PREP BASEBALL 1993 / PRIVATE SCHOOLS

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN

1992 RECORDS OVERALL: 15-4 LEAGUE: 6-2

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL Ray Clifton: 110-52

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Jeremy Anderson Sr. OF S-R Gabe Baltodano Sr. OF R-R John Church So. P L-L

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OTHER TOP RETURNERS YR. POS. B-T Steve Caruso So. P R-R Paul Malcom So. C R-R

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR. POS. B-T Bryan Davis Fr. INF L-R Mike Winters Fr. INF L-L

OUTLOOK

Clifton’s three returning starters--Anderson, Baltodano and Church--must have productive seasons if the Minutemen expect to challenge for the Academy League title. Anderson, a first-team All-Southern Section Small Schools Division selection, hit .450 with 26 stolen bases in 19 games last season. Anderson has stolen 81 bases in 83 attempts during his career at Liberty Christian. Baltodano hit .353 while stealing 22 bases last season and Church finished 6-2 last season with a 1.29 earned-run average. According to Clifton, Church, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound sophomore left-hander, is already attracting attention from college recruiters and pro scouts. With Anderson and Baltodano the only seniors seeing significant action early, Clifton hopes his younger players will mature by season’s end. “I think we’ll do well in the playoffs,” Clifton said. “The more games the younger guys play, the better they’ll get.” One surprise player for Clifton has been Joe Ruiz, who struck out 12 of 15 hitters in a 6-2, five-inning complete-game victory over La Verne Lutheran Saturday. “He just hit every sweet spot at the plate that he could,” Clifton said. Caruso is Clifton’s No. 2 pitcher after going 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA last season.