UP MIDDLE, THEY'RE PUT FRONT AND CENTER; ALL-STARS LOOKING FORWARD TO GAME.

Byline: Heather Gripp Daily News Staff Writer

Westlake pitchers often talked about their willingness to let batters hit the ball. With a stellar defense keying the Warriors baseball team, it wasn't likely opponents would be getting far anyway.

As was evident in the Warriors loss in Saturday's Southern Section championship game in which they committed four errors, defense usually played a key role for the Warriors.

``It's been said we have one of the best defenses in the nation,'' second baseman Ryan Cope said. ``It didn't show in our last game, but it definitely was one of our strengths.''

At the heart of Westlake's stingy defense the past two seasons has been Cope and shortstop Scott Dragicevich.

``We always try to be strong up the middle,'' coach Chuck Berrington said. ``I stress defense first. I know the offense is going to be there.''

The double-play partners will be on display, perhaps for the last time as teammates, when they play in Saturday's Daily News Bernie Milligan All-Star Game at Cal State Northridge.

The seniors grew up playing against each other, but it didn't take long for the pair to jell after Cope transferred from Thousand Oaks for their junior season.

``It was an easy transition,'' said Dragicevich, who made just three errors during the regular season. ``That's important. Working up the middle is a crucial part of the defense. I'm really comfortable with him. We're fundamentally sound.''

Cope, who was primarily a shortstop before he transferred, agreed.

``He was one of the greatest shortstops I'd seen,'' he said of Dragicevich. ``We read each other well. We form an awesome combo up the middle. We didn't get as many chances this year, but last year we turned a lot of double plays.''

Defense is far from being their only contribution, though.

Cope finished the season as the Warriors' second-leading hitter with a .456 average and 32 RBI while Dragicevich batted .349.

Atypical of middle infielders, the duo were also Westlake's top power hitters. Cope led the team with six home runs this season to finish his Westlake career with 14 homers. The Stanford-bound Dragicevich, whose impressive stats carry off the field with a 4.0 GPA, belted a career-high 16 home runs and 81 RBI.

Power might be expected from the 6-foot-2, 175 pound Dragicevich, but at 5-foot-9, Cope resembles a leadoff man more than a clean-up hitter.

``He's got a little power punch in him,'' Dragicevich said of Cope. ``He looks like the typical little second baseman. You wouldn't expect him to have much power, but he gets up there and hits home runs like he's 7-feet tall. He's just a great player that goes all out.''

Cope is used to being underestimated.

``It's definitely interesting when you see the No. 4 hitter come up and they all move in,'' he said. ``By the second year, they pretty much all knew me,

though. I didn't get the pitches I got last year.

``I just use my whole body and put everything I have into it.''

Size has also been an issue for Dragicevich.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Power-hitting Ryan Cope looks like a typical small second baseman, until he swings a bat.

(2) Westlake shortstop Scott Dragicevich made only three errors in the regular season.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News