City Teams Must Deal With the Spector of Taft

The Spector brothers have been a big part of the Taft High baseball team for the past three seasons. Last week was a perfect example.

In three games Mitch Spector, a senior outfielder, Jeff, a junior pitcher and Jason, a junior shortstop, were 17 for 29, a .586 average.

Jason Spector had the biggest week, going seven for 10, scoring four runs, stealing four bases and adding three doubles.

Jeff Spector had three RBIs and Mitch had four doubles and four RBIs.

“Even by their standards, it was a big week,” Taft Coach Rich McKeon said.

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Pitchout: Cleveland started North Valley League play this week trailing Kennedy by one game. If the Cavaliers want to keep pace with the Golden Cougars, they’ll need better pitching from Max Santillan and Javier Gomez after losing Dan Palardy to academic ineligibility last week.

Santillan has pitched in 10 games, more than any City Section pitcher, and is 3-2 with a 2.83 earned-run average. Gomez is 3-2 with a 1.69 ERA.

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Frostbite: Michael Frost becomes red-hot whenever his coach challenges him.

Frost, a sophomore pitcher at Campbell Hall, has been prodded by Coach Joe Sciuto twice this season, leading to two outstanding performances.

After a poor outing by Frost against Flintridge Prep, Sciuto informed his ace that his ERA would suffer. Frost’s next performance was a complete-game shutout against Faith Baptist.

Last week, before the Vikings (8-6) played Harvard-Westlake, Sciuto said the Wolverines would undoubtedly score runs, because they’re a bigger school in a bigger league.

Frost allowed one hit and struck out nine batters in the Vikings’ 1-0 loss.

“It’s unintentional,” Sciuto said. “It just comes out that way. I don’t think he takes kindly to me underestimating him, which is a good thing. I like how he gets himself up for the big games.”

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Prodigious blast: When Tim Arroyo of Kennedy hit a home rum over the right-field fence at Kennedy last week, it wasn’t an ordinary blast. The ball landed on Woodley Avenue and was measured by team members at 500 feet, three inches.

SOCCER

Appealing decision: The City Section Rules Committee upheld an appeal by Poly that will allow its boys’ team to be eligible for the playoffs next season.

The Parrots were banned from the City playoffs last season because of an ineligible player and City rules would have kept them out of the playoffs again next season.

BASKETBALL

Double play: Michelle Greco, The Times’

Valley player of the year, will play in the Double Pump Classic on Saturday at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Also playing in the 5 p.m. girls’ all-star game are LeAnne Bennett of Ribet Academy and Lea Rice of Oceanside El Camino, who both have signed with Cal State Northridge.

Daniel Bobik of Newbury Park and Jedidiah Hall of Montclair Prep will play in the boys’ game at 7 p.m.

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Encore: A replay of Friday’s “Battle of the Valley” boys’ all-star game will be shown tonight at 7:30 on TCI cable in the East Valley.

The girls’ game is set for a Thursday showing at 7:30 p.m.