CAMARILLO'S JONES WANTS TITLE, NOT ENCORE YOUNG SCORPIONS OFF TO STRONG START IN PACIFIC VIEW LEAGUE PLAY.Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer CAMARILLO - It won't be easy for Corey Jones to top the season he had as a junior with Camarillo High's baseball team. He batted .476 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs en route to Pacific View League and Ventura County Player of the Year honors. The performance helped secure a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton. Jones can instantly identify the one thing that would make this season better: a championship. The scrappy infielder surpassed his wildest expectations on an individual level last season, but a team title is the one thing missing in a distinguished high school career. ``Last year was a pretty good season,'' Jones said. ``I'd love to have another season like that. If I don't, it's not going to be a big disappointment. It's pretty hard to match that. Plus, this year everyone knows who I am, so it's a little different. ``My main goal is I'd like to win league. In the three years I've been on varsity, we've never done that.'' Pacific View League play has just started, but Jones' goal looks realistic although the Scorpions field a young lineup. They are in first place, outscoring opponents 40-5 in their first three league games, and play a crucial game today against defending league champion Oxnard. Jones is batting .483 with two home runs and a team-high 16 RBIs. ``He is kind of our central figure,'' Camarillo coach Richard Jaquez said. ``He's the guy everyone knows about. He's right in the middle of the machine, so to speak. ``He's been swinging the bat pretty good.'' Offense isn't all Jones brings to the Scorpions. As team captain, he has stepped up as a leader younger players can look up to. He's moved from second base to shortstop and diligently worked on his defense. Jaquez describes the switch as a smooth transition. ``I want to be a more complete player,'' said Jones, noting he's learned a lot by watching one of his favorite pros, Jack Wilson Jack Wilson can refer to different people:
rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball wood. But this season, I've put a lot of work into my defense. I think I've gotten a lot better, from what I've been told. I take a lot of pride in that.'' Jones cites a walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game — either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning. during last year's playoffs as the biggest thrill of his high school career, but there was a game early this season that was almost as memorable. He hit for the cycle and turned a triple play. ``That was pretty cool,'' said Jones, who also hit for the cycle last season. ``I'd never done both of those in the same game.'' Pro scouts aren't flocking to Camarillo games to see Jones, so he is looking forward to honing his skills in a college program that is a perennial contender for the national championship. ``Playing at the next level has been my goal since day one,'' Jones said. ``Baseball's always been my sport. I realized at a young age I was too small to play basketball or football at a high level, and I've always loved baseball. This is what I want to do.'' Heather Gripp, (818) 713-3607 heather.gripp(at)dailynews.com WHO'S HOT --Pat Sarkissian, Hart of Newhall: He had seven hits and four RBIs in the past two games to raise his average to .452. The senior was 3 for 3 Wednesday in a Foothill League win over Canyon of Canyon Country. He drove in Hart's only runs last Friday in an 11-inning victory over Burroughs of Burbank. Sarkissian was 4 for 5 in the 2-1 triumph. --Jordan Kaplan, Viewpoint of Calabasas: His hitting helped the Patriots to the championship game of the Sage Hill of Newport Beach Newport Beach, residential and resort city (1990 pop. 66,643), Orange co., S Calif., on Newport Bay and the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1906. It is a popular seaside resort and yachting center. Manufactures include electrical and medical equipment, computers, boats, and adhesives. tournament. Kaplan had two hits and an RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in in Thursday's 7-4 semifinal victory over Sage Hill. He also had two hits, one a double, and an RBI on Wednesday. --Andrew Lambo, Newbury Park: Lambo has a hit in all but one game this season for the Marmonte League-leading Panthers. The junior has a .500 batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. , league-best six home runs, and a 1.27 ERA. He struck out nine in Wednesday's win over defending league champion Royal of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. , giving him 34 strikeouts in 22 innings. --Josh Ravin rav·in also rav·en n. 1. Voracity; rapaciousness. 