PREP BASEBALL 1992: ANGELUS LEAGUE

Mater Dei

1991 RECORDS: OVERALL: 13-12 LEAGUE: 8-7

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL Bob Ickes: 279-136-8

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Billy Blanton Sr. SS R-R Cale Carter Sr. OF L-R Keith Frankel Sr. 3B-P R-R David Knuff Sr. 2B-P R-R Mike McDonald Jr. P-INF R-R Chris More Sr. C-OF R-R Darren Troilo Sr. C-OF R-R Rich Silva Sr. P R-R

TOP RETURNERS YR. POS. B-T Don Matthewson Sr. 1B-P R-R

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. POS. B-T Brian Barajas Jr. OF R-R Toby Sanchez Jr. OF-3B R-R

OUTLOOK

Everybody likes the Monarchs to win the league title. With 14 returning lettermen, seven of whom were starters, they do appear to be solid. The Monarchs can hit. Knuff had a .432 average with five home runs, a school record nine doubles and 24 runs batted in. He had a 21-game hitting streak last season. Carter, who has committed to Stanford, hit .370 with two home runs. Blanton hit .336 with five home runs. The Monarchs can field. With Blanton and Knuff up the middle, they set a school record with 31 doubles plays. Now, if the Monarchs can pitch, they will be in business. Last season, Mater Dei pitchers gave Ickes nightmares. As a staff, they averaged a little more than seven walks per game. Twice, they walked 12 batters in a single game. “I had to go to the mound to change pitchers six times in those two games,” Ickes said. “It wasn’t that we didn’t have talent. They just couldn’t pitch in game situations. If we get the pitching, we’ll be pretty good.” Silva, McDonald, Knuff, Matthewson and Frankel will try to provide that ingredient.