First published in the May 5 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The La Cañada High School varsity baseball team narrowly lost its regular-season finale to visiting Rio Hondo League champion Monrovia, 4-2, in a league game last Thursday.
LC’s season ended after finishing fourth in the standings with a 5-7-1 league record (14-8-2 overall).
Senior Adam Geller went 2-for-4 with a double, a pair of runs scored and a stolen base, senior Timmy Park finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and junior Ethan Geller collected a pair of hits, including a double. Senior Ryan Kiessling produced a base hit and an RBI, while senior Zachary Chung tallied a base hit.
The Spartans previously blanked host San Marino, 8-0, in a league game last Wednesday. Adam Geller blasted a solo home run and scored two additional runs, while junior Christopher Huh went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of runs scored. Senior Kasey Koehler tallied a base hit and three RBIs, sophomore Hayden Dancsecs registered two base hits and an RBI, Park recorded a base hit, an RBI and a run scored, Ethan Geller posted a base hit and a run scored, and junior Alex Higa produced a base hit. Kiessling notched an RBI while junior Allan Kang scored once.
Despite missing the playoffs, LCHS had several individual standout performers this season. Dancsecs led the team with a .373 batting average (minimum 50 plate appearances) and RBIs (20). Adam Geller finished with a second-best .333 batting average while leading the team in hits (27), runs scored (28), doubles (six), and tied the team leads in triples (one) and home runs (two). Higa (.324 batting average), Ethan Geller (.295) and Kiessling (.292) each finished in the top five for the team’s batting title.
Senior Brandon Cho registered a 2.30 ERA across 42.2 innings with 26 strikeouts. Junior Mateo Gallegos led the team in ERA with a terrific 0.93 mark across 30 innings with 26 strikeouts, while Adam Geller turned in a sparkling 1.58 ERA across 26.2 innings with 28 strikeouts. In his first full high school campaign, freshman Carson Kelly led the team in innings pitched (47) while posting a 3.13 ERA with 41 strikeouts.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
The Wolves blanked host Providence High of Burbank in their Prep League finale, 3-0, last Wednesday.
Junior Max Brunngraber, who collected a pair of base hits and two RBIs on offense, tossed four innings, allowing two hits and one walk with four strikeouts to earn the win. Senior Josh Beserra, who posted a double at the plate, pitched the final three innings, allowing one hit and a walk with three strikeouts. Senior Nicholas Gonzalez tallied a base hit and scored twice, junior Graham DesHotel recorded a base hit and an RBI, and seniors Diego Ynzunza and Dominick Schraeder each finished with a base hit.
Flintridge Prep (19-7 overall, 10-2 in league) clinched back-to-back league titles for the first time in school history and will open the CIF-SS Division IV postseason by hosting Highland High of Palmdale (20-7 overall) on Thursday, May 5, at 3:15 p.m. If victorious, the Wolves would advance to the second round on Tuesday, May 10, at 3:15 p.m. to meet either Aquinas High of San Bernardino (25-2 overall) or the winner of a wild card game.
ST. FRANCIS
The Golden Knights lost their regular-season finale to visiting Crespi High of Encino, 18-5, in a Mission League game last Thursday. St. Francis finished the season sixth in league with a 4-14 record (6-22 overall).
Senior Luke Fogarty went 2-for-4 with his second home run in as many games and two RBIs. Senior Quinn Deitch finished 2-for-2 with a double and a pair of runs scored, sophomore Brody Ruyle collected three hits and a run scored, sophomore Holden Deitch tallied two base hits, a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI, and senior Simon Lee notched an RBI.
St. Francis edged host Crespi, 4-3, to even the league series last Tuesday. Freshman Kibru Pam was dominant on the mound, allowing no runs on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts over three innings. Meanwhile, junior Xander Douglas earned the win after tossing 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts. Senior Aaron Petersen earned the save after recording the final out of the game. Fogarty went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, junior Cole Shepard recorded a base hit and an RBI, Ruyle and sophomore John Calmette each registered a base hit, Holden Deitch produced an RBI and a run scored, and senior Alejandro Ramirez and Quinn Deitch each scored once.
