3 in his first varsity game Wednesday and delivered a two-run, ground-rule double against Mira Costa.

While celebrating his team’s Camino Real League title-clinching win Wednesday night, El Segundo baseball Coach John Stevenson made reference to how this is a rebuilding season for the Eagles. After all, they returned only one starter from last year--outfielder Erik Evans.

But what a way to rebuild.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a 22-5 record, their 18th league title in 30 years under Stevenson, and have a good chance of getting the No. 1 seed for the CIF-Southern Section 2-A playoffs that start Friday.

El Segundo, ranked No. 2 in the latest 2-A poll, could overtake top-ranked Gladstone of Azusa, which absorbed its first loss of the season Friday to Pomona, 2-0, in a Montview League finale. Playoff pairings will be released Monday.

The Eagles sewed up the Camino Real title in their first year in the league Wednesday night with a thrilling 6-5 eight-inning win over visiting St. Bernard and secured the championship outright Friday with a 9-4 victory over host Serra to finish with a 13-1 league mark.

Also, the Eagles return eight players and an excellent group of ninth-graders who posted a 22-0 record on the frosh-soph team. Varsity starters returning are catcher Garrett Quaintance, outfielder Ken Talanoa, shortstop Mark Lewis, first baseman Dan Manjarrez and pitchers Brett Newell, Rob Croxall and Jason Wayt.

Bits and pieces:

--Miraleste ended Mary Star’s 16-game winning streak Friday with a 2-1 win at home to secure second place in the Santa Fe League baseball race. Junior right-hander Jason Mavar, who hurled a complete game Wednesday in Miraleste’s 4-3 victory over Cantwell, earned a save Friday with two innings of hitless relief. The Marauders (18-8) ended the regular season with more wins than in their two previous seasons combined (13). It was the first league loss for Santa Fe champion Mary Star (19-6), entering the CIF-Southern Section 2-A playoffs.

--Dan Melendez of St. Bernard clouted his 12th home run of the season and the 31st of his career Friday in a 13-5 win over St. Anthony to move within one homer of the CIF-Southern Section career record of 32 held by Scott Sharts of Simi Valley. The Vikings (18-5) finished second to El Segundo in the Camino Real League.

--Behind the all-around play of setter Craig Adamoli, top-seeded Mira Costa opened the CIF-Southern Section 4-A volleyball playoffs Friday night with a 15-4, 15-5, 15-5 sweep over visiting Irvine. The Mustangs (19-0) lost a coin flip Saturday and will travel to play Santa Barbara (12-3) in the quarterfinals Tuesday night.

--Lisa Leslie, better known as the 6-foot-5 center for Morningside’s state champion girls’ basketball team, qualified for three events at the CIF-Southern Section track prelims Friday. Leslie advances to next Saturday’s finals at Cerritos College in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.

--North Torrance, perhaps the South Bay’s hottest baseball team, tuned up for the Southern Section 5-A playoffs Friday by beating South Torrance, 10-3, for its 10th consecutive Ocean League win.