PREP BASEBALL 1994 / ORANGE LEAGUE : Valencia

1993 RECORDS OVERALL: 15-11 LEAGUE: 10-5

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL Mike Scheetz: 54-40

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Chris Draft Sr. OF R-R Ben Esque Sr. P-OF R-R Art Francis Sr. OF-P R-R Luis Garcia Sr. 1B-P L-L Robert Petko Sr. 2B R-R Joe Secoda Jr. SS-P R-R

TOP RETURNER YR. POS. B-T Justin Averitt Jr. 3B L-R

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. POS. B-T Mike Garcia Sr. P-SS R-R Ed Rodriguez Sr. P-C R-R Ryan Rodriguez Sr. OF R-R Phil Shipman Jr. C R-R

OUTLOOK

No one will be surprised if Valencia wins its third consecutive league championship. The Tigers have a talented, senior-dominated lineup that is hungry for one more title before graduation. “I’m very encouraged by having so many experienced players,” Scheetz said. “We should be a competitive team, but I don’t think anyone will run off with (the title).” The Tigers definitely have enough talent to do just that. Draft is one of the county’s most skilled athletes. The Times’ back of the year, Draft was selected first-team all-league in baseball as a junior. He batted .391 with four home runs, 32 runs scored and 22 runs batted in. He is the league’s swiftest outfielder. Garcia was second-team all-league after batting .395 with three home runs and 28 RBIs. He is equally adept on defense. Esque was more lucky than good last season (7-0, 4.32 earned-run average). Scheetz hopes the opposite will occur this season. “We bailed him out of a lot of jams,” Scheetz said. “We need him to be more consistent.”

SCHEDULE

March 12 vs. La Habra (2); 15 vs. Servite; 18 vs. Brea-Olinda; 23 at Anaheim; 25 vs. Savanna; 26 at Santa Ana tournament; 28-30 at Santa Ana tournament.

April 6 at Magnolia; 8 vs. Western; 13 at Brea; 15 vs. Anaheim; 20 at Savanna; 22 vs. Magnolia; 27 at Western; 29 vs. Brea-Olinda.

May 4 at Anaheim; 6 vs. Savanna; 11 at Magnolia; 13 vs. Western.