Calabasas looking to make the most of its summer baseball schedule

By Steve AmesSpecial to the Acorn

After watching his team compile a 4-21 record during spring varsity season, Calabasas High head baseball coach Bret Saberhagen is encouraged by how the Coyotes are playing this summer in the Valley Invitational Baseball League.

Even after the Coyotes’ 7-5 loss to the visiting Saugus Centurions Tuesday, Saberhagen had mostly positive things to say about the progress Calabasas is making on the diamond.

“We still have a good team,” Saberhagen said. “We had a very good freshman team. They ended up winning league. We’ve got a good nucleus of guys and another good freshman group coming in. The sophomores from last year got a lot of playing time and they’re going to get a lot more this year.”

Saberhagen, whose team dropped to 8-6 in VIBL play, said he expects a good season next year from many of the team’s juniors.

“They’re going to learn on the job pretty much,” Saberhagen said. “I’m going to give them an opportunity to go out there and show what they can do.”

During the summer, the second-year head coach said that all he asks his players to do is come and compete and give him seven good innings of hard baseball.

“Play hard, work hard and we’ll see what happens,” he said.

Despite a tough first season at Calabasas, it’s clear that the former major leaguer hasn’t given up hope for the Coyotes.

“We’re not a powerhouse, that’s for sure, but we’re working to get that way,” Saberhagen said. “With some of these younger kids that are pretty talented coming into the program we’re a few years off, but we still expect to win.”

Three players who have performed especially well for the Coyotes this summer have been junior first baseman Greg Waxler, sophomore second baseman Greg Selarz and junior catcher/third baseman Alex Kurland. The trio was named to the VIBL All-Star team. The game will be played July 5 at 7 p.m. at USC’s Dedeaux Field.

In this week’s loss to Saugus, Calabasas pitchers gave up seven runs and issued 10 free-passes— numbers that don’t generally add up to victory.

“If you walk 10 guys it’s going to be tough to win a ball game,” Saberhagen said. “You’ve got to work ahead and you’ve got to throw strikes and we didn’t do that very well.”

Junior pitcher Nolan

Schneiderman, who was on the

junior varsity team, gave up three

of the Centurions’ five hits in five

innings and absorbed the loss.

Senior Andy Singer pitched the

game’s other two innings.

Calabasas batters recorded

five hits on the day, including two

from sophomore center fielder

David Gordon. Waxler doubled

once in two at-bats and

Schneiderman and Kurland each

were 1 for 3.

Saberhagen said he expects

members of his team to make a con

centrated effort to be in attendance

during summer baseball, family

vacations or not. If they don’t, they

run the risk of losing their position

to a more dedicated ball player.

“There’s going to be some cuts made when the season comes along,” the coach said. “It’s pretty much in their hands. If they want to work hard, if they want to come out and let me see them, I think that’s very important.”

After last summer of coaching the VIBL team, a full season of coaching the varsity and now the summer team again, Saberhagen said that he’s still evaluating the best way to guide his players.

“It’s still a learning experience for me trying to get the ins and outs, what I should do and shouldn’t do. It’s still a lot of fun,” he said.

In addition to Calabasas, the other Marmonte League schools participating in the summer league are the Agoura Chargers, Calabasas Coyotes, Moorpark Musketeers, Royal Highlanders, Simi Valley Pioneers and the Westlake Warriors.

VIBL games began May 28 and will continue through July 17. The 2005 Championship Game will be held July 31. Pairings will be announced July 18.