BASEBALL: DESERT BLOOMS : SCHRAMM PITCHES SMALL SCHOOL TO BIG SEASON.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Daily News Staff Writer

The pitching windup is slow and deliberate, the delivery smooth and graceful, and the result almost always is the same: a strike.

Dustin Schramm is so accurate, so effective, so mature, it's surprising that he's playing for such a small school - 300-student Desert Christian High.

Schramm, a junior right-hander, is 11-1 with a 1.00 ERA and has walked just five batters while striking out 72 in 63 innings. Desert Christian's 21-1 record is the best among regional Southern Section postseason contenders and second in the state behind Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (23-1).

Schramm hopes to lead the Desert Mountain League-champion Knights to their 11th consecutive victory Friday (3:15 p.m.) against visiting Aquinas (14-4) in the opening round of the Southern Section playoffs.

``We're feeling pretty good about ourselves,'' Schramm said. ``We've already had a great season, and we want to keep on playing our best games in the playoffs because we know anything can happen.''

Schramm was the No. 1 starter for Lancaster's American Legion team last summer, giving him a chance to develop his skills against the best players from larger schools. In high school, he has dominated against small-school competition, compiling a career 23-6 record with a 2.05 ERA, 169 strikeouts and just 21 walks.

``I've been pitching since I was 10 years old, and I've always had good control,'' Schramm said. ``It's a natural thing that I've developed over the years.''

Shortstop Ryan McMichael, who leads the team with a .443 batting average, said Schramm's pitching accuracy makes everyone else better fielders.

``Every pitch is right there, so every pitch can be hit. We know that,'' McMichael said. ``Plus, Dustin usually gets them to hit a lot of ground balls because he keeps the ball down. So we're definitely on our toes when he's on the mound.''

Hitters never know what kind of pitch Schramm will throw - his four-pitch arsenal includes a fastball, slider, curveball and change-up - because he is accurate with all of them, even when he is behind.

``Whatever the count is, it doesn't matter. He throws 3-1 curveballs, whatever he wants,'' coach Dean Spoelstra said. ``He just has always been a tremendous control pitcher.''

Spoelstra said that Schramm's extreme over-the-top delivery is a burden on hitters because it's difficult to pick up the ball, a big reason why Schramm gets so many strikeouts without an overpowering fastball.

But Spoelstra has yet to see an opposing pitcher with a better curveball than Schramm, who's pitch breaks sharply and straight down because of his delivery.

Spoelstra said his plan for the playoffs is very basic: pitch Schramm as many innings as possible.

``Dustin is our MVP. It starts with our pitching,'' Spoelstra said. ``Our guys feel that with him pitching, if we score four or five runs, we're there. So Dustin is going to pitch as much as he can.''

SCHRAMM FILE

Dustin Schramm of Desert Christian High is one of California's best small-schools baseball pitchers. The junior right-hander leads the Knights (21-1) against visiting Aquinas (14-4) in the first round of the Southern Section Division V playoffs at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. His career statistics:

Jr.: 11-1, 1.00 ERA, 72 strikeouts, 5 walks (63 innings)

Soph.: 7-2, 2.47 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 9 walks (56 innings)

Fresh.: 5-3, 2.93 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 7 walks (45 innings)

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO (Color) Dustin Schramm, who is 11-1 with a 1.00 ERA, leads 21-1 Desert Christian into the playoffs.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News

BOX: SCHRAMM FILE (See text)