Chargers elude dog days of spring break

Agoura baseball refuses to rest in quest for CIF-SS Division 1 title



CAUGHT IN A PICKLE—Agoura High baseball’s Shawn Kagan is caught in a rundown during the Chargers’ 4-0 win against Alemany earlier this season. Kagan and the Chargers didn’t rest during spring break—they’ve played games against top-flight teams in Anaheim this week.

CAUGHT IN A PICKLE—Agoura High baseball’s Shawn Kagan is caught in a rundown during the Chargers’ 4-0 win against Alemany earlier this season. Kagan and the Chargers didn’t rest during spring break—they’ve played games against top-flight teams in Anaheim this week.

The Agoura High baseball team had arguably the best collection of players in the Marmonte League last spring.

All that talent didn’t translate into a CIF-Southern Section Division 1 title.

Newbury Park, which finished second in the Marmonte to league-champion Chargers, ended up hoisting the section championship plaque at Dodger Stadium.

“They earned it,” Agoura senior pitcher Henry Baker said of the Panthers. “They worked hard and it showed on the field.

“We pretty much have the same team returning, but like we learned last year, we can’t rely on talent. We need to work hard.”

The Chargers lost to Corona in the second round of the postseason. Corona faced Newbury Park in the finale.

Agoura was 12-5 overall at press time. AHS, 6-0 in the Marmonte, isn’t taking any days off this season.

While most students at Agoura relaxed during an ongoing twoweek spring break, the baseball team was slugging its way in Anaheim against top teams in the Southern Section, Northern California and Utah.

“Our schedule is tough,” Baker said.

“We are playing tough teams in tournaments. We have games on Saturdays. We don’t get a break. We’re doing everything we can to win a CIF championship.”

The Chargers have struggled, however, against the top Southern California squads.

Valencia hammered Agoura 16-5 on March 30. Chaminade toppled the Chargers 7-3 in the Easton Tournament on Feb. 28.

Valencia and Chaminade are ranked No. 5 and No. 9, respectively, in the Division 1 coaches’ poll. Agoura is currently No. 7 in Division 1.

Agoura head coach Mike Cordero said he isn’t concerned.

“We wanted that tough schedule to prepare us for the playoffs,” the third-year skipper said. “I’d rather us peak at the end of the season than early.

“We’re on the verge of getting hot. We need to improve every day and get hot at the right time.”

Los Angeles Times staff writer Eric Sondheimer tabbed Agoura No. 1 in his preseason poll.

“Being ranked No. 1 put a target on our backs,” senior center fielder/pitcher Kyle London said. “Teams definitely pick up the intensity when they play us.

“Personally, I didn’t like being the No. 1 team. I prefer being the underdog.”

Unfortunately for London, his team isn’t an underdog in the Marmonte. Agoura is the favorite to capture the league title for the second straight season.

The Chargers haven’t dropped a league outing yet, and they already swept Newbury Park.

“Beating Newbury Park in both games was awesome,” Baker said.

Baker, Andy Sondreaal and Tyler Cohen form one of the top pitching rotations in Southern California.

“Pitching is our strength,” said junior catcher Albee Weiss, who had a team-high batting average of .455 with 17 RBI at press time. “They make my job easy. All those guys pitch strikes. I don’t ever have to tell them what to do.

“We have three starters that can play Division 1 college baseball.”

Baker was recruited by nearly every Pac-12 Conference school, and the southpaw chose the University of Washington.

Baker, who has a 3-2 record with a 1.18 ERA, said he’ll likely enroll at Washington even if gets selected in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft.

The Charger ace, Baker was the treasurer at Agoura for three years and recently started the Entrepreneur Club on campus.

Cohen is bound for Loyola Marymount to patrol shortstop. He’s batting .407 with 22 hits at press time.

Sondreaal has emerged as the No. 2 pitcher.

“He has proved he belongs as one of the top pitchers,” Cordero said of Sondreaal, who had a 1.77 ERA.

Senior Nick Shur recorded a shutout in his first start of the season, a 7-0 win against Walnut on Monday.

London, a leadoff hitter with 12 stolen bases through his first 16 games, gets the Agoura offense going.

The senior is playing at full strength after tearing his ACL while playing football for Agoura in 2011.

London, who didn’t play football in the fall, is considering playing baseball at the University of San Francisco, University of Washington and Chapman University.

Junior starting first baseman Daniel Cipriano is currently out with injury.

Sophomore Joey Czarske, a transfer from Westlake High, picks up the slack at first base. Czarske played his first game on Monday against Long Beach Wilson.

Louis Licata, Dylan Bahr, Noah Shearer, Matt Lautz, Shawn Kagan, Preston Rosemont, David Pavone, Alec Garner, Ryan Fineman, Jacob Stock, Nick Suppa and Bryce Fehmel contribute for Agoura.

The Chargers are loaded with talent at every position, but there’s always room for improvement.

“We need timely hitting,” Cordero said.

“We leave a lot of guys on base. We need to score some more runs. We’re winning some close ball games.”


SUPER SOUTHPAW—Agoura’s Henry Baker, bound for the University of Washington, is one of the Marmonte League’s best pitchers.

SUPER SOUTHPAW—Agoura’s Henry Baker, bound for the University of Washington, is one of the Marmonte League’s best pitchers.

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