One such member of the San Diego Stars is relief pitcher
ANTONIO DIAZ, who has made steady improvement in his
19 innings of work. So given the opportunity to start
in Tuesday's (July 20) Western Baseball Association
contest, Diaz may soon be viewed differently by both
collegiate and professional scouts.
Diaz carried a perfect game into the 4th inning, tossing
2-hit ball in his six innings of work. PETE MALLOY,
normally a leader in the Stars starting rotation, followed
with a rare appearance out of the bullpen to register
a 3-inning save, pacing the Stars to an 8-1 triumph
over the host San Diego Waves at Escondido High School
The win gives the Stars (28-7 overall, 13-2 WBA South)
a 5-2 season-series advantage over the second-place
Waves, including a 3-1 mark in league play.
Diaz needed a mere 28 pitches to nail the first nine
Waves batters through the opening three innings, then
retired the leadoff batter in the 4th. His lone mistake
followed when Drake Fages tagged a hanging curveball
down the left-field line for a solo homer.
However, the Stars answered with a 7-run deluge in
the 7th to chase the shutout bid of Waves starter Chris
Brookey, who tossed six solid frames with his own curve.
The outburst was capped by a 2-run basehit by left fielder
ANTHONY WILLIAMS, who collected two of the Stars' 11
hits.
Malloy then entered, stopping the Waves on just one
hit. He struck out four batters, retiring the final
five batters. He was backed by a nice defensive stop
by second baseman ANTHONY LONG, who made a nice dive
to prevent a ball from skipping into right field, then
firing to Malloy covering at first base to end the 7th.
The Stars complete WBA play on Wednesday against the
San Diego Mavericks, starting at 5 p.m. The team then
plays five non-league games over the weekend to complete
the regular season, including a home doubleheader with
the Los Angeles Thrashers on Sunday at noon.
Stars Bursts – The Stars announced they
will enter the National Baseball Congress World Series
in Wichita, Kan., instead of offering a competing event.
The Stars to open tournament play on Mon., Aug. 2, the
fourth day of the 76th annual event.
Buoyed by a pair of home runs by BRIAN SOS, plus a
2-run shot by SHAIN STONER, the Stars clinched their
fifth Western Baseball Association pennant in seven
seasons after pasting the San Diego Waves, 9-5, in the
second game of Sunday's (July 18) doubleheader at Stars
Field.
The Waves captured the opener, 16-5 in 7 innings, making
life dicey for the Stars, knowing the Waves needed to
sweep the 3-game series for a shot at stealing the crown.
However, ROBBY SCOTT slugged a 2-run single in the 3rd
inning for a 4-0 lead in the nightcap before the Old
School power display.
Sos opened the 4th with a towering homer to left field
to counter three Waves runs which trimmed the lead to
4-3. Then in the 5th, Stoner and Sos went back-to-back
– Stoner hit a 2-run shot to left, then Sos went
to the opposite field in right – to make it 9-3.
JEREMY LAUB tossed eight solid innings for the Stars
(27-7 overall, 12-2 WBA South). Laub allowed just four
hits, then TAYLOR KLUGMAN pitched the 9th, gaining the
final out when shortstop ROBBY SCOTT flagged a ball
in the hole, yet was able to toss the ball to ANTHONY
WILLIAMS at third base for a fielder's choice tag out.
Ward toss a complete-game 3-hitter with eight strikeouts
to run his record to 4-0, lifting the Stars past the
San Diego Force, 5-1, in Western Baseball Association
action Thursday (July 15) at Stars Field.
The Stars (26-6 overall, 10-1 WBA South) need only
to win just one of three upcoming ballgames against
the second-place San Diego Waves to clinch the ballclub's
fifth league title in seven seasons. The loss also eliminated
the Force from title consideration after Ward's effort
capped a 5-game regular season sweep from the defending
South Division titlist.
The only run allowed came without the aid of a basehit,
as Devon King (walk, stolen base) beat the throw to
the plate on an infield grounder. However, Stars second
baseman ANTHONY LONG later was the pivot man on a pair
of Stars double plays to aid Ward's effort.
Long also produced a pair of Stars runs. He tripled
and scored on a SHAIN STONER sacrifice fly in the 5th,
then lifted his own sac fly in the 9th, one of three
such scoring plays.
The first came off the bat of DEREK BAUM in the 2nd
inning to give the Stars an early 2-0 lead. The sac
fly immediately followed a run-scoring basehit by JAKE
SAVICKI, allowing BRIAN SOS to score the first of his
two runs on the humid afternoon.
Slavic also doubled home Sos in the 4th in a 2-for-3
outing. Meanwhile, shortstop ROBBY SCOTT batted 2-for-3
with a pair of walks, moving his average to within grasp
of the ,400 plateau, second on the club to the .407
mark of MICHAEL LANGE.
Stars Bursts – Friday's game with the Lake
Elsinore Caps has been cancelled so Stars players and
staff members can attend the funeral of Chelsea Jenner,
19, the sister of infielder GARRETT JENNER, who is on-loan
to the Heroes of the Diamond national touring team.
She was lost in an auto accident in Alpine last Saturday.
