Run producers
Camarillo baseball team relies on its offense to shoulder the load
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers SAFE AT HOME- Camarillo's Jacob Mahan, right, slides in to home plate before Agoura catcher Steven Keller can get the ball and make a play. ACHS won two of its first three games of the season.

Camarillo High head baseball coach Richard Jaquez has been in the Scorpion system for 11 years and he remembers the glory days very well.

From the late 1990s to the turn of the century, ACHS dominated opponents and had many players who could really swing the lumber, big-name hitters such as Jeff Bannon, Joe Borchard and Delmon Young.

Borchard now plays for the Florida Marlins, while Young, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 MLB draft, is a rising star with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

For the first time in several years, Jaquez believes his current squad can measure up to those fearsome Scorpion offenses.

"I believe this year's team is the first group since the late '90s that our bats are comparable to," Jaquez said.

After winning the Pacific View League title and advancing to the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs last year, the majority of the Camarillo roster returns this year looking to go even further.

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers CRAFTY LEFTY- Scorpion pitcher Jon Erb delivers a strike during the team's first game of the season last Friday against Agoura.

In the team's first three games, the Scorpions have scored 28 runs, proving that their offense is in high gear. If Camarillo wants to win a title, though, the team must do more than just hit the ball well.

"I think we need to hit the ball, but we also need to have better pitching and defense than we've shown early on," Jaquez said. "If all three of those things come together, we will be very tough to beat. If we are missing one of those things, than it will be tough to win this league with Rio Mesa, Oxnard and Hueneme playing good ball."

Seniors Jonathan Erb and Garrett Rau will look to bolster the Scorpion pitching staff. Camarillo's other hurlers include junior Bryan Wilson, senior Justin Bricker and senior Pete McCarthy, who transferred from St. Bonaventure.

"To win league we are going to have to pitch better," Erb said. "I think it's something we can do. I mean, we definitely have the arms to do it, that's for sure."

Camarillo's entire pitching staff consists of players who also field a position when they're not on the mound, which has made it tough for Jaquez to insert the same infield game after game. This has led to a poor defensive showing early in the season for ACHS.

"It's not a comfortable thing dealing with," Jaquez said. "It seems as if there have been two completely different teams out there depending on who is pitching. I try not to move players around too much, but it's something I'm still working on."

One thing Camarillo doesn't have to work on as much is its hitting. Jacob Mahan returns for his junior year and will bat leadoff. Brendan Hindle will bat second while Garrett Rau hits third.

"So far I really like how Garrett has swung the bat," Jaquez said. "He's probably going to see a lot of breaking balls this year, and he has handled that very well."

Jaquez said he likes the speed at the top of his lineup, which is why he has newcomer Kenny Wise batting ninth.

"Kenny runs well, so we put him in the ninth spot so we have three speed guys in a row," Jaquez said. "He has been a real surprise. He is a quiet, hard worker, and even though he bats ninth he does have a little bit of power and he showed that when he hit a home run Saturday against Palmdale."

Wise plays the outfield along with Erb and McCarthy. Jaquez has also been pleased with the addition of McCarthy in the lineup.

"He had some real good atbats (Tuesday) and is becoming a great hitter," Jaquez said.

"Our team votes on their captains and he was voted this season to be one even though he had never played for us before this year. That shows just how much of a positive influence he is. He is a true gentleman and a joy to coach."

McCarthy is a co-captain, along with Erb and thirdyear varsity catcher Mike Yingling. Jaquez said although Yingling doesn't call the pitches behind the plate, he does have a lot of input regarding each pitcher.

"Mike knows the system very well after being here three years," Jaquez said. "He doesn't decide what pitches are thrown, but we will listen to what he has to say and sometimes we will go with what he thinks is the best pitch."

Jaquez said this year's Scorpion team may be the best the program has put on the field in a long time. Erb added that his team won't be satisfied with simply winning a league title.

"We have a lot of veteran guys on this team, and I think that has made us more mature and hungrier to win," Erb said.

"Of course we want to win a league title, and we're not taking anything away from that because it won't be easy, but at the same time, we really want to win CIF. Last year's early playoff loss was hard on us and we want to go further this year."

Camarillo plays a tournament game Saturday against an opponent yet to be determined.