Paraclete Finally Plugs Holes

Ed t’Sas couldn’t stomach the mistakes much longer.

Always known as a coach who preached error-free baseball, t’Sas was experiencing all sorts of problems in his first year at Paraclete High.

The Spirits committed 52 errors in their first 11 games.

Not surprisingly, t’Sas, who coached for eight seasons at Antelope Valley, thought he erred in taking the Paraclete job.

“It was frustrating,” he said. “We were never known as a poor defensive team [at Antelope Valley]. That was always one of our big strengths, that we were going to field the ball.”

Defensive changes were made, none more important than moving first baseman Travis Billet to catcher.

“We didn’t know he was quite as good as he is,” t’Sas said.

The other parts fell into place. Pitcher Jason Brown struggled at first, but is 7-3.

Rob Fockaert, a quarterback who led the Spirits to three consecutive Southern Section championships, remained steady at shortstop.

The Spirits (10-14) have won six of seven games and host top-seeded St. Bonaventure today in a Division V quarterfinal.

Paraclete split with St. Bonaventure in a nonleague doubleheader, winning, 9-3, and losing, 5-0.

Regardless of the outcome today, t’Sas, who said he will leave Paraclete after this season, helped steady the Spirits. Their 4-13 start is a distant memory.

“Hopefully it doesn’t go to anybody’s heads,” t’Sas said.

*

Palmdale has been eliminated from the playoffs, but a Matt Harrington clone will play against Hart.

Michael Stodolka, a fireballer from Corona Centennial who has signed with UCLA, is expected to start against the Indians today in a Division II quarterfinal at Hart.

Like Harrington, Stodolka is expected to be a first-round pick in the amateur baseball draft next week.

Like Harrington, Stodolka, 6 feet 2 and 195 pounds, has been clocked in the mid-90s mph.

Unlike Harrington, Stodolka is a left-hander.

Hart’s answer? A lot of batting practice against lefties.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

City Section

First Round

(3 p.m. games)

City Championship

Today

Grant at Chatsworth

Kennedy at Carson

Marshall at San Fernando

Granada Hills at San Pedro

Sylmar at El Camino Real

Westchester at Poly

City Invitational

Wilson at North Hollywood

Venice at Cleveland

Verdugo Hills at Bell

Van Nuys at Palisades

Garfield at Monroe

Narbonne at Birmingham

Southern Section

Quarterfinals

(3:15 p.m. games)

Today

Division I

Camarillo vs. Long Beach Wilson

at Blair Field

Division II

Santa Barbara at Thousand Oaks

Corona Centennial at Hart

Division III

Westlake at Charter Oak

Division IV

South Hills at Notre Dame

Chaminade at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Division V

St. Bonaventure at Paraclete

Santa Ana Calvary Christian vs.

Village Christian at Tujunga

Little League Field

Division VI

Thacher at Grace Brethren

Faith Baptist at Bloomington Christian