2. Something taken as prey. 3. The act or practice of preying. , Chatsworth: The senior right-hander improved to 4-1 by holding Granada Hills to four hits and striking out 10 in Monday's shutout of Granada Hills. --Jeremy Camacho, Eagle Rock: He went 4 for 4, with a double and a triple, and drove in four runs Wednesday against Belmont of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . AGOURA UPSET A grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. by senior Nick Giarraputo on Thursday propelled Simi Valley to a 5-4 Marmonte League The Marmonte League is a high school sports league primarily made up of schools from Ventura County. The Marmonte Leauge is part of the CIF Southern Section. Click here to view the league schedule. upset of Agoura, the top-ranked team in the nation. Giarraputo also pitched 6 2/3 innings as the Pioneers (7-5 overall, 3-2) handed the Chargers (9-1, 4-1) their first loss this season. Senior left-hander Frankie Reed notched his sixth save of the season and 13th of his career, breaking Simi Valley's career save record. The visiting Chargers didn't go down easily. Nick Farinacci was 3 for 4 with a home run. Matt Prater Matt Prater (born August 10, 1984 in Mayfield Heights, Ohio) is an American football placekicker who currently is a free agent of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. also homered in a 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs. Agoura senior right-hander Jason Stoffel (4-1) struck out 10 and held Simi Valley to five hits. The Chargers drop to second place, behind Newbury Park. Simi Valley had lost four of its previous five games. ON THE RUN The Golden League is filled with players capable of making games look more like track meets. Palmdale has 36 stolen bases in 11 games, and Lancaster sophomore center fielder James Gant leads the league with 18 steals through 13 games Palmdale senior center fielder Tyreace House, the league's premier speedster speed·ster n. 1. One who drives very fast. 2. A fast car. on the diamond. House, also a football star, has a team-high 14 stolen bases in 15 attempts. House's brother Davon, a junior outfielder, has seven steals. Gant has been the biggest surprise. After spending last season on Lancaster's freshman team, he is nine thefts from tying the school single-season record for stolen bases, set by Colten Walter in 2001. UNHITTABLE O.C. Frontier League The Frontier League, based in Troy, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States and Western Pennsylvania. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either. baseball teams don't look forward to seeing Tim Johnston or Tommy Grillo on the mound. The Oaks Christian of Westlake Village pitchers are keeping hits at a premium while leading the first-place Lions. Grillo and Johnston have surrendered a combined six hits and one run in the past three games. Grillo posted a school-record 14 strikeouts in a shutout of Malibu, then struck out 14 more in his next outing, a 9-1 victory Friday over Santa Clara Santa Clara, city, Cuba Santa Clara (sän`tä klä`rä), city (1994 est. pop. 217,000), capital of Villa Clara prov., central Cuba. of Oxnard. Johnston faced the minimum number of batters in a March 20 victory over Santa Paula Santa Paula (săn`tə pôl`ə), city (1990 pop. 25,062), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Santa Clara River in a fertile valley that yields citrus fruits, avocados, vegetables, flowers, nursery products, and walnuts; laid out 1875, inc. . He took a perfect game into the seventh inning before allowing a bloop bloop Baseball n. A blooper. tr.v. blooped, bloop·ing, bloops To hit (a ball) into the air just beyond the infield. adj. Hit just beyond the infield. single. A double play finished the 20-0 win. ``The pitching has been great,'' said Oaks Christian coach Mike Maio, whose team is ranked fourth in Southern Section Div. V. Johnston, who also is batting a team-high .500, was a first-team All-Southern Section selection last season, when he helped the Lions to the division semifinals. Grillo is a newcomer the Lions didn't see until shortly before the season began. He is a transfer from Lancaster and spent the fall playing for the football team. ``He's a good pitcher,'' Miao said. ``We'll see if we can keep him going. He's a good, coachable kid. We're happy to have him.'' The only complaint Maio has is that his pitchers are doing so well, he can't justify pulling them to give his capable relievers a chance. ``I guess,'' he said, ``you cant really complain about that.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (1) Chatsworth's Josh Ravin tossed a four-hit shutout Monday against Granada Hills. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (2) JONES Box: (1) DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (2) SEVEN-DAY FORECAST By Heather Gripp |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion