BOYS’ ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Kurt Birkins

YEAR: Senior

SCHOOL: El Camino Real

SPORTS: Baseball

SEASON AT GLANCE: Pitching better and better as the season progresses, the left-handed Birkins has given up two runs in his past four starts. Birkins is 6-0 with a 2.57 earned-run average and 44 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. Birkins is fourth on the Conquistadores with a .326 batting average and is second with 17 runs batted in.

WEEK AT A GLANCE: El Camino Real High finally hit its stride, sweeping two games from fourth-ranked Kennedy and defeating San Fernando. In a 12-1 victory over Kennedy, Birkins had a season-high 10 strikeouts and gave up five hits in the six-inning game. Two days later, Birkins had the game-tying single and pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory over Kennedy, 5-4.