Talent-Rich Thousand Oaks Uncovers More Diamonds

Four Thousand Oaks High seniors have dominated headlines and all-league lists for three years. And for good reason. Pitchers Chris Cordeiro and Tracy Goebel were good as sophomores and continue to improve. Same with middle infielders Billy Lockin and Adam Leavitt.

But two other seniors have quietly made strong contributions to the Lancers’ 14-3 season: Greg Simonetti and Ryan Donahue.

Simonetti, a right-hander in his first varsity season, is 5-1 with a 1.08 earned-run average. His best effort resulted in a no-decision.

In a nonleague game Saturday night, Simonetti struck out 11 against Lakewood, ranked No. 1 in Division I. He left with the score tied, 2-2, in the seventh inning and Lakewood won in extra innings.

“That was the best-pitched game I’ve seen in five years,” Thousand Oaks Coach Bill Sizemore said. “He was throwing four pitches for strikes.”

Donahue, a left-handed hitting third baseman, is batting .429 with eight doubles. Although this is his fourth varsity season, Donahue has endured a bumpy road.

He won the shortstop job as a freshman, beating out two seniors. But a knee injury sidelined him nearly his entire sophomore year, and fellow sophomores Lockin and Leavitt cemented themselves as the middle infielders.

After a short trial in the outfield, Donahue moved to third base last season and had difficulty adjusting, batting .289. Before this season, Sizemore told him that unless he improved as a hitter, he could expect to be a pinch-runner.

“I wanted to play, I didn’t want to pinch-run,” Donahue said. “That lit a fire under me.”

Sandwiched in the No. 2 slot in the batting order between Lockin and Leavitt, Donahue has flourished.

“When he was a freshman, he took a senior’s spot,” Sizemore said. “Now as a senior, he could have lost his position to a freshman. But he was not going to let that happen. He’s done a great job, just outstanding.”

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Win or lose, Simi Valley has a great Day.

John Day, a third-year starter at second base, is batting .453, more than 150 points higher than he has previously hit. It’s no accident.

“John is the hardest worker I’ve come across in a long time,” Coach Joe Gordon said. “He approaches the game the way every kid should. I definitely think he can play college baseball.”