SGV set to defend title in Ohio

gnp-sgvpreviewTextIM290GR8SGV previewNews-Press GLENDALEBaseball: Winners of two of the last three crowns, San Gabriel Valley All-Stars head back to Babe Ruth World Series. SCHEDULE

Friday, Denham Springs, La. vs. San Gabriel Valley, 8 a.m.

Saturday, Muskingum Valley, Ohio vs. San Gabriel Valley, 2 p.m.

Monday, San Gabriel Valley vs. Columbia Basin, Wash., 8 a.m.

Tuesday, San Gabriel Valley vs. Stamford, Conn., 4:30 p.m.

— All times Pacific Standard Time

GLENDALE — It’s almost become an annual tradition for the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth All-Star team.

A trip back to Newark, Ohio nearly every August to participate in the Babe Ruth Baseball 16-18 World Series has turned out to be something of a routine visit for the team.

Winning also seems to be a tradition, as San Gabriel has captured two of the last three titles — 2004 and 2006.

That also goes a long way in explaining why this year’s quest for a repeat is not going to be a walk in the park.

“We’re not going to be really unknown this year,” said pitcher/infielder and former Crescenta Valley High standout Dustin Emmons. “[Other teams] are going to expect us.”

The mission for San Gabriel, which is comprised of current and past Crescenta Valley players Micah Dunham, Drew Elliott, Kris Kauppila, Daniel Park and Zack Torres and other players from the region, is set to kick off with pool-play on Friday at 8 a.m. PDT against Denham Springs, La.

No longer the underdog, the team — which San Gabriel Coach Phil Torres deems the youngest squad he’s taken to Ohio — will no doubt get nothing short of its opponents’ best effort.

“Last year, we kinda overpowered everyone we played,” Dunham said. “This year, it’s gonna be a dog fight each game.”

This year’s squad features only six returnees from the title run a year ago, but also boasts a great mix of athletic ability all the way through the lineup.

Also, a handful of other team members have experience playing in the World Series at a younger age and high school playoff experience, something that could be key.

“I’ve got two CIF Players of the Year [Maverick Olivares and Rob Rasmussen] and eight guys who’ve been All-CIF in one sport or another,” said Torres, who is also the coach of Crescenta Valley and is joined by Falcons assistants Dave Mendoza, Brent Forsee and Darrin Beer as coaches on the San Gabriel staff. “I’ve got guys who’ve won.”

Leading the way will be a strong pitching staff, centered around Rasmussen, Emmons and Noe Ramirez.

The trio will have to pave the way for San Gabriel, as it plays in The Babe Ruth National Complex at Don Edwards Park, a spacious facility where balls tend not to carry, making for potentially low-scoring affairs.

“Pitching is going to have to carry us,” Phil Torres said.

Unlike last year, San Gabriel will hope to avoid a letdown early on.

The squad dropped its opening game of the double-elimination tournament, sending it into the loser’s bracket.

The championship was eventually won, but it was an uphill battle the team hopes not to repeat.

“Obviously, we want to win again,” Dunham says. “We just have to play our game and not get caught up in the atmosphere.”

It should help that San Gabriel, which also captured the tournament’s title in 1970, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1993 and 1999 and turned out standouts including Trevor Bell, Aaron McGuinness and P.J. Rousey, will have an extra day before its opening game to get comfortable with its surroundings after arriving on Wednesday.

“That’s huge,” Phil Torres said. “It’s nice to have a day after you travel to get acclimated.”