The Cypress High baseball team opened its Empire League campaign this week. The Centurions, the favorite to capture the league crown, looked impressive in their opener, too, which happened to be against their rival.
The Cypress High baseball team opened its Empire League campaign this week. The Centurions, the favorite to capture the league crown, looked impressive in their opener, too, which happened to be against their rival.
On Tuesday, March 26, Cypress defeated Kennedy High with a 4-0 shutout on the road to win the first game of the two-game series. The matchup could be described as a defensive showdown, with solid fielding efforts on both sides.
“We hadn’t played in a while,” Cypress High head coach John Weber said. “We played poorly in our last game, and fell apart … This was a good win for the team.”
The Centurions (8-3, 1-0), who opened the season with a five-game winning streak, had a bye during the first week of league play. Starting pitcher Trevor Hall didn’t appear too rusty, though. He threw a complete game to earn the shutout and improve his record to 6-1. He allowed only five hits, struck out three and hit a batter.
“He’s having a good season,” Weber said.
Hall received plenty of help from his defense, which made no errors. Stephen Lohn, who played at third base, led the team with six put-outs.
“We have got a good defense,” Weber said. “It’s been walks that have killed us this year.”
Junior Elijah Skipps had an impressive game at the plate. He went 2-for-3 with a scored run. David Fletcher, who went 2-for-4, came through with the most crucial at-bat. In the top of the third, he smacked a double that scored a pair of the runs.
The Centurions then added two more in the top of the fourth. Kevin Lillicrop earned an RBI with a sacrifice fly and Kennedy starter Ricky Marquez, who delivered a solid effort despite suffering the loss, then balked in another run.
“He didn’t come to a complete stop,” Kennedy head coach Conrad Colby said. “He’s done that a few times this year. He actually did it against Pacifica last week.”
Marquez, who also went the distance, allowed eight hits while striking out one.
Additionally for the Irish (5-7, 1-2), A.J. Franks, the team’s ace pitcher, went 2-for-3.
Kennedy opened its Empire League campaign last week by splitting a two-game series against Pacifica, the defending league champ. Franks threw a masterful two-hitter to help his earn its lone league win.
The Irish feature a solid defensive squad and made only one error against Cypress. It’s also managed to overcome the lose of a key player.
For the second consecutive year, infielder Philip Anderson has suffered a knee injury while playing football. He recovered in time to play last year, and he even earned a spot on the All-Empire League Second Team, but he will not return for the 2013 season.
“That a big loss for us,” Colby said. “He’s a team leader and will definitely be missed.”
Last year, the Centurions finished in second place in league play. They captured their last titles during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
The squad features a handful of players will go on to four-year universities. This list includes catcher Tyler Alamo (Cal State Fullerton), Lohr (Cal Baptist), Fletcher (Loyola Marymount), Steven Andrade (Cal State Pomona), Skipps (University of Arizona), and Lillicrop (Point Loma Nazarene).
Kennedy will send several players, such as Franks and Anderson, to Santa Ana College.
Cypress and Kennedy faced each other in a rematch on Thursday, March 28 and the Centurions held off the Fighting Irish, 2-1.