SAL RAMIREZ, making only his second appearance of the
season, tossed five solid innings in a starting role
to collect the victory, After allowing an early run
in the 1st inning, he settled in and yielded just three
hits during his stint. BRANDON BELL and JEREMY LAUB
followed to blank the Waves over the final four frames,
as the trio combined on a 5-hitter.
The Stars (22-6 overall) answered the Waves early marker
with four runs in the bottom of the 1st.
With the bases loaded, designated hitter Michael Lange
punched a 2-run single to right field, scoring both
Robby Scott (lead walk) and Clifton Thomas (single)
for a 2-1 advantage.
Taylor Eichhorst followed with an RBI single to bring
home Kevin Lovelace (walk), But when the Waves left
fielder booted the ball, Lange also scored for a 4-1
cushion.
Jake Savicki added a pinch-hit triple in the 5th, bringing
home Scott, who batted 2-for-3 with a walk. It was Savicki's
club-leading 6th triple of the summer campaign.
Catcher Dallas Martin added an insurance run in the
8th with a base hit, scoring Chris Allen.
The Waves forced the playback final after winning twice
earlier in the day.
In the challenger bracket final, the Waves eliminated
the San Diego Shockers, 4-1, then they nipped the Stars,
4-3, in the first game of the championship round despite
a 150-pitch, complete-game effort by Stars starter Pete
Malloy. Lange also registered a pair of RBI singles.
The loss was the first setback in the regional for
the Stars, who captured the winners bracket on Sunday
over the Waves, 2-1.
'With the tournament victory, the Stars earned a berth
to the NBC World Series, slated for August 2-15 in Wichita,
Kan.
The Stars will play the Poway Thunder on Friday at
5 p.m.
Ward claims pitchers' duel, Stars advance to title
contest
After allowing a game-opening single, Ward, a product
of Cal Lutheran, then lasted 7 1/3 innings without allowing
a basehit, leading the Stars to a 2-1 triumph over the
San Diego Waves in Sunday's (July 4) winners bracket
final at Stars Field.
Ward faced just two batters above the minimum through
seven frames in a scoreless pitchers' duel with Waves
left-hander Chris Brookey until Stars veteran BRIAN
SOS broke through in the 6th inning.
Following a leadoff walk to KEVIN LOVELACE, a pair
of Stars batters were unable to advance Lovelace, who
was making his first start at second base. However,
Sos delivered with a drive which short-hopped the wall
in dead-center field, with Lovelace circumnavigating
the diamond on the booming double.
Sos later scored when SHAIN STONER, who gained a rare
start at third base, saw his fly ball dropped for a
2-0 advantage.
Ward then survived a series of three singles in the
8th, capped by an RBI basehit by Tim Zier, then a Stars
error in the 9th to collect the victory. The left-hander
struck out three and walked two.
In his complate-game effort, Ward was backed by a pair
of double plays, both started by Stars shortstop ROBBY
SCOTT. For the Waves, Zier registered a pair of diving
catches at second base to maintain the scoreless tie
in the early going. Zier also collected half of the
Waves' four hits.
For the Stars, right fielder JAKE SAVICKI batted 2-for-3,
while Lovelace went 1-for-2 and walked twice.
The Stars (21-5 overall) will play in the 1 p.m. championship
round. Since it was just the first loss for the Waves,
they play in the 9:30 a.m. challenger bracket final
against the San Diego Shockers. A playback final, if
needed, is slated for 4:30 p.m.
So when San Diego Stars manager MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN realized
that his top two choices for Saturday's (July 3) starting
pitching assignment would be late scratches, the skipper
needed to go with a pair of young arms.
And for the better.
Behind five solid innings by last-minute starter JEREMY
LAUB, then four frames of relief by seldom-used RICKY
NORTON, the Stars staved a late rally by the West Coast
Storm to claim an 8-6 decision in the winners bracket
semifinal of the National Baseball Congress Western
Regional.
The Stars will host NBC Southern California Regional
champion San Diego Waves in Sunday's winner's bracket
final, slated for 4:30 p.m. at Stars Field. The Waves
advance after whipping Western Baseball Association
rival San Diego Force, 13-5.
Deutschman was pleased with his young guns. Laub sat
down 15 of the first 18 batters he faced, while Norton
closed with three innings of 1-hit ball (an infield
single) to move his ballclub within a game of a money
round berth.
"Both guys haven't thrown many innings this summer,"
said Deutschman. "But both went as hard as they
could for as long as they could, proving to be good
enough."
As a spot starter, Laub has proven effective for about
60 pitches before hitting a bit of a wall. And against
the Storm, Laub yielded just a run on two hits in five
solid innings of work.
However, in the 6th, immediately after hitting the
magic 60 number, Deutschman quickly pulled Laub following
a pair of walks to load the bases with no one out.
Enter Norton, who sat on the bench with another program
for more than three weeks before asking for his release
and hooking on with the Stars. Entering from the bullpen,
Norton owned a single inning of work all summer in a
mop-up roll the previous day in a pasting of Heroes
of the Diamond.
"It wasn't my best effort – I'll get better,"
said Norton, who was all smiles after switching from
a last-place program to one which now sports a 20-5
overall record in the Stars.
Deutschman was doing anything but complaining, too.
"The first time we saw him throw a bullpen, we
couldn't believe his previous team never used him,"
said Deutschman. "Ricky's got a ton of talent."
