Two of this week’s top statewide performers are seniors Ryan Steindorf from Pleasant Valley of Chico and Tannon Snow of Chino Hills. Photos: Mark Tennis & @UWSoftball.
As has been customary for many years, we collect the state stat stars in support of the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac. The book has been published seven times (the most recent, though, was 2009) and is as official as a state record book can be since no other exists. To report a State Stat Star of the Week of your own, please email details to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Note: We will now be doing separate blog posts for any boys and girls basketball state record updates and stat star performances for the rest of the season. All baseball and softball state records are in the process of being added to this web site. Some of them already have been added. They will be part of our Gold Club membership. To join our Gold Club today, please CLICK HERE.
Thanks to Mark Tennis and CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett for also contributing items this week. This honor roll is for games played from March 10 to March 14 with some performances from this week also included.
BASEBALL
Joey Matulovich (San Ramon Valley, Danville)
College Park of Pleasant Hill lost its No. 1 state ranking largely because of Joey’s dominant performance on the mound last Friday when he pitched a complete game shutout and allowed just one hit while striking out 12 during the 4-0 win for the Wolves.
Zan Thomas (Compton)
The Tarbabes defeated Jordan of Los Angeles 25-0 as this junior hit for the cycle along with nine runs batted in. Compton is often on the other side of lopsided scores in the Moore League against the likes of Long Beach Wilson and Lakewood.
Kyle Dean (Bellarmine Prep, San Jose)
Ringing the Cal-Hi Sports’ bell to make sure people know about his performance last week, he only had two strikeouts in a pitching outing against Leigh of San Jose, but it came in a no-hitter. Bellarmine (6-0) got another gem from the mound this week with Sid Iyer throwing a four-hitter in a big win over Valley Christian.
Dalton Blumenfield (Hamilton, Los Angeles)
Hitting the ball all over the field, he hit two home runs and doubled while driving in seven runs during a 22-0 win over Marshall of Pasadena.
Grant Dragmire (Bradshaw Christian, Sacramento)
After collecting three hits in his two previous games, Dragmire did it again and had two of hits go yard in a 9-4 victory last week over Golden Sierra of Garden Valley. The multi-sport senior standout had only been retired six times in his first six games of the season.
Will Tribucher (San Clemente)
Named as the OCVarsity Baseball Athlete of the Week, this Michigan-bound standout pitched five shutout innings with eight strikeouts during a 2-0 win over Servite of Anaheim. He also had three hits at the plate in a different game to lead the Tritons past Dana Hills 5-4 in the title game of the Loara tourney. Both teams are in this week’s State Top 20 rankings.
Omar Escobar (Edison, Stockton)
In a 17-4 triumph earlier this week against Ben Holt of Stockton, Escobar smoked two triples, added a double and went 4-for-4. Ryan Elkins added three hits.
Kaleb Murphy (Excelsior Charter, Victorville)
One of several senior captains to have state stat star worthy performances last week, this catcher hit it where Upland Christian Academy of Rancho Cucamonga couldn’t catch it as he hit two home runs and finished with five runs batted in during the 19-0 win for the Eagles.
Efrain Del Rio (Dos Palos)
The Broncos’ senior captain has three wins this season already on the mound, but it’s his hitting that is really turning heads. Del Rio hit two home runs in a game for the second time this season in a 7-0 win over Orange Cove and already has seven round-trippers for the season. Del Rio, in fact, leads the nation in homers among schools that report stats to MaxPreps.
Arman Sabouri (Branham, San Jose)
Arman was the man when he picked up his fourth win of the season without a loss in a 1-0 win over Gilroy. Sabouri, a junior, pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out 10.
Ryan Steindorf (Pleasant Valley, Chico)
In his first 23 innings on the mound, Steindorf had yet to allow an earned run. The streak included a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a 3-2 win last week against Enterprise of Redding and a one-hitter with 11 Ks in a 3-0 shutout of South Tahoe.
