HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / SEASON PREVIEW : PACIFIC LEAGUE

Crescenta Valley

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 12-12 7-8

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COACH YEAR Tony Zarrillo 6th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Kirk Hagge Sr. SS Jim Parque Sr. P Garrett Lee Sr. P Kasey Canale Jr. 2B John French Sr. C

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Mike Pruett Sr. 1B

OUTLOOK

With five returning starters, the team’s strength will be pitching. Parque (5-foot-9, 140 pounds) and Lee (6-4, 200) are probably two of the league’s top hurlers. Parque, a left-hander, had five complete games last season and he finished with a 6-4 record and a 1.88 ERA. Lee was 5-5 with a 2.77 ERA. Hagge and Canale are expected to lead the team’s offense. Last season Hagge, a lefty, hit .358 and Canale .444. French, a first team all-league pick in ‘93, batted .302 as a first baseman.

Glendale

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 12-11 7-8

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COACH YEAR Spiro Psaltis 1st

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS David Gantt Sr. P Loren Geller Sr. 2B Brian Chan Soph. P David Boger Sr. 1B Mark Martin Jr. C

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jeremy Becker Jr. P David Garley Soph. SS

OUTLOOK

Only four starters are back from last year’s team that upset Long Beach Millikan in the first round of the playoffs. Glendale lacks depth, and a last-minute roster reduction hurt the Dynamiters even more. Senior third baseman Neal Sowter and senior catcher Guy Blackwell were recently excused from the team for violating the school’s athletic agreement. Gantt, a third-team All-CIF pick last season who also plays third base, should be the Dynamiters’ top pitcher. He went 9-4 with a 2.22 ERA. Boger was Glendale’s top hitter (.320) in ’93 and is expected to lead the team at the plate again.

Hoover

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 19-6 13-2

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COACH YEAR Bob Cooper 20th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Ron Pirayoff Sr. C Chris Butler Sr. OF Gerald de La Pena Sr. P Amador Solis Jr. 1B Alan Lau Sr. LF

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Ed Perez Jr. 2B Rob Ostray Soph. OF

OUTLOOK

The defending league champions are legitimate contenders this year though it will be tough to replace catcher Nate Dishington, who was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round. Pirayoff (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) will move to fill the void. He played third base last season and hit .450. Cooper says defense will be one of the Tornadoes’ biggest strengths. One of Hoover’s biggest assets is de La Pena (6-0, 190), who is stronger after gaining 20 pounds in the off-season. He had an 8-1 record in ’93 and will also play at shortstop. Butler (6-1, 170) and Solis (6-0, 160) should be two of the team’s best hitters.