Although the Storm scored in the 6th-inning rally,
Norton quelled the opponent to maintain the Stars' lead,
eventually collecting his first career save.
The Stars mounted an early 5-0 advantage.
In the 1st inning, then scored without the aid of a
basehit. ANTHONY LONG accepted a leadoff walk, stole
second base, took third on a deep fly ball, then scored
on a ground out by ROBBY SCOTT.
In the 3rd, the Stars scored four times, as Long singled
home the first run to plate ANTHONY WILLIAMS (single,
stolen base),
CLIFTON THOMAS, better known for his speed on the basepaths,
then bombed his second homer of the summer to deep right
field. The shot ended a mild 1-for-9 slump and lifted
the ballclub to a 4-0 lead.
Scott, who would later add an RBI double in the 5th,
followed with a walk, scoring on an ensuing double by
designated hitter MICHAEL LANGE.
Long, Thomas, Lange and Williams all collected two
hits each, but the team leader was left fielder SHAIN
STONER, who batted 3-for-5 and scored an important insurance
run in the 8th on a Williams basehit.
Two-year layoff fails to stop Martin Stars advance to NBC regional Final Four
However, the Stars' search for another backstop may
have ended when a member of the ballclub called upon
one of his old high school teammates.
"I immediately thought about DALLAS MARTIN,"
said Stars outfielder RYAN BROSNAN. "He told me
that he hadn't played in two years, but was willing
to give it a try."
And with the Stars set to meet a depleted opponent
in the military-based Heroes of the Diamond – most
members of the international travel club were still
on the East Coast – Stars manager MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN
thought he'd throw the Santana High product into the
fire.
Did somebody say two years or two days?
With former Sultans coach JERRY HENSON in attendance,
Hubbard deposited the third pitch he saw over the left-field
fence for a 2-run, 1st-inning homer, then he added a
2-run single in the 3rd inning during a 4-for-4 performance,
pacing the Stars to an easy 18-3 decision.
The triumph, coupled with a 13-3 victory over the Lake
Elsinore Caps earlier in the day, lifted the Stars (19-5
overall) into the winners bracket semifinals of the
National Baseball Congress West Regional tournament.
The Stars will meet the West Coast Storm (Costa Mesa)
in Saturday's (July 3) 4:30 p.m. Final Four ballgame.
ADRIAN BRINGAS went 3-for-3 plus a sacrifice fly, while
NICK SPEARS came off the bench to also go 3-for-3. Bringas
also batted 2-for-4 with four RBI in the opener, backing
the pitching of starter LUCAS WHITMORE, who yielded
just a pair of basehits over 8 dominate innings.
Baum, before getting rested in the second game, batted
2-for-4 and drove in a pair against the Caps. ANTHONY
LONG went 3-for-4 with three runs and a pair of RBI,
while MICHAEL LANGE smacked a 3-run homer in the 9th
to cap the blowout.
On Wednesday (June 30), those players provided the firepower
to put away the San Diego Force, effectively eliminating
them from the Western Baseball Association pennant chase.
TAYLOR EICHHORST came off the bench and went 2-for-2 at
the plate, including a booming double, while former Pacific
Coast Athletic Conference player of the year ADRIAN BRINGAS
belted a pinch-hit double in his first appearance of the
season, powering the Stars to a 7-2 pasting.
The triumph expanded the Stars lead to three full games
over the San Diego Waves in the WBA South Division (pending
Wednesday's late Waves-Heroes of the Diamond contest).
"As a manager, to have the depth we have on our bench
is really a special situation," said Stars manager
MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN. "We even had a player who was
thinking team first and took himself out when he felt
sick, yet we stick someone else in there and didn't miss
a beat."
Eichhorst opened the 7th inning with his pinch-hit double,
eventually scoring the team's fifth unearned run to take
a 5-0 lead when a roller by catcher DEREK BAUM was booted.
But in the 8th, the Stars needed no assistance.
Bringas bombed a shot to the wall in right-center field,
scoring CHRIS ALLEN, who walked as a leadoff pinch-hitter.
Eichhorst, finally getting healthy following a wrist injury,
followed with a line single to right to bring home Bringas
for a 7-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Force sat several of their regulars after
managing just four runs on nine hits in two previous WBA
setbacks to the Stars. However, Stars pitchers GABE WARD
(6 innings) and JEREMY LAUB (2 innings) combined for a
3-hit shutout until the Force avoided the shutout with
a pair of 9th-inning runs.
Then the Force defense was affected by the changes, committing
four errors, including three in the 3rd (two on one play)
when the Stars scored four times on a just one hit –
an infield single by Baum.
Included was a grounder off the bat of CLIFTON THOMAS,
but the Force shortstop "matadored" the ball
for the first error, then the center fielder overran the
roller to allow Thomas reach third base as ANTHONY WILLIAMS
and ANTHONY LONG both came home to open the scoring.
ROBBY SCOTT walked, then tried to steal second base. But
when the throw went through the diamond, Thomas burst
home to score on the double-steal.
On the relay throw back to the plate, the ball went to
the backstop to give Scott third base. He would score
to make it 4-0 on a ground ball by BRIAN SOS.
Ward needed little other assistance. Despite walking fiver
batters, Ward struck out three and allowed just a pair
of basehit.
While the Force defense collapsed, the Stars completed
a pair of double plays. But the biggest defensive stop
set the tone for the ballgame in the 1st.
Following a game-opening walk to BRANDON DECKER, the Granite
Hills High product took second base on a wild pitch, then
tried to score on a basehit by another former Eagle in
JOSH MILLER. However, Williams collected the ball in right
field and fired a strike to Baum at the plate to easily
nail Decker by 8-10 feet.
The Stars (17-5 overall, 8-1 WBA) will now take a 2-week
break from league play. They will entertain the Lake Elsinore
Caps in Friday's opening round of the National Baseball
Congress West Regional. Game time has been moved up to
1:30 p.m.
The NBC qualifier event continues through Monday (June
5), with the championship round slated for 1 p.m. The
Stars are the defending champions.
Stars claim 1st-place showdown Malloy moves to 4-0 with 4-hitter
"Pete Malloy," said Stars assistant coach MARIO
KNORR. "If we wasn't for Pedro, we wouldn't be where
we are."
The Stars current location: first place.
Following a 3-1 decision, the Stars now hold a 2 1/2
game lead over the Waves – the only teams with
winning records among South Division ballclubs –
as the WBA summer schedule hit the midway point.
Malloy carried a 2-hit shutout into the 9th inning,
finishing with a 4-hitter. The Stars veteran struck
out six, including all three Waves batters in the 8th
inning, and walked just one to raise his record to 4-0
in front of representatives from the Major League Baseball
Scouting Bureau.
Many of the scouts were on hand to see CLIFTON THOMAS,
who turned a team mistake into a run in the 1st inning.
Following consecutive basehits by ANTHONY LONG and
Thomas put runners on the corners to open the game,
Stars personnel mentioned after the game that some thought
a hit-and-run was on, while others believed a sign was
given for a double-steal.
So when Thomas got caught off first base, his speed
was able to force six throws in a rundown, giving Long
an opportunity to race home for the game's opening run.
In the 7th, a pair of opening singles by ROBBY SCOTT
and BRIAN SOS, followed by a walk to SHAIN STONER, loaded
the bases with no outs.
The Stars then scored twice on a walk to catcher DEREK
BAUM, followed by a sacrifice fly to the warning track
in left field by pinch-hitter ANTHONY WILLIAMS against
the Waves bullpen.
Stoner collected two of the Stars' six hits, while
Baum walked three times.
The Stars return home on Wednesday (June 30), hosting
the San Diego Force at Stars Field starting at 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, the sinking Force fell in 11 innings to
the San Diego Mavericks, 2-1, falling to within a half-game
of the last-place Mavs.
Thomas, a product of El Cajon Valley High, batted 3-for-5
with a solo homer and three RBI, pacing the Stars to a
7-5 triumph over the San Diego Force in Thursday's (June
24) Western Baseball Association contest at Stars Field.
While the sudden stroke of power with his 4th-inning
blast may have been surprising, Thomas also stayed with
the script with a basehit and a pair of stolen bases
in the 1st, leading to the game's opening run in the
Stars' wire-to-wire victory.
Thomas later added a sacrifice fly in the 2nd for a
3-0 lead, then stroked a key insurance run in the 8th
after the Force trimmed a 6-2 deficit into a 6-5 nail-biter
before Thomas knocked in ANTHONY LONG, who blasted a
lead triple to chase a Force pitcher.
Thomas followed with his key, line single on the very
first pitch off Joshua Pond.
Meanwhile, the Stars received strong relief from JOHN
BASNIGHT, who survived a pair of early walks in the
7th in tossing three innings of 1-hit ball to garner
his first save of the season. The victory went to KEVIN
McCLAUGHRY, who allowed just a single hit in his five
innings, capped a streak of solid pitching by Stars
pitchers this week.
"It was a big, 3-game series for us," said
Stars coach MARIO KNORR, who took over the managerial
reigns this week while Stars skipper MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN
was on assignment. "We saw three really effective
starts by our left-handers in every ballgame, then Basnight
picked us up with three strong innings out of the bullpen."
Following victories over Heroes of the Diamond by PETE
"Pedro" MALLOY, and the San Diego Mavericks
by GABE WARD, McClaughry dominated the Force in the
early going. He struck out five of the first six batters
he faced, then was tagged for an unearned run in the
3rd.
Conversely, the Stars scored over each of the first
five innings.
ROBBY SCOTT started the scoring parade, singling Thomas
home in the 1st. Scott later smacked a double and a
triple, falling just a homer short of hitting for the
cycle.
SHAIN STONER added an RBI double to plate TAYLOR EICHHORST
(walk) in the 1st. He later bombed a lead triple in
the 5th, scoring on a line single to left by BRIAN SOS.
Thomas and DEREK BAUM lifted sacrifice flies in the
2nd and 3rd, respectfully, then Thomas went deep to
right field in the 4th.
Among the 13 hits by the Stars (15-3 overall, 6-1 WBA),
eight went for extra bases.
For the Force, right fielder JULIO TORRES batted 3-for-4
and scored twice.
The Stars take a rare Saturday off, returning to action
Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader against WBA North Division
rival East Los Angeles Dodgers at Stars Field.
