JUNIOR COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEWS

ANTELOPE VALLEY

CO-COACHES: Tom Feickert and Joe Watts, third season

1994 RECORD: 14-19; seventh in Foothill Conference, 8-16

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Many teams are stocked with better pitching this season and the Marauders are one of them. “Last year we had very little pitching,” Feickert said. “That’s one of our strengths this year.” Sophomore right-hander Will Wallace, who was 4-5 with a 7.68 earned-run average last season, will be joined by newcomers Todd Berry and David Glick from Palmdale High and Jesse Perez from Mojave High. Berry is a sinkerballer and Glick is a left-hander who was drafted in the late rounds by Milwaukee last June. He was 11-3 with a 1.38 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 76 innings. Feickert hopes that all-state third baseman Eric Cole (.420 batting average, six home runs, 45 RBIs) can generate similar numbers and is counting on redshirt catcher Todd Barnes to provide power. Feickert also expects a lot from left-fielder Chris Tapia, who batted .467 with 43 RBIs at Antelope Valley High in 1994.

OUTLOOK: The Marauders will be looking to regroup in the conference. They played well in nonconference games (6-3) but at one point lost six consecutive conference games. “We’ll be able to play good defense and we will have better pitching,” Feickert said. “We feel pretty good about that.”

CANYONS

COACH: Len Mohney, ninth season

1994 RECORD: 15-21; tied for fourth in Western State Conference South Division, 11-14

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Once again, a veteran pitching corps will lead the Cougars. The only starting position player with experience will be shortstop Shane Petrelli, who played first base last season. Catcher Jim Traylor is the only other sophomore position player. Top newcomers will include third baseman Brian Shaw and second baseman Gaby Halcovich, both of whom redshirted last season. Catcher/first baseman Jeff Brown (.379 at Saugus last season) will be counted on to contribute offensively along with Brian Powers, who did not play last season at Chaminade High but batted .494 as a junior and set a school single-season home run record with eight. “We are going to have a little more power than last year, but we are going to have to execute,” Mohney said. “I don’t think it’s a team that will have to play little-ball completely.” The Cougar forte, however, will be pitching. Four sophomores will anchor the staff, led by right-handers Gary Stephenson, Brad Coukos and Bobby Cowan, and left-hander Tom Manning. Cowan developed tendinitis in his elbow last season and sat out a month, but Mohney said the former Saugus High standout is back in form. “When those two guys (Stephenson and Cowan) pitch, I expect us to be in the game,” Mohney said.

OUTLOOK: The Cougars were ranked 19th in the state in a preseason poll by Collegiate Baseball but Mohney is baffled. “We are going to start eight freshmen. I don’t know how they came up with that poll. Probably tradition,” he said.

GLENDALE

COACH: Steve Coots, 18th season

1994 RECORD: 13-22; tied for fourth in WSC South,

11-14

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Nearly every power hitter from the team that led the WSC with 30 home runs last season has departed, including shortstop Randy Vickers (eight homers) and center fielder Bryan Warner (seven), who are playing professionally. Catcher Steve Mikesell returns, and with 20 freshmen on the roster, the Vaqueros will need him. Mikesell hit seven homers, drove in 16 runs and batted .312 last year. Outfielder Armando Mesa (.296) is the only other returner who had a productive year at the plate. The Vaqueros, however, landed switch-hitting first baseman/outfielder Pete Paciorek from San Marino High, who batted .515 and was named the Southern Section Division IV player of the year. The pitching staff, one of the worst in the WSC last season with a 5.59 ERA and more walks (117) than strikeouts (99), was depleted by graduation. Freshman right-hander Garrett Lee, who was 5-3 with a 1.43 ERA and walked only 15 in 68 2/3 innings at Crescenta Valley in 1994, will probably emerge as the team’s top hurler.

OUTLOOK: Unless the young pitchers hold their own, the Vaqueros could be in for a long season.

