Grand slam rush

Agoura will try to defend league title; Oak Park soars with new skipper




LEADING MAN—Rahul Lakshmanan is an outfielder and leadoff hitter for Oak Park High’s baseball team. MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers

LEADING MAN—Rahul Lakshmanan is an outfielder and leadoff hitter for Oak Park High’s baseball team. MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers

Who will win the Coastal Canyon League baseball title this spring?

Camarillo High, armed with a formidable pitching staff, earned rave reviews from opposing coaches.

Moorpark, a cerebral outfit with a team GPA in the 3.5 ballpark, will be in the mix for league glory under veteran head coach Scott Fullerton.

The Scorpions and Musketeers open league against each other at 3 p.m. Friday at Moorpark.

Simi Valley and defending Coastal Canyon champion Agoura have the talent to hoist a league banner. They are historically among the strongest programs in Acorn country.

Royal is young, but head coach Dan Maye said the Highlanders can eventually develop into something special.

Oak Park, which has struggled in recent years, is primed for a comeback under spirited first-year head coach Jeff Smith.

“I always tell the kids, ‘There are 15 games to play and six teams are tied for first.’ It’s pretty exciting from the get-go. There aren’t 162 games – it’s 15,” Fullerton said.

HAWK ISLAND—Nick Hawkins, a junior third baseman and pitcher, is one of only two Agoura players with previous varsity experience. RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

HAWK ISLAND—Nick Hawkins, a junior third baseman and pitcher, is one of only two Agoura players with previous varsity experience. RICHARD GILLARD/Acorn Newspapers

Let’s take a closer look at all six Coastal Canyon teams:

AGOURA CHARGERS

This will be the last time the Chargers toil in the Coastal Canyon. Agoura returns to the Marmonte League next spring.

Seventh-year head coach Anthony Chevrier has had great success in both leagues. His teams have captured three Marmonte championships and one Coastal Canyon crown, in 2019.

“We’ve been fortunate to have great kids and great families and a great administration that supports us,” Chevrier said. “On the flipside, we’re young now, but we’ll do whatever we can to compete.”

The Chargers (19-11 overall, 13-2 in league last year) have reached the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals twice under Chevrier, but a potential Division 2 playoff drive this spring will be challenging.

“We graduated 16 seniors and have only two guys on varsity with varsity experience,” the skipper said.

Aedan Cunningham is a force on the mound. The senior pitcher was 6-3 with two saves and a 2.05 ERA while earning All-Coastal Canyon first team honors in 2019.

Nick Hawkins, a junior, has played varsity baseball since his freshman year. The Hawk patrols third base and pitches; he’s been all-league his first two years of high school.

“He’s just a very smart young man and loves to compete,” Chevrier said of Hawkins.

Senior Brian Rubenstein mans shortstop, a key position for the Chargers. Rubenstein adds depth to the bullpen.

Agoura plays host to rival Oak Park at 3 p.m. Friday.

“I expect us to give a good effort and compete,” Chevrier said. “We’re still working and trying to get better every day.”

OAK PARK EAGLES

Call it David vs. Goliath . . . such is life for the Eagles in the Coastal Canyon.

That’s fine with head coach Smith, who is enthusiastic about his players.

Smith’s optimism hasn’t dampened with the knowledge that Oak Park has registered four total league wins in the previous five seasons.

“I’m definitely looking to change that,” Smith said. “We have a nice young group. We start quite a few sophomores and juniors, so talent is definitely with the younger kids, but we have good senior leadership.”

Smith is high on seniors Ben “Bulldog” Taneman and Rahul Lakshmanan. Taneman anchors the pitching stuff. Lakshmanan, a starting outfielder who also pitches, earns quality at-bats as a leadoff hitter.

Cole Murth fills the No. 3 hole in the batting order. The sophomore shortstop is a returning starter.

Ty Viane, a sophomore pitcher, is a key contributor. He’s a hard-throwing southpaw who also can be found roaming right and center field.

Ian Costanzo, a junior catcher and returning starter, worked hard to improve in the offseason. The coach called Costanzo a leader.

Oak Park (7-20 overall last season) competes in Division 4.

“All our kids are amazing,” Smith said.

ROYAL HIGHLANDERS

Maye, now in his 31st year as head coach at Royal, is not one to mince words.

The Highlanders aren’t young.

“We’re super young,” he said.

The squad features one senior among 60 players in the entire program.

“I’m just the JV coach,” Maye said with a chuckle. “That’s what it feels like.”

Royal still has plenty of talented ballplayers, enough to rattle the juggernauts and earn upset wins along the way.

“We just have to get better every day and keep improving. At some point we’ll turn the corner,” the skipper said.

The Highlanders are strong defensively up the middle with junior shortstop Riley Feigenbaum and junior second baseman Josh Busby. Feigenbaum, who throws cheddar from the hill, bolsters the pitching staff.