Back from injury, Lovelace leads Stars past Mavericks,
10-3
And things kept improving for the product of San Pasqual
High and Central Arizona College. In an Apr. 11 doubleheader
against Willamette, Lovelace, the Warriors leadoff batter,
went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI in the opener,
then came off the bench to belt a 2-run, pinch-hit single
in the second contest.
A few days later, a single miss-step ended the season
for the .317 hitter. On the ensuing roadtrip to British
Columbia while on a morning jog, Lovelace somehow fell
to the ground, dislocating his kneecap.
Two months later, Lovelace looked in mid-season form for
the San Diego Stars semipro baseball team. For the second
straight ballgame, Lovelace registered a multi-hit outing,
keying the Stars to a 10-3 pasting of the San Diego Mavericks
in Western Baseball Association action at Alliant International
University.
On Wednesday (Apr. 23), Lovelace stroked an RBI double
to bring home ANTHONY LONG (lead single, stolen base)
for a quick 1-0 lead. Lovelace added a second double to
set-up a 7-run outburst in the 6th to snap a 1-1 deadlock,
then sent a grounder to the right side for another run
in the 8th.
Throw in a 2-for-2 (plus a walk) outing in Tuesday's 12-0
run-rule route of Heroes of the Diamond, Lovelace is now
batting .571 out of the gate for the Stars (14-3 overall,
4-1 WBA South).
Designated hitter NICK SPEARS went 3-for-3 with a double,
then right fielder JAKE SAVICKI pounded his sixth triple
in the 6th, driving in a pair of runs to cap the outburst.
The triple also chased Mavericks starting pitcher Raymond
Musgrove, who pitched just three innings as a senior at
Poway High in 2008, but has since developed an effective
changeup.
Meanwhile, Stars starting pitcher GABE WARD survived
an extended pitch count with seven solid innings to
collect the victory. He struck out eight and walked
just two batters.
For the Mavericks (record unknown; information not listed
on team or league website), left fielder Mike Booth
batted 3-for-4 plus a walk, including a game-tying basehit
in the 3rd.
The Stars, which own an 11-2 home-field record, meet
the San Diego Force at 5 p.m. Thursday at Stars Field.
San Diego Force at San Diego
Stars (Slideshow by Gary Sos)
Malloy needed just 107 pitches in his masterpiece. Among
the four hits allowed, one was quickly erased when right
fielder JAKE SAVICKI knocked down a basehit to the gap,
deflecting the ball to center fielder CLIFTON THOMAS,
who fired a strike to ANTHONY LONG at second base to nail
a Force batter who attempted to take an extra base.
The Stars defense also turned a double play to offset
an error in the second inning, then Savicki raced deep
into the right field corner to snare another Force drive
to aid Malloy.
"Jake made an outstanding effort even to get to the
ball," said Stars manager MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN. "In
fact, all three of our outfielders made great efforts
today."
A near-miss by Stars left fielder ALLEN BOYER saw him
race from the gap to the line, only to short-hop a basehit.
However, he still made a dive to glove the ball and limit
a Force batter to a single on a liner which normally goes
for two bases.
"Of all the teams we've had, this easily has the
most speed," added Deutschman. "And it's not
just running the bases, but making plays in the field,
too, like Boyer's"
Speed on the basepaths led to a 1st-inning run for the
Stars, which is celebrating its 30th season of semipro
action.
ANTHONY LONG walked to start the Stars attack, then registered
the first of his two stolen bases on the day, giving him
14 thefts in just 10 ballgames this season.
Boyer followed with a ground ball to the right side to
advance Long to third, then shortstop ROBBY SCOTT lifted
a sacrifice fly to left to plate Long for a 1-0 lead just
three batters into the game.
The Stars added three runs in the 5th for a 4-0 lead.
The outburst featured an RBI single by Long. Moments later,
when Long stole his second base, the ball went through
the infield, allowing Thomas to score from third base
on the double steal.
That was all Malloy would need. The left-hander struck
out six and walked just one, allowing just an unearned
run in the 9th in just missing a shutout.
Following an error, the run came home on a sacrifice fly
by TRAVIS TAIJERON (Granite Hills). Taijeron also doubled
in the 7th, one of only three Force runners to reach second
base all afternoon.
The victory moved the Stars to 9-1 against semipro teams
this season, 2-1 in the WBA South. Heroes of the Diamond
(the former San Diego Marines ballclub) are also listed
at 2-1, but the team's last three games have not been
reported (so the Stars may or may not be in first place).
Meanwhile, the Force list its record at 15-2, yet include
four exhibitions from the Stars' Memorial Day Weekend
preseason tournament in the mark, plus a pair of forfeits
(although one was canceled by WBA commissioner John Marsh).
By traditional record-keeping methods utilized over recent
seasons, the Force should be 7-2 (1-1 WBA).
Both ballclubs could meet again on Friday, placed in the
same half of the draw in the National Baseball Congress
Southern California Regional. The event opens Thursday,
as the Stars host the Poway Thunder at noon, with the
winner meeting the Rancho Belago Rockets at 3:30 p.m.
Should the Stars and Force go undefeated on Day One, they
would meet in Friday's 4:30 p.m. quarterfinals, also at
Stars Field.