MOORPARK

COACH: Ken Wagner, sixth season

1994 RECORD: 20-17-1; second in WSC North, 12-10

PLAYERS TO WATCH: With several returning pitchers and a nice blend of veterans and freshmen who can handle the bat, this could be a banner season for the Raiders. Right-handers Rob Lanouette (5-2, 2.89 ERA), an all-division first-team pick last season, and Trevor Leppard, a former Simi Valley High standout who transferred from San Diego, will anchor the pitching staff. The infield will feature sophomore shortstop Ryan Briggs (.272) and sophomore second baseman Britten Pond (.261), both from Simi Valley, and third baseman Joel Mellinger, who batted .451 with three home runs at Royal High last year. Mellinger also set a school single-season record with seven triples. Another top freshman, Jason Adamson from Moorpark High, will help returner Aaron Whitley patrol the outfield. Adamson, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 33rd round last summer, batted .435 with four home runs and 24 RBIs to help the Musketeers to the Frontier League title. Whitley batted .355 with three triples and 15 RBIs for the Raiders and was named all-division.

OUTLOOK: Some of the North coaches look at Moorpark as one of the teams to beat and the Raiders seem to have the personnel to go after the title.

OXNARD

COACH: Chris Stevens, fourth season

1994 RECORD: 15-22; fourth in WSC North, 9-13

PLAYERS TO WATCH: With 12 pitchers whom Stevens says are trustworthy enough to take the mound at any time, the Condors appear overloaded at a position where talent is usually at a premium in junior college. Freshman right-hander Ray Clinton, The Times’ Ventura County pitcher of the year last season after setting a Newbury Park High record with 10 victories in 13 decisions, will be the No. 1 starter. Right-hander Armando Carrillo, a redshirt freshman from Oxnard High, will follow Clinton in the rotation. “Watch out for him,” Stevens said. “He is legit.” The other starters probably will be right-hander Rene Sanchez, who was 6-2 with a 0.86 ERA last season at Channel Islands High, and 6-foot-5 freshman left-hander Brian Downing, who was 4-5 with a 1.70 ERA at Thousand Oaks High. The Condors lack power and will try to exploit their speed to manufacture runs. Returning center fielder Andy Wilson (.313, four home runs, 22 RBIs) stole 15 bases in 1994 and will bat leadoff. Sophomore infielder Jason Young (.283), who will split time between second base and shortstop, also has good speed. Freshman right-fielder Jake Spahr, a left-hander who batted .307 at Camarillo High last season, will bat third and returning catcher Adam Basua (.313, four home runs, 16 RBIs) will provide punch in the middle of the lineup.

OUTLOOK: Stevens makes no bones about it--the arms will have to carry the Condors. “I don’t see our offense as anything extremely threatening. We’ll have to bunt, hit-and-run and steal some bases,” Stevens said. “We’ll win some games, but it’ll have to come through pitching and defense.”

PIERCE

COACH: Bob Lofrano, fifth season

1994 RECORD: 26-17; tied for first in the WSC South, 17-8

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Like most of the other area coaches, Lofrano is excited about his pitching corps. “Pitching might be our best department and hopefully that’ll lead to good defense,” he said. If the staff responds the way Lofrano hopes, the Brahmas will be a good bet to make the Southern California regionals for the fifth consecutive year. Right-handers Brandon Nickens and Jason Warren are battling for the No. 1 starting spot. Nickens finished 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA in four appearances last season and Warren was 4-5 with a 5.79 ERA in 15 games. Two freshmen, right-hander Jim DeBiase and left-hander Chris Leveque, also will start. DeBiase was 10-1 with a 2.44 ERA at Chatsworth High last season and Leveque was 10-1 with a 1.66 ERA at Notre Dame High two years ago. Sophomore right-hander Rusty Howard (5-0, 2.92 ERA) will be the stopper. The Brahmas batted .310 last year but three-fourths of their infield graduated, including third baseman Lou Tapia (.395) and first baseman Kevin Milligan (.355). However, second baseman Cesar Martinez (.350 and a team- record 38 stolen bases) returns to spark the offense from his leadoff spot and to anchor the defense. “I think he is one of the top players in Southern California,” Lofrano said. Former Kennedy High standout Billy Ramirez, who played at Glendale College in 1993, has been moved from shortstop to first base. Another candidate at first base will be freshman Carlos Nunez, an All-City player who hit seven home runs and stole 17 bases at Reseda High in 1994. Right-fielder John Novak (.273 with four home runs), a backup last season, is the only outfielder back.

