SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Jones Has Esperanza Feeling Better

Marcus Jones doesn’t wince anymore when he throws. Batters do.

The shoulder pain, which reduced his duties to playing first base a year ago, is gone. He throws with ease and is difficult to hit.

This is why he came to Esperanza High School in the first place.

“It was so frustrating last season because I couldn’t pitch,” Jones said. “I could play, but it wasn’t the same. I knew I could have helped the team pitching.”

Jones, a senior, has proven that.

He is 10-2 with a 1.50 earned-run average this season. The Aztecs, who failed to make the playoffs a year ago, play Hesperia today in the Southern Section Division I quarterfinals.

The two things go hand-in-hand.

“We’re a completely different team last year if Marcus could have pitched,” Aztec Coach Mike Curran said. “We at least make the playoffs.”

It was for that reason Jones transferred from Downey Warren last year. He had been a solid pitcher for the Bears as a sophomore. He was 4-2 and was named first-team All-San Gabriel Valley League.

But Warren finished next to last in league. Jones wanted more, so his family moved to Yorba Linda.

“I came to Esperanza specifically for the baseball,” Jones said. “I wanted to contribute to a great program.”

He didn’t get much of a chance last season. Jones felt a sting in his shoulder the first day of baseball practice. The pain got worse the next day.

Jones was diagnosed as having strained muscles in his shoulder and was told not to pitch. He was moved from third base to first to reduce the strain on his shoulder.

He also struggled at the plate. Jones hit .280 with one home run.

This season, he is hitting .390 with three home runs and 29 runs batted in. Jones was three for four with two RBIs in Tuesday’s 7-2 victory over Edison.

But the road back to the mound took a lot of work.

Jones had therapy four times per week, 1 1/2 hours per session. But the work paid off. By June, he was allowed to pitch again.

“I took it slow,” Jones said. “I didn’t want to hurt my arm again.”

Jones also began working with a private pitching coach, who tinkered with his mechanics. The results have been impressive.

He has been the Aztecs’ ace this season and has been used as closer. Against Alhambra in the first round, he allowed one hit, striking out six, in four shutout innings for the victory. Tuesday against Edison, he pitched two innings in relief.

“Whatever the situation is, Marcus is the guy we want up there,” third baseman Billy O’Conner said. “If the game’s on the line, we need Marcus on the mound or at the plate.”

In other Division I quarterfinal games:

Encino Crespi (26-2) at Ocean View (22-8)--It has been said before but it should be repeated. The top-seeded team has not won this division since Lakewood in 1970. Crespi, the top-seeded team, is making a run at snapping that string. The Celts have outscored opponents, 21-4, in their first two games. Crespi is led by Jeff Suppan, who is 10-1 with a 0.85 ERA. He is also hitting .474 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs. Ocean View advanced by beating Glendale Hoover, 9-7, Tuesday.

In Division II:

West Covina South Hills (25-2) at Orange (15-12)--Two teams that had completely different seasons a year ago. South Hills won the section title; Orange finished last in the Century League. The gap between them has closed, but not by much. South Hills has eight starters back and is the top-seeded team, all of whom are hitting .300 or better.

Temecula Valley (19-7-1) at Canyon (16-11)--Canyon’s pitching has improved during the playoffs. Richard Lasner threw a three-hitter for a 2-1 victory over Paramount Tuesday. He also saved a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Riverside Poly in the first round. Temecula Valley is led by Roddy Fair (.417) and Josh Blackburn (.408).

In Division III:

La Puente Bishop Amat (27-0) at Tustin (19-9-1)--The last team to go undefeated was Ontario in 1991, which finished 26-0. The Lancers now have the fourth longest winning streak in the section’s history. Lompoc (1970-71) and Oxnard Rio Mesa (1980-81) won 36 in a row. A victory by the Lancers would tie them with Temecula Linfield (1991-92) at 28 in a row. But it won’t come easy. Tustin has outscored opponents, 37-11.

Pico Rivera El Rancho (14-10) at Irvine (22-7)--Irvine’s pitching hasn’t been sharp during the playoffs, but its hitting has made up for that. So far. The Vaqueros have scored 20 runs in two games, but have given up 13. Eric Sobek homered in a 10-6 victory over South Torrance in the first round and had a bases-loaded triple in a 10-6 victory over Corona Tuesday. Left-hander Randy Flores (7-2), who has signed with USC, will start for El Rancho.

Ontario (16-7-1) at La Quinta (23-5)--Jim Livernois can pitch only three more innings this week after going the distance to beat Woodbridge, 7-5, Tuesday. So who will throw the first four for the Aztecs? Ken Granger, Steve Combs, C.J. Livernois and Greg Stiles--one, some or all of them--will try to get to the fifth, when Jim Livernois (12-2) can take over. Ontario’s Alex Sanchez (5-3) shut out fourth-seeded Calexico in the first round. Ontario hasn’t allowed a run in two playoff games.

In Division VI:

Liberty Christian (15-7) at Temecula Valley Linfield (22-1)--The Lions are the top-seeded team and have rolled through the playoffs thus far. They have outscored opponents, 30-9, in two games. Richard Hunter is hitting around .500 with six home runs and 30 RBIs. Liberty Christian has outscored opponents, 32-11, in the playoffs.