Stars Bursts – Force second baseman LOUIS CAZARES,
a starter for the Granite Hills High CIF Division I championship
team in 2007, accepted a baseball scholarship to play
for Cal State Bakersfield, which recently elevated its
program to NCAA Division I status... Cazares was a two-time,
all-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference selection at San
Diego City College, where he was recipient of the 2010
Harry West Scholarship.
South Bay Saints at San Diego
Stars (Slideshow by Gary Sos)
Stars enter Thursday's NBC regional;
Rockets lose manager Derrel Thomas
However, the Rockets will visit the county without
manager DERREL THOMAS, a former MLB pro who played
15 years with six teams in the majors, including
five with the Los Angeles Dodgers and four with
the San Diego Padres.
Stoner batted 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while
Spears homered in his first home appearance of the season,
powering the Stars to a 12-4 victory in the opener.
Game Two saw CLIFTON THOMAS drive in three runs in
an 8-6 triumph.
In the 2nd inning, Stoner singled then registered the
first of seven stolen bases by the Stars in the opener
to start a 3-run rally. Stoner would score on an ANTHONY
WILLIAMS grounder, followed by consecutive RBI hits
by DEREK BAUM (single) and JAKE SAVICKI, who powered
his club-leading fourth triple of the season.
Spears followed with his blast to left field in the
3rd inning. He would later add a sacrifice fly in the
6th, when the Stars busted the contest open with six
runs, then a run-scoring single in the 8th. Spears registered
three RBI in each ballgame.
Meanwhile, starting pitcher ANTONIO DIAZ tossed six
solid innings to gain his first win of the season. He
allowed just two runs and seven hits to the Saints,
the summer team for Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Among Thomas' three hits in the second game included
a 2-run single in the 5th to break a 1-1 tie. But when
the Saints center fielder allowed the ball to skip under
him and to the wall, Thomas circumnavigated the diamond
on a 3-run play for a 4-1 lead.
Spears again knocked in three runs, including a 2-run
single in the 8th.
Third baseman STEPHEN JOHNSON also extended his hitting
streak to nine with singles in both contests..
ALLEN WHEELER and TAYLOR KLUGMAN each tossed four strong
innings, then Stars veteran BRIAN SOS, in a rare appearance
on the mound, survived a pair of errors which led to
two unearned runs in pitching the 9th.
Otherwise, the Stars defense turned three double plays,
while Thomas nailed a runner trying to take an extra
base to score, throwing out the Saints runner from right
field.
The Stars (8-1) host defending WBA South Division champion
San Diego Force on Tuesday (June 15) at 5 p.m.
When it comes to the San Diego Stars, its Magnificent
Seven starting pitching staff are all lefties, with
two of them combining on a second straight shutout.
On Thursday (June 10), LUCAS WHITMORE and KEVIN McCLAUGHERTY
yielded just six total hits, pacing the Stars to an
easy 8-0 washout of the San Diego Mavericks in Western
Baseball Association action at Stars Field.
Whitmore struck out nine Mavs over the first six innings
to earn the victory, McClaugherty followed with 1-hit
relief for the save.
"Lucas has improved since pitching for us last
summer," said Stars manager MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN.
"While Kevin is unorthodox and hides the ball well."
The pair has combined to toss 15 total innings in the
early going of the summer season without allowing an
earned run.
Meanwhile, the offense continues to take liberties
on the basepaths by taking extra bases on basehits to
the outfield or stealing bags.
Included was a snag of second base by ROBBY SCOTT following
his 2-out single in the 1st inning. And when TAYLOR
EICHHORST lined a 3-2 pitch to centerfield, the Stars
scored the only run they would need.
"It's not only speed, but baserunning with intelligence,"
noted Deutschman.
Eichhorst later tripled in Scott to open a 4-run rally
in the 3rd. The Christian High/Grossmont College product
would come home on a basehit by 17-year Stars veteran
BRIAN SOS, who once set the Griffins career RBI record
some two decades ago.
The inning was capped on a 2-run single by third baseman
STEPHEN JOHNSON, who now leads the ballclub with a .563
batting average.
Scott, Eichhorst and CLIFTON THOMAS finished with two
hits each.
For the Mavericks (2-4 overall, 0-2 WBA), Japanese
import Ryohei Kono went 3-for-3 with a double.
The Stars (4-1, 2-1 WBA) play a pair of non-league
doubleheaders over the weekend. They will meet the Los
Angeles Thrashers at Occidental College on Saturday
(June 12), then host the South Bay Saints – the Cal
State Dominguez Hills summer team – on Sunday. Both
are slated for noon.
Making a bid to become the every day second baseman to
the Stars is ANTHONY LONG, who helped San Diego City College
to its first conference championship since 1993 this past
season. Over the weekend, Long batted a cool .533 (8-for-15),
giving the Stars a 3-1 mark to open the season, including
Sunday's (June 6) doubleheader sweep of the visiting West
Coast Storm of Costa Mesa in Western Baseball Association
action.
Included was a 3 RBI performance in the opener, a 22-2
wipeout, which included a triple and a double. Game 2
also went to the Stars as pitchers PETE MALLOY and LUCAS
WHITMORE combined on a 3-hit shutout in a 8-0 whitewash
of the Storm.
"Long was amazing out there," said Stars owner/manger
MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN. "We have so many good hitters
right now, we could easily split into two ballclubs and
still be extremely competitive. Then Anthony shows up
and makes us even deeper."
