2003 PREVIEW BASEBALL: BULLDOGS HOPE TO REWRITE THEIR HISTORY HIGHLAND GETS OFF TO A 3-0 START AFTER DISAPPOINTING 2002 SEASON.Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer PALMDALE - Highland High's baseball players are learning a lot about their sport's history. Before the season started, their coach assigned them to write a paper on the history of the Pacific Coast League For the high school sports league, see . The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a minor league baseball league operating in the West and Midwest of the United States. It is one of two leagues, along with the International League, playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below . The Bulldogs continue to research on their own as they are constantly looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. obscure trivia to stump their history-loving coach. Highland would rather forget history, though, when it comes to its own team. After enduring a rough stretch of on- and off-field woes in recent years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time Bulldogs are ready to forge a new identity. The team that finished 11-14 last season is off to a 3-0 start, having yet to allow a run or commit an error. A similar performance today could earn Highland a spot in Saturday's championship game of the Daily News Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. . ``They made a commitment after last season performance to work harder,'' Highland coach Todd Zucker said. ``They played together all summer and fall. ... They worked extremely hard. They wanted things to be different this year.'' Nine players return from last season's team that finished fourth in the Golden League with a 6-9 record. The biggest difference is a realization that scoring a lot of runs won't do much good if the Bulldogs are also give up an abundance of runs. ``They just really worked hard on working on defense,'' Zucker said. ``They made a commitment to stopping the ball first and hitting it second. Hitting used to be what they wanted to focus on the most. We've had a change of attitude in how we approach the game. They realize how important defense is now.'' Senior Robbie Rico plays a key role in solidifying so·lid·i·fy v. so·lid·i·fied, so·lid·i·fy·ing, so·lid·i·fies v.tr. 1. To make solid, compact, or hard. 2. To make strong or united. v.intr. the defense. He was a first team all-league outfielder last season but moved to shortstop this year. Senior Derrick derrick: see crane. Derrick famous hangman; eponym of modern hoisting apparatus. [Br. Hist.: Espy, 170] See : Execution Caballero cab·al·le·ro n. pl. cab·al·le·ros 1. A Spanish gentleman; a cavalier. 2. A man who is skilled in riding and managing horses; a horseman. plays alongside Rico at third base, making for a stingy stin·gy adj. stin·gi·er, stin·gi·est 1. Giving or spending reluctantly. 2. Scanty or meager: a stingy meal; stingy with details about the past. left side of the infield Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on in what sport it is used. In baseball In baseball the baseball diamond plus a rounded region beyond it (see diagram), usually clear of grass, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered . Sophomores Evan Johnson and Luke Organ's defensive skills allowed them to make the jump from last season's freshman team to regulars on varsity. Among the pitchers taking advantage of the fine fielding are starters Tom Sneden, John Chavez and Caballero, each of whom have earned a win this season. The pitchers are also doing their best to make things easy on the defense, with performances like Sneden's eight strikeouts in Monday's five-inning victory over Van Nuys. As well as things are going, the Bulldogs see room for improvement on offense, where the Bulldogs must overcome the transfer of Kent Wulf, last season's league leader in home runs. Highland has scored 20 runs in three games and has received consistent production from the likes of Sneden, who was 3 for 3 Monday, and Rico, who is 9 for 11 this season. However, Zucker would like to see more discipline at the plate. The Bulldogs know contending with defending league champion Quartz Hill and others won't be easy. Highland hasn't qualified for the playoffs the past two years. ``They've had up-and-down years,'' Zucker said. ``What we're trying to establish is a history like they have at schools like Chatsworth, where they're always one of the best teams every year.'' HIGHLAND AT A GLANCE Team: Highland baseball Coach: Todd Zucker 2002 record: 11-14 Golden League finish: 6-9, fourth place Key returnees: Derrick Caballero, Sr., 3B/P; Robbie Rico, Sr., SS; Tom Sneden Sr., P; Brian Probert, Sr., C. Key newcomers: Casey Hefler, Jr., C; Evan Johnson. So., OF; Luke Organ, So., OF/P. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Highland's Robbie Rico was one of the top outfielders in the Golden League last year, but this season he has been moved to shortstop in hopes of shoring up Noun 1. shoring up - the act of propping up with shores propping up, shoring supporting, support - the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening; "he leaned against the wall for support" the Bulldogs' infield. (2) Highland's Tom Sneden is among the team's top pitchers. Sneden has already shown a glimpse of things to come this season, as he struck out eight in five innings INNINGS, estates. Lands gained from the sea by draining. Cunn. L. Dict. h. t.; Law of Sewers, 31. in the Bulldogs' victory over Van Nuys in the Daily News Invitational. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: HIGHLAND AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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