BASEBALL PREVIEW; TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW GRADUATION LOSSES HURT DESERT CHRISTIAN.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News There are great expectations for a repeat of Desert Christian High of Lancaster's whirlwind 1999 baseball season. There are also many question marks. The Knights have graduated the bulk of last year's squad, which finished 24-2 to capture the Desert Mountain League title and advanced to the Southern Section Division V semifinals. Desert Christian, however, does return three all-league first team players - seniors Dustin Schramm and Phil Seston and junior Phil Parker. Schramm, a right-handed pitcher Noun 1. right-handed pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who throws with the right hand right-hander baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played , compiled a 13-2 record to earn first- team All Southern Section honors. Seston and Parker provided the bulk of the Knights' offense as the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters. Seston, an infielder, had eight home runs, and the 6-foot-4 Parker drove in 38 runs. Even with Schramm, Seston and Parker, though, Desert Christian will be hard-pressed to equal last year's win total. Even more so with a difficult nonleague schedule that includes games against Rosamond, L.A. Baptist, Mojave, Kern Valley and Maranatha. In the Desert Mountain League, a ninth postseason berth in a row for Desert Christian is Christian I (krĭs`chən), 1426–81, king of Denmark (1448–81), Norway (1450–81), and Sweden (1457–64), count of Oldenburg, and founder of the Oldenburg dynasty of Danish kings. hardly guaranteed. Lone Pine, Mammoth, Boron boron (bōr`ŏn) [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; at. wt. 10.81; m.p. about 2,300°C;; sublimation point about 2,550°C;; sp. gr. 2.3 at 25°C;; valence +3. and Lucerne Lucerne (l  sûrn`), Ger. Luzern (ltsĕrn`), canton (1993 pop. Valley are traditionally strong and Vasquez is greatly improved.
The Knights, who captured their first league title last season after three runner-up finishes Noun 1. runner-up finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) second-place finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the over the last eight years, play at Desert on Thursday. ``Last year, I had no expectations,'' 10th-year Desert Christian coach Dean Spoelstra said. ``I was just enjoying the thrill of going through it. This year, there are more expectations, but my expectation is minimal.'' Desert Christian's prospects figure to ride on sophomore third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Jim Esposito, sophomore catcher Tyler Downie, senior pitcher Brandon Morgan, and in the outfield with senior Mark Beardsall and junior Mike Argent ar·gent n. 1. Heraldry The metal silver, represented by the color white. 2. Archaic Silver or something resembling it. . The five were part-time players on last year's squad who have been cast into a starting role this spring. ``They all play very well, but we're somewhat young to anticipate a league championship,'' Spoelstra said. ``We expect a dropoff from 24 wins, yet we feel we can challenge.'' Despite the lack of a left-handed batter, Desert Christian should pack power at the plate. Spoelstra's main concern is on defense with an untested infield. Schramm will handle the bulk of the duties on the mound. Morgan and sophomore Nick McClaren will also see significant action. Schramm and Morgan are not overpowering o·ver·pow·er·ing adj. So strong as to be overwhelming: an overpowering need for solitude. o but effective with a mix of fastball and curves. McClaren, a sophomore, has been elevated from the junior varsity junior varsity n. Abbr. JV A high-school or college team that competes in interschool sports on the level below varsity. Noun 1. . AT A GLANCE School: Desert Christian baseball Coach: Dean Spoelstra, 10th year 1999 record: 24-2 League record: 9-1, first in Desert Mountain Top returnees: Dustin Schramm, Sr., RHP rhp abbr. rated horsepower ; Phil Seston, Sr., Inf.; Phil Parker, Jr., 1B. Top newcomers: Mark Beardsall, Sr., OF; Brandon Morgan, Sr., RHP; Mike Argent, Jr., OF: Tyler Downie, Soph., C; Jim Esposito, Soph, 3B. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) From left, all-leaguers Dustin Schramm, Phil Parker and Phil Seston return for Desert Christian. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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