SPIRITS RISE FROM LEAGUE CELLAR TO SECTION SEMIFINALS.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News Paraclete High's baseball team hit the low point of its season at the start of High Desert League play as the inexperienced Spirits struggled to a 5-8 record. The high point came Friday. Paraclete knocked off top-seeded L.A. Baptist 5-1 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division V playoffs at home. Senior right-hander Dan O'Gara pitched a five-hitter and struck out 12 as the Spirits notched its ninth victory in 10 games. The victory moves Paraclete (14-9), the High Desert League's No. 3 entrant, into the semifinals for the first time since 1990. The Spirits play host to fourth-seeded Cerritos Valley Christian (20-7) at 3:15 this afternoon at Highland High. The winner will face either defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del título defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. Calvary Chapel Calvary Chapel is a non-denominational, Protestant fellowship of churches which began in 1965 in Southern California. The term "fellowship of churches" is used in contrast to a denomination. (21-5) or La Salle La Salle, city (1990 pop. 9,717), La Salle co., N Ill., on the Illinois River; settled 1830, inc. 1852. It forms a tricity unit with Peru and Oglesby. Corn, wheat, and soybeans are grown, and cattle and hogs are raised. (20-8) in the championship Friday at Cal State Fullerton. Paraclete, seeking its first Southern Section championship since 1980, advanced to the quarterfinals with road victories in the first two rounds, defeating Oak Park 5-1 and 1995 finalist St. Anthony 4-3. Matt Bunker (4-4), who pitched five innings to pick up the win against St. Anthony, will start against Valley Christian. The junior righthander has compiled a 2.97 earned-run average with 51 strikeouts in 63 innings. ``I figured we could win the first two playoff games,'' Paraclete coach Mike Fulmer said. ``Coming up against L.A. Baptist, I was mainly hoping for a home game. Everything fell into place.'' Paraclete still was finding its mark early in the season. O'Gara and senior first baseman Travis Studt were the only returning starters for the Spirits. The lineup included two freshmen - 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 Dave Brown Dave Brown can refer to:
n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Coley coley Noun Brit an edible fish with white or grey flesh [perhaps from coalfish] Delaney - and sophomore shortstop Justin Kolesar. Bill Kneifl, who earned All-Southern Section honors as a second baseman last season, suffered a shoulder injury playing soccer. Kneifl only returned to action midway through the season in a limited role as a designated hitter designated hitter n. Baseball Abbr. DH A player designated at the start of a game to bat instead of the pitcher in the lineup. Noun 1. . Catcher Jason Larsen, outfielders Ben Joyce and Vinny Pagan saw only limited action as juniors. Juniors Dan Parra and Chris McMurtry are first-year players. Paraclete's record fell to 5-8 after consecutive defeats to Aquinas in the final nonleague game and a defeat to Bishop in its High Desert League opener. ``We hit rock bottom,'' Fulmer said. ``We had a young team and were trying to find a set lineup. We could either stay down in the slime or they could come together and pull out of it.'' The Spirits seemed to have taken the latter route. Paraclete completed the first round of league play with a 3-2 record. In the second round, Paraclete went 4-1. They avenged a·venge tr.v. a·venged, a·veng·ing, a·veng·es 1. To inflict a punishment or penalty in return for; revenge: avenge a murder. 2. defeats to league champion Bishop and Kern Valley and had a shot at a share of the league title. The Spirits, however, lost to Rosamond, 3-2, in the league finale and were forced to settle with a tie for second with Kern Valley at 7-3. O'Gara, who leads the team with eight doubles, and Kneifl are batting .464 and .450, respectively, while Delaney and McMurtry have raised their averages to .350 and .343, respectively. ``I figured league was going to be very tough,'' Fulmer said. ``We came on real well and played better the second half of league. We've been hitting better each game of league. The loss in the last game of league made the kids real hungry to get to the playoffs.'' |
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