HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION PREVIEWS : ALPHA LEAGUE

Montclair Prep

COACH: Walt Steele, 5th season

LAST SEASON: 21-3; 1st in league, 10-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Returning are three of the Mounties’ top four pitchers. All are seniors. Right-hander Russell Ortiz (11-1, 1.30 earned-run average), the Alpha League and Southern Section 1-A Division player of the year, anchors the staff along with Steve Cain (8-0, 2.49), an All-Southern Section left-hander. Top reliever is right-hander Osman Kahn (1.88, four saves). Brad Fullmer (.375 as a sophomore) anchors an all-junior infield that includes Jeff Shaprioss at shortstop, Justin Paperny at second base, and Chris Ferebee at first. Junior Mike Gursey will be the catcher. Ferebee, also a pitcher, was 4-0 with a 2.01 ERA as a freshman before suffering a shoulder injury. He sat out last season, underwent surgery in February and will pitch sparingly if at all this season. If Ferebee cannot play first because of the shoulder, or if he is moved to the outfield, freshman Jared Sandler or Ortiz will step in at first. Outfield is wide open, the best bet being senior Joey Eskenazi in right field.

OUTLOOK: Montclair Prep is all dressed up with nowhere to go; Southern Section sanctions will keep the Mounties from advancing to the playoffs and a shot at a third consecutive 1-A title. “We’re carrying a couple of underclassmen we may not normally carry,” Steele said. “Obviously, with the playoffs, we’d work more with some of the upperclassmen that might be a quick fix.”

Village Christian

COACH: Mike Henzie, 5th season

LAST SEASON: 6-12-1; 6th in league, 0-10

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Only two years ago, the Crusaders played for the 1-A title, losing to Montclair Prep. And several players from that team returned last year, only to go winless in the Alpha League. Returning starters this season are junior first baseman Jeff Deal and senior center fielder Anthony Orefice. The left fielder is senior Todd Panarisi, who played as a substitute last season, and in right is junior Brett Borden. Senior shortstop Willie Morrow, who played regularly as a fill-in, lends experience to the infield. On both sides of Morrow are sophomores: Mike Spielman at second base and Mike Agnor at third. Right-hander Orefice (1-3, 5.96 ERA) and left-hander Deal, returning pitchers, are joined in the rotation by freshman right-hander Jason Robitaille. Catching is another sophomore, Newt Wimer.

OUTLOOK: At least practicing and playing games will be easier this season; the Crusaders will do both on a field 10 minutes from school. Last year they played games at a site 30 minutes away, at The Master’s College in Newhall, and practiced at Village Christian on a “strip of dirt about 20 feet wide and 90 yards long,” Henzie said. A key could be Wimer and how he handles the pitching staff.

L.A. Baptist

COACH: Mark Bates, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 9-12; tied for 4th in league, 3-7

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The top two pitchers are back--right-handed senior Darrell Smedley (3-5, 5.57 ERA) and right-handed junior Steve Klein (3-2, 3.77). The infield consists entirely of seniors. Matt Guiza (.273) moves from designated hitter to first base. Brad Imbler, the leading hitter at .413 last year, moves from shortstop to second base. Jason Baumsteiger (.326) returns at third base, and Tim Shoemake, a transfer from West Eugene (Ore.) High, plays shortstop. The biggest question mark is behind the plate. With All-Southern Section 1-A Division catcher Colyn Van Buren gone, senior Shawn Peacock and sophomore Trenton Mooney will vie for the position. Smedley and Klein, when not pitching, will play the outfield.

OUTLOOK: Bates says with confidence that his team will be better than last year’s. The Knights have experience in the infield and on the mound.