Player of the Year

The lunch bell rings at Hart High and the chaos begins.

Students bolt from classrooms and race for their cars or jockey for position at the cafeteria.

Then there’s Bill Susdorf.

The Hart High senior slides into the driver’s seat of his car and heads home to do some work. When he arrives, he grabs a bat, steps into the backyard batting cage and flips on the pitching machine.

This, he thinks as he swings away, is the best way to spend lunchtime.

Susdorf, an outfielder-pitcher who signed with UCLA, isn’t done. He returns to school and hits during fifth period. Then he’ll hit again during baseball practice ... and again when he returns home, this time for an hour and a half.

In Susdorf’s case, practice made perfection. He hit .518 with 19 doubles, four home runs and 27 runs batted in as the Indians’ leadoff hitter.

As a relief pitcher, he had a region-high eight saves and a. 0.36 earned-run average, striking out 34 and walking none in 19 1/3 innings for the Foothill League champions.

And, for the second consecutive year, Susdorf is The Times’ Valley player of the year.

Susdorf didn’t so much play baseball at Hart. He lived it, putting together two superb seasons and securing a place among the region’s all-time best.

I can’t believe that anybody would have two bigger monster years than Bill had with us,” Coach Jim Ozella said. “I’m glad we didn’t ever have to face him. I wouldn’t know how to get him out.”

Most teams didn’t.

Despite moving from No. 3 batter to leadoff, Susdorf terrorized pitchers. In the Indians’ only regular-season loss, he had four hits against ace Jake Coash. He also stole a team-high 12 bases for the Indians (26-2), who were 74-11 during Susdorf’s three varsity seasons.

Susdorf batted .476 as a junior, with 13 doubles, five home runs and 40 RBIs. As a sophomore, he hit .398 with 22 RBIs.

Susdorf also was a skilled closer. He had 10 saves and a 0.30 ERA as a junior, showing good pop with his fastball.

“He was basically perfect in relief,” Ozella said. “He came in and slammed the door for us.”

School has ended for the year at Hart, but Susdorf isn’t done with baseball. He is playing in a college league in Santa Maria this month.

And if someone’s trying to find him during lunch, he’s not overly difficult to track down. Just listen for the sound of the bat smacking a ball.

*

Jake Coash: Canyon, Jr., Pitcher. The strong-armed left-hander was 8-3 with a 2.08 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings. He was the only pitcher to defeat Hart during the regular season.

Abraham Gonzalez: San Fernando, Sr., Pitcher. Gonzalez helped the Tigers to a share of the Valley Mission League championship. He was 11-1 with a 1.43 ERA, and was league co-MVP.

Bobby Paschal: Chaminade, Jr., Pitcher. The left-hander led Chaminade to the Division IV semifinals. He was, 12-1 with a 1.05 ERA. He started the season with a scoreless streak of 30 1./3 innings.

Jose Carrillo: Birmingham, Jr., Catcher. Carrillo has .118 hits in three years. This season he batted .456 with 12 doubles and 34 RBIs.

Chris Giordano: Hart, Jr., Infielder. In his first varsity season, the smooth second baseman hit .366 with 14 doubles, five home runs and a team-high 40 RBIs for the Foothill League champions.

Cody Haerther: Chaminade, Jr., Infielder. Haerther ended the season with a 27-game hitting streak. He batted .466 with 31 RBIs and played superbly at third base for the Mission League champions.