Royal is solid at center field with sophomore Nate Hamburger, a returning starter. Hamburger, a linebacker/running back in football, is one of the best athletes at the school, Maye said.

Troy May, a junior catcher, swings a mean stick in the middle of the order. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound May can also pitch.

The Highlanders, who finished fifth in league last year, will compete for a Division 4 playoff berth. Royal opens league at 3 p.m. Friday against rival Simi Valley on the road.

“If we have any success this year, I hope it carries over because we won’t have to replace anyone,” Maye said.

SIMI VALLEY PIONEERS

The Pioneers have a long history of producing top college and professional players.

Former major leaguers Scott Radinsky, brothers Jeff and Jered Weaver, Bryan Anderson and Tim Laker are among a handful of stars to hail from the school.

John Arisohn, Simi Valley’s sixth-year head coach, has helped develop the current generation of talented ballplayers.

Typically, this would be a down year for the Division 2 Pioneers, who graduated multiple stars to college. Simi Valley, however, doesn’t rebuild. The Pioneers simply regroup and keep winning.

“A lot of teams are looking past us this year,” Arisohn said. “I think we will surprise a lot of teams out there.”

Simi Valley, which finished second in league last year to Agoura, has advanced to the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.

Sebastien Sarabia, who recently had a streak of nine straight hits in nine at bats, is a dynamic senior catcher.

“He’s really coming into his own. He’s our leadoff hitter but developing into a power hitter,” the coach said of Sarabia.

Vincent Cicolello, is a corner infielder, patrolled second base last spring. He provides pop batting in the heart of the order.

Paden Riley, a senior second baseman and defensive standout, roamed left field last year. Riley will also see time on the mound.

Ryan Orsini, a junior, is a player to watch.

“He can play all three outfield positions and provides power from the left side,” Arisohn said of Orsini. “I think he can become one of the top players in the league.”

MOORPARK MUSKETEERS

Moorpark has earned a postseason berth for 11 straight seasons.

Fullerton, in his 26th season as the team’s head coach, believes this squad has the DNA to be great again this spring.

“We should be a much improved offensive team over the past couple years,” said Fullerton, whose team competes in Division 1. “We’ve been scoring more runs than the past couple years, and our defense is improved.”

John Peck, who endured an injury-riddled season in 2019, ignites the offense as the leadoff hitter. The senior shortstop will be taking his talents to Pepperdine.

Robbie Ayers, a junior catcher who verbally committed to play at Loyola Marymount, will get plenty of opportunities to drive Peck home.

“He’s a superb defensive catcher and can shut down the running game with his throwing. He does a great job handling the pitching staff and is a very good hitter too,” the skipper said of Ayers.

Peck and Ayers have All-CIF talent.

Garrett Yawn, a senior right-hander, pitched in middle relief last year. His role has expanded this spring.

Jake Thrift, a sophomore southpaw, has a live arm. Thrift pitched on the varsity squad last year and played quarterback for the junior varsity football team in the fall.

Sophomore second baseman Yahir Garcia and junior first baseman Troy Anderson fortify the infield. Anderson earned his second straight All-Coastal Canyon first team nod in basketball this winter.

CAMARILLO SCORPIONS

The Scorpions don’t have an ace in the hole—they have two.

John Gonzalez, Camarillo’s eighth-year head coach, starts the season with two star pitchers who will keep league and Division 2 foes up at night.

Brian Uribe is arguably the best pitcher in Acorn country. The junior right-hander missed last season with an injury but posted a flawless 7-0 record with a 1.20 ERA as a freshman in 2018.

“He’s getting a lot of attention and it’s well-deserved,” Gonzalez said of Uribe. “He throws strikes and gets outs, and he’s got an unflappable personality.”

Lucien Wechsberg, another lights-out right-hander, was 4-3 with a 1.57 ERA last spring.

“He has great presence and is a great leader and throws a lot of strikes and gets a lot of outs,” the coach said of the senior pitcher.

Jakob Schardt, a junior outfielder, has a beautiful swing. He’s a leadoff hitter.

Kaden Tsuji is a senior to watch. He can pitch, catch and play infield and outfield, and he could sell barrels of candy apples to dental hygienists between innings.

Erick Martinez is a talented senior shortstop and third baseman. The coach called Martinez a great leader with solid fundamentals.

Camarillo, which reached the Division 2 semifinals in 2018, has captured three league titles under Gonzalez. The Scorpions are preseason favorites to win the crown this year.

“We have the same goal as every year,” Gonzalez said. “We want to compete for the league championship and hopefully put everything together and make a run for a CIF championship.”

Players to Watch

Agoura

Aedan Cunningham, senior, P

Nick Hawkins, junior, 3B/P

Brian Rubenstein, senior, SS

Oak Park

Rahul Lakshmanan, senior, OF

Ben Taneman, senior, P

Cole Murth, soph., SS

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