Evans Returns for a Third Try as Banning High Baseball Coach

Dan Evans, who twice guided Banning High’s baseball team to City Section finals in two previous stints as coach, will return to coach the varsity team next season.

Evans, 45, coached Banning from 1975 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1987. He sat out the 1982 season, when Marty Blankenship coached the team for a year. Evans has been the Pilots’ junior varsity coach for six seasons.

“I miss the (varsity) coaching,” Evans said. “There’s not too much coaching in game situations on the junior varsity level.”

Evans replaces Syl Saavedra, who resigned at the end of last season after coaching Banning to four league titles in six years.

Under Evans, Banning won five league titles and reached the City championship game at Dodger Stadium in 1981 and 1985, losing both times to Kennedy of Granada Hills.

Evans said only a handful of varsity players will return from last season’s team that finished 15-9, tied Carson for the Pacific League title and reached the quarterfinals of the 4-A Division playoffs.

“We’ve got some good kids who played for me on the JV team, but we’re hurting for pitchers,” he said.