Long wasted little time to get going. After Thomas accepted
a leadoff walk to start it for the home team in the 1st,
Long stroked a drive to the wall in right-center field
for a run-scoring triple to ignite a 7-run rally.
"He's got a smooth swing with quick hands – everything
you're looking for," added the skipper, who is starting
his 27th season as operator of San Diego County's most
successful semipro ballclub.
Long later capped the inning with a 2-run double on a
looper down the left-field line, as the Stars sent 12
batters to the plate.
Long was an all-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference selection
for City College, with the junior-to-be looking for a
4-year school to call home next season should he be bypassed
in this week's MLB amater draft.
Meanwhile, designated hitter MICHAEL LANGE batted 4-for-5
in the doubleheader, collecting a pair of hits in each
contest, while shortstop ROBBY SCOTT and catcher DEREK
BAUM garnered four hits each on the day.
For the weekend, the Stars posted double figures in hits
over each contest, going a collective 53-for-142 (.373)
as a team.
In the shutout, Malloy yielded just one hits in facing
just two batters above the minimum in his six innings
of work. He only needed 62 pitches. Whitmore followed
with 1-hit ball to garner a 3-inning save.
The Stars close their 6-game homestand with single games
Tuesday and Thursday, first entertaining San Diego Christian
College in a non-league game, then return to WBA play
against the San Diego Mavericks. Both start at 5 p.m.
at Stars Field at Barona.
New-look Stars off and running
The same could be said for the 2010 edition of the San
Diego Stars semipro baseball team.
With a dwindling number of power hitters, the Stars
now feature an array of speed burners to play havoc
with opposition defenses.
In Saturday's (June 6) season-opening doubleheader with
Heroes of the Diamond, the recently redesigned military
all-star baseball team, the Stars ran like the wind
in the opening game. Run-scoring triples by RYAN BROSNAN,
JAKE SAVICKI and a bases-loaded shot by CLIFTON THOMAS
accounted for six runs alone, lifting the Stars to a
17-3 demolition.
Stars bursts – Stars tthird baseman SHAIN
STONER and Southern Nazarene (Okla.) teammate
NICK SPEARS were recently named to the NAIA All-America
first team. The Crimson Storm pair were from one
of the few teams placing multiple players on the
elite squad, one being NAIA national champ Cumberland.
Stoner, a 6-0 sophomore infielder, was honored
as the lone first baseman on the first team.
Stoner led the team with a batting average of
.478. He also led the team in RBI's with 74, slugging
percentage at .906, and doubles with 21. Stoner
appeared in 51 games, hitting 18 home runs and
crossing the plate 66 times. Just like Spears,
Stoner also was named to the All-Sooner Athletic
Conference first team a few weeks ago.
Spears, a 5-10, senior, was the only shortstop
honored on the first team.
This season, he hit .442 with a team leading 21
home runs, while batting in 72 runs. Spears walked
30 times and more impressively only struck out
6 times on the year. He was one of only two players
on the team to play in all 52 games, which he
started every one. Spears also led the team in
runs scored with 67. Just a few weeks ago, Spears
was named to the All-Sooner Athletic Conference
first team for the second straight season.
This is the first time ever that Southern Nazarene
saw two players named among the NAIA elite in
the same season.
However, it was the flip-side of the running equation
which opened the eyes of longtime Stars manager MICKEY
DEUTSCHMAN after watching starting catcher DEREK BAUM,
a product of Grossmont High and Palomar College, register
a record performance.
Baum threw out seven runners attempting to steal in
eight attempts, including a 6-for-6 performance in Game
2 of the twinbill.
"And the one runner who stole second stole it on
the pitcher – Baum just showed a bunch of scouts he's
got a great arm," said Deutschman. "I don't
think I've ever seen anything like that before."
Baum gunned down a pair of runners who reached on walks
in the 6th inning, then nailed a runner on a strikeout-throw-'em-out
double play in the 8th.
"I just felt good today – everything just came
together," said Baum, a red-shirt sophomore in
college. "I came here to receive the ball, block
the ball, and throw the ball, getting playing time to
improve as a catcher."
And with Stars starting backstop playing on loan to
the Heroes, Baum was able to catcher all 15 innings
on the day.
"I'm a bit tired, but it's days like this that
will allow me to really improve."
Meanwhile, the Stars offense posted 23 hits on the day,
including 13 in the opener to grab the early lead in
the South Division of the Western Baseball Association.
Included was Brosnan's triple to cap a 3-run outburst
in the 2nd to open the scoring.
Savicki's 3-base hit capped a 5-run rally in the 3rd,
then Thomas cleared the loaded bases in the 5th to help
mount a 9-2 advantage, making a winner of Stars starting
pitcher KEVIN McCLAUGHEY.
Thomas batted 4-for-8 on the day in his first official
start for the Stars since graduating from Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Savicki and ANTHONY LONG each matched Thomas' .500 start
by going 3-for-6.
Meanwhile, Stars pitcher MICAH SPENCER tossed five solid
innings of middle relief – only doing it for the Heroes
on a loan basis. After allowing two quick runs, Spencer
tossed 4 1/3 innings of 2-hit ball against his regular
teammates.
The appearance against a known, strong hitting team
like the Stars could enhance Spencer's chances to get
drafted in next week's Major League Baseball annual
selection of amateur free agents.
