Sophomore Sistilli a Throwback at Alemany

It has been 11 years since left-hander Joey Rosselli was a pitcher at Alemany High. He was an All-Valley selection in football and baseball before reaching the major leagues with the San Francisco Giants in 1995.

Randy Thompson, first-year Alemany coach, is predicting sophomore right-hander Scott Sistilli will be the Indians’ best pitcher since Rosselli.

Sistilli, who had an 8-1 record on the junior varsity last season, struck out eight in six innings in his season debut, matching pitch for pitch against University’s highly regarded Ethan Katz.

“He throws 84, 85 mph, hits his spots and keeps the ball down,” Thompson said of Sistilli.

As a freshman, Sistilli was brought up for one varsity game and threw a complete-game victory in the San Luis Obispo tournament.

While he relies on his fastball, he throws an effective knuckleball at least five times a game.

“At the last minute, it just drops,” Sistilli said.

He possesses exceptional poise for a 15-year-old. Perhaps it has something to do with Sistilli having played baseball since before he reached kindergarten. He remembers the exact day he became a pitcher.

“I was about 3 1/2 watching a Dodger game,” he said. “I went out into the backyard and threw into a net.”

He has grown to 5 feet 11, 140 pounds, and could be the key player in helping Alemany (2-0) go from last place in the Mission League to challenging Chaminade and Crespi for first place.

Sistilli was among four sophomore starters on opening day for the Indians. Junior pitcher A.J. Anthony limited Redondo to one hit through six innings in his first start last week.

“The future is bright,” Thompson said.

Alemany has completed extensive field improvements, adding a new scoreboard, a new infield, a refurbished press box and brick behind home plate.

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Senior third baseman Adam Hersh is off to a fast start for Agoura (2-0). He went six for seven with three doubles last week in victories over Littlerock and Brea Olinda.

The Chargers host Burroughs (2-0) today in a quarterfinal of the El Segundo tournament.

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Sylmar (2-0) will have to play the first month of the season without one of its top returning players, pitcher-first baseman Greg Ramos, who broke his right arm in a snowboarding accident two weeks ago.

Ramos, a left-hander, probably won’t return until Easter break.

“I told these guys back in November they should stay away from hazardous activities that could be detrimental to their baseball,” Coach Gary Donatella said. “[Greg] was very upset. He knew he had let us down.”

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Senior catcher Nick Enciso of Hart could have warned Ramos about the dangers of snowboarding. He broke his neck as a 15-year-old and missed his sophomore season.

Finally healthy, Enciso had four hits and four runs batted in during victories over Moorpark and Bishop Montgomery.

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Warning to coaches: Don’t bunt against Crespi pitchers. Since three of Crespi’s pitchers are infielders, they’re good fielders.

“We’ve already seen four outs that I don’t think the normal pitcher would have gotten,” Coach Scott Muckey said.

Proving his back pains from last season are gone, third baseman Jonathan Oller had four hits and three RBIs in victories over Leuzinger and Banning.

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If Frontier League teams score against junior pitchers Justin Segal of Calabasas and Travis Flowers of Nordhoff, it will be big news.

Segal opened his season with a two-hit shutout against Notre Dame. Flowers pitched a one-hit shutout against St. Bonaventure.

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Crescenta Valley started five sophomores in its 10-0 opening victory over San Gabriel.

Coach Phil Torres is convinced his young players are ready to produce.

The sophomore starters are catcher Colt Forsythe, first baseman Jimmy Goffredo, shortstop Kyle Barratt, second baseman Aaron McGuinness and designated hitter Matt Miller.

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Top-ranked Westlake (2-0) plays at No. 2 Kennedy (2-0) on Thursday.

“I don’t have to sell it to [my players],” Coach Manny Alvarado of Kennedy said. “They know it’s a big game.”

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When umpires failed to show up for the Poly-Granada Hills game, assistant coach Jesse Carranza of Granada Hills was recruited to call balls and strikes. Based on his performance, he might want to become a regular umpire.

“He did a great job,” Poly Coach Chuck Schwal said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Top 10

Rankings of baseball teams from the region:

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Rk LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 Westlake (Marmonte) 2-0 2 2 Kennedy (Valley Mission) 2-0 3 3 Chatsworth (West Valley) 2-0 4 4 Camarillo (Pacific View) 2-0 5 5 Hart (Foothill) 2-0 6 8 Lancaster (Golden) 1-0-1 7 6 Chaminade (Mission) 1-1 8 NR Royal (Marmonte) 2-0 9 NR Crespi (Mission) 2-0 10 NR Sylmar (Valley Mission) 2-0

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Records through Monday