OUTLOOK: Always in the hunt under Lofrano, the Brahmas will be in the chase for another WSC South Division title if the young players produce offensively. Pierce and Bakersfield tied for first place last year. But the division looks more balanced this time and any slip would be costly.

VALLEY

COACH: Chris Johnson, eighth season

1994 RECORD: 14-21-1; third in WSC South, 12-13

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Despite having a number of unproven players, Johnson is high on his team. The middle of the field should be Valley’s strength. The Monarchs return shortstop Erik Morante and second baseman Jose Velazquez. However, they played sparingly last season. Morante batted .171 in 71 at-bats and Velazquez had three hits and three RBIs in six at-bats. “(Morante) has developed big-time with the bat this fall. And he can (field) with anyone,” Johnson said. Velazquez’s brother, Rudy, will be an outfielder. Combined with the four Dorado brothers from Monroe High--three on the roster, one redshirting--the Monarchs can truly say they are family. Jorge Dorado, who batted .318 last year with 17 RBIs, will play second or third base and right-hander Juan Dorado had the team’s lowest earned-run average last season at 2.79. Freshman infielder Javier will join his brothers this season but Jaime will redshirt. Catcher John Shellabarger, a transfer from UCLA, and first baseman Steve Zorn, a Pepperdine transfer, will further strengthen the infield. Two freshmen from Hoover High, third baseman Ron Pirayoff (.500 last season) and right fielder Chris Butler (.390) should help offensively. Juan Dorado and sophomore Kevin Szymanski (2-1, 4.93 ERA) will anchor the pitching staff. “I think Szymanski is pretty legit at this point,” Johnson said. “He has been nails during the winter.”

OUTLOOK: Whether the Monarchs can challenge for the WSC South Division championship will depend on their pitching, perhaps the weakest part of the team now. Perhaps they can make up for it with hitting and defense . . . and the noise from all those relatives in the bleachers.

VENTURA

COACH: Don Adams, first season

1994 RECORD: 22-16; third in WSC North, 11-11

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Adams takes over for Gary Anglin, who resigned in 1994 after 17 seasons with the Pirates. Adams, Anglin’s top assistant for several years, inherited an inexperienced squad so thin on pitching that Ventura hurlers are primarily position players. For example, sophomore right-hander Brandon Knight (4-3, 3.48 ERA) also will play right field and sophomore right-hander Tim Farris (3-3, 3.00 ERA) will handle either corner. Knight, who already signed a letter of intent to play at USC next year, batted .343 with seven doubles and 24 RBIs as a freshman. The Pirates also return their leading hitter from last season, center fielder Jamal Nichols, who batted .351 and stole 19 bases. Freshman first baseman Jason Kimble batted .481 with 37 RBIs at Buena High last season and was the Channel League player of the year. Freshman shortstop Johnny Olivares batted .397 with five home runs at Channel Islands High. Middle infielder Joseph Jauregui from Santa Paula High (.450, seven triples, 25 stolen bases) also will contribute. “We have to find a spot for him,” Adams said. “He’s our fastest player. He might even play in the outfield.” Sam Monroy (.281) will play second base after backing up hard-hitting David Frazier last season. Freshman Rich Adams--no relation to the coach--will battle for an outfield spot. Adams batted .384 with three home runs and 14 RBIs last season at Newbury Park High.

OUTLOOK: Besides Adams at the helm, the new Ventura staff includes former Cal Lutheran hitting instructor Mark Magdaleno, outfield coach Tom Mendoza and pitching coach Mike Teron. Teron has his work cut out for him but Magdaleno has some lively bats to work with. “Mag has told our guys we’ll be a line-drive-hitting team and take advantage of the deep alleys (381 to the gaps, 430 to center field),” Adams said.