Stars
& Stripes Memorial Day Weekend Tournament
BARONA POOL
ALLIANT POOL
Sat., May 29
San Diego Christian College 11, Gonzalez Sports
Academy 8
Barona-San Diego Stars 10, San Diego Christian
College 5
Sat., May 29
San Diego Force 7, Heroes of the Diamond 5
San Diego Mavericks 5, Team Point Loma 2
Sun., May 30
OC Waves 11, Gonzalez Sports Academy 2
Barona-San Diego Stars 10, OC Waves 6
Sun., May 30
SD Force 14, Team Point Loma 4
Heroes of the Diamond 15, SD Mavericks 3
Mon., May 30
10 a.m.: SD Stars df. Gonzalez Sports Academy
1:30: OC Waves df. SD Christian
Championship: SD Force 8, SD Stars 6
Mon., May 30
9 a.m.: Heroes of the Diamond df. Team Point
Loma
12:30: SD Force df. SD Mavericks
The Stars, the Western Regional champion of the National
Baseball Congress, will host three teams in its pool,
including San Diego Christian College (Sat., 3:30 p.m.),
Orange County Waves (Sun., 3:30 p.m.) and the Gonzalez
SportsAcademy (Mon., 10 a.m.), operated by David Gonzalez,
the father of San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian
Gonzalez.
Ballclubs in the Alliant pool features the San Diego
Force, Heroes of the Diamond (the All-U.S. Armed Forces
all-star team based in Oceanside, Team Point Loma (including
some players from Point Loma Nazarene Univ.), and site
host San Diego Mavericks.
Former Cal Lutheran LHP Gabe
Ward. (CLU courtesy photo)
The signing were announced by Stars owner/field
manager MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN.
Ward was signed following an appearance at a Frontier
League tryout camp held Mar. 13-14 at Escondido
High School.
Also signed out of the camp was Stars infielder
Mike McKeever, who played locally for both Poway
and University of San Diego (now Cathedral Catholic)
high schools. He will play for the Frontier League's
Gateway Grizzlies (Sauget, Ill.).
Ward, a 6-foo-5, 215-pound, left-handed starter,
was an NCAA Division III All-West Region third
team selection as a junior in 2006, posting an
8-1 record and 2.80 ERA with the Kingsmen. A year
later, Ward went 3-1, including a 1-hit shutout
over Cal Tech, despite being moved to the bullpen
for the second half of the season.
Ward previously played professionally with the
Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League,
a team the Stars defeated during the exhibition
season, and the Bay Area Toros (Texas City, Texas,
near Houston) of the Continental Baseball League.
McKeever played at Poway as a sophomore in 2003,
then made news after transferring to USDHS, being
named MVP of the championship game when the Dons
won the CIF San Diego Section Division III title
after driving in four runs with a home run and
a triple.
He went on to play for Southwestern College (2006),
BYU (2007) and University of the Pacific (2008-09).
Stars salute Military in Home Opener Free Admission to Doubleheader
vs. Heroes of the Diamond
In honor of playing this distinguished ballclub, the
Stars have declared the doubleheader as "Salute
to the Military Day," with all current and past
members of the U.S. Armed Forces offered free admission.
The contests will be held at Stars Field, located 1.1
miles north of Barona Valley Ranch casino along Wildcat
Canyon Road north of Lakeside .
The Stars (established in 1981) are defending NBC Western
Region champions, and owners of four WBA titles over
the past six seasons. The team has advanced to the NBC
World Series in 17 of the past 20 seasons, and boasts
at alumni list which includes former San Diego Padres
infielder MARCUS GILES, along with many other future
Major League Baseball players.
Heroes of the Diamond used to be the old ballclub known
as the San Diego Marines, which featured mostly retired
members of the U.S. Marine Corp. But with the expansion
of the Heroes programs – they will field both local
and international travel teams – this ballclub vaults
to becoming one of the favorites in the WBA South Division
for 2010.
For further information, follow the Stars on their
website: www.SanDiegoStars.com.
This season's second session of tryouts will be held
on Sun., May 23, at Stars Field, located 1.1 miles north
of Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino on Wildcat
Canyon Road, behind Barona Museum (or across the street
from the fire station). Registration and warm-ups begin
at noon.
As owner/head coach MICKEY DEUTSCHMAN always declares,
"Talent speaks," so anyone age "17 to
??" may participate. Prospective players must furnish
their own bat (wood) and helmet. All NCAA rules for
amateurism are followed so all players may continue
to participate in college baseball at any level (NCAA,
NAIA, NJCAA or community college).
The Stars, founded in 1981, have consistently been
one of the top NBC ballclubs on the West Coast, including
four league titles over the past six seasons, plus an
array of domestic and international tournament crowns.
More than a dozen Stars alumni have advanced to "The
Show," including MARCUS GILES (drafted by Atlanta
Braves), SEAN O'SULLIVAN (Los Angeles Angels), MIKE
JACOBS (New York Mets), DAVID CORTEZ (Atlanta Braves)
and MIKE FRANK (Cincinnati Reds).
For further information, call the Stars Hotline at
(619) 448-7900, or visit the website: www.SanDiegoStars.com.
You may also email the coaching staff HERE.
