Stepping It Up a Notch : El Camino Real Ace Wolf at His Stingiest During Playoff Games

How can he top that?

If you’re an opponent of El Camino Real High pitcher Randy Wolf, don’t ask.

Because it’s playoff time, he just might one-up himself.

“The guy’s a god,” said his catcher, Steve Riback.

Forgive the hyperbole. Riback had just finished catching Wolf’s latest postseason gem, a one-hitter--and even that one hit was in dispute--against Carson on Wednesday. The victory put El Camino Real in today’s City Section 4-A semifinal against Kennedy at Birmingham High.

That performance continued a remarkable postseason run spanning two seasons, in which Wolf has made four starts--all complete-game victories--and allowed one run. In order, he has thrown a no-hitter, a three-hitter, a five-hitter and a one-hitter.

Last season, Wolf bared his teeth and pitched the Conquistadores to the City 4-A championship, for which he was named player of the year.

This year, Wolf’s true prowl again began the day the regular season ended. He was 9-3 in the regular season with a 1.22 earned-run average, but was saddled with a 10-4 loss in his final start.

“It was like a little kick in the butt to get you into it,” Wolf said. “I guess in a way I was pacing myself. I didn’t really want to go out there and gas it up in the very beginning, and--who knows?--not have as much energy toward the end of season.

“I’d rather be in more of a peak when the playoffs come around.”

If only mountains peaked like this. He has won both of the team’s playoff games in pursuit of its second consecutive title, and has 29 strikeouts in 14 innings. He has improved his record to 11-3 and lowered his ERA to 1.12 in 100 innings.

Signs of playoff imperfection are minimal: five hits and a meaningless run allowed against Monroe in the first-round game and five walks against Carson. And, oh yes, the Colts’ hit.

Or was it?

Wolf bobbled a ball hit back to the mound in the first inning and could not make a throw to first base.

“I thought it was an error,” he said.

The El Camino Real scorekeepers agreed, and two sportswriters in attendance also scored the play an error. But the Carson scorekeeper ruled it a hit, and because the home team’s ruling is official, Wolf was denied his second playoff no-hitter on the day before major league baseball’s amateur draft.

Last year, in his final regular-season start, he pitched a perfect game. He followed that with a no-hitter against Banning in a quarterfinal game.

But numbers and statistics do not tell Wolf’s entire story. Even more impressive is what he has had to endure while achieving so much.

His father, James, died suddenly of a heart attack April 18. Wolf missed two games before returning to the lineup, and hit a home run in his first game back.

“I don’t know of anyone who could have turned it around like he did,” Riback said. “He’s got a lot of heart.”

Riback was the driving force behind the team’s decision to don a black patch with the initials “JW” on each player’s uniform shoulder, a gesture that touched Wolf.

“That was really cool,” Wolf said.

Said Riback: “His dad was at every single game--he never missed one. For Randy to look out at the stands and not see his father, it’s got to be pretty tough. But he’s turned it around and I give him a lot of credit.”

He’s not the only one. The list of Wolf admirers is a long one.

“He’s not just a thrower, he’s a pitcher,” Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado said. “He throws hard but not all the time. He’s able to change speeds, able to sink the ball away and cut it in. And when he wants he can really pump it up and bring it.”

Said El Camino Real pitcher Tony Kyber: “I wish I could throw it that hard.”

Kennedy players, winners of 10 of their past 11 games, are glad Kyber cannot, because he is the scheduled starter today.

Wolf’s complete game against Carson leaves him with only three more innings for the week because of the state 10-inning rule.

Therefore, Wolf might already have pitched in his final high school game, although El Camino Real Coach Mike Maio said his ace could pitch in relief. Or he could lead El Camino Real to another City title Monday at Dodger Stadium before moving on to Pepperdine.

Either way, he strives to enjoy the successes of another heady season, but one in which his triumphs ring bittersweet.

“It has its ups and downs,” he said of his time since his father’s death. “It kind of tells you that life sucks and that you have to live one day at time, and live as happy as you can that day.

“You try to pick yourself up.”

He already has picked up so many others.

“When he’s up at that level, everybody else wants to get up there, too,” Riback said. “Last year, I was down in JV; now I’m catching for the best pitcher in the City. I mean, he’s going to the pros, almost for sure. It’s something I can tell my kids.”

--- UNPUBLISHED NOTE ---

Randy Wolf’s father died on March 27, 1994, not April 18th as stated in this story.

--- END NOTE ---