Ryan Hare (Lakewood)
After a slow start in his first game, Hare has been one of the most dominant pitchers in Southern California. He tossed a shutout last week of preseason nationally ranked Aliso Niguel of Aliso Viejo which came on the heels of throwing a two-hitter with nine strikeouts against Canyon of Anaheim. Already this week, Hare has struck out 11 in a win by the Lancers over La Mirada.
SOFTBALL
Alyssa Palomino (Mission Viejo)
Teammate Taylor McQuillin’s pitching is always a story, but in Mission Viejo’s run to the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions title in Arizona, Palomino’s power hitting has been even more remarkable to start the season. On the way to the championship game, Palomino hit two home runs during a 10-2 win over California of Whittier to give her 47 for her career to break the Orange County career-home run record previously held by El Toro’s Lauren Chamberlain. Palomino then homered for the sixth time in six games during a 7-0 win over Villa Park in the quarterfinals. Her career total is now just six off the reported state record of 53, which according to our own Cal-Hi Sports record collection is held by three different players – Alia Williams of Los Angeles Crenshaw (2006-2009), Baillie Kirker of Crescenta Valley (2006-2009) and Darian Tautalafua of Carson (2009-2012).
Tannon Snow (Chino Hills)
The Washington Huskies are probably counting down the days until they add Tannon’s powerful bat to their lineup. She went 4 for 4 with a grand slam home run and had nine runs batted in during a 17-3 win over Valencia at the Tournament of Champions in Arizona. She also hit two home runs and drove in seven runs during a 10-3 victory against Lakewood. Snow hit 14 home runs last season and also should eventually rank high on the all-time career state list.
Kaitlyn Eveland (Loara, Anaheim)
During an 8-0 win over Laguna Hills at the Saddleback Valley tournament, this Michigan State-bound slugger hit for the cycle.
Kaitlyn Combo (River Valley, Yuba City)
Doing a combination of things for the Falcons, she has four wins in the circle while also being a big threat at the plate. She hit a home run and drove in six runs during a 10-0 win over Wheatland and two games later she homered and drove in three runs during a 4-4 tie against Red Bluff that saw her home run hitting streak extended to five games.
Breanna Swint (Lindhurst, Olivehurst)
Not only did she strike out 15 and not allow an earned run during a 10-2 win over East Nicolaus of Nicolaus but she also helped herself out at the plate as she doubled, homered and drove in two runs.
Samantha Diaz (Rancho Cucamonga)
This sophomore shortstop slugged multiple extra-base hits during a 22-0 win over Hesperia. She finished 4 for 5 with a triple, two home runs and five runs batted in. On the season, she is hitting .548 with 23 runs batted in and 19 runs scored.
Frankie Hammoude (Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland)
While the attention at the school is likely towards the basketball court, this freshman has shined early on outside the gym this season. She hit two home runs during a 5-4 win over Lassen of Susanville last week. She also hit a grand slam home run and drove in five runs during a 10-6 win over Yreka.
Savanah Ruiz (Paloma Valley, Menifee)
Going a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate during a 19-2 win over Tahquitz of Hemet, this junior captain had a double and two home runs while driving in a season-best five runs.
Mia Camuso (Shasta, Redding)
Despite a junior, she is no stranger to being listed here as she has started the season slugging the ball all over the field. Camuso followed up a two-homer game two weeks ago with another pair of dingers last week while driving in four runs during a 6-4 win over Red Bluff. She is currently hitting .559 with 20 runs batted in and five home runs.
Fale Avui (Rancho Buena Vista, Vista)
Starting a streak that saw her homer in four straight games, the standout headed to the University of Oklahoma homered and drove in five runs when the Longhorns defeated Cathedral Catholic of San Diego 7-2 last week. Since RBV improved to 7-0 with the win over the defending San Diego Section Open Division champions, it helped the Longhorns jump into this week’s State Top 20.
Holly Azevedo (Pioneer, San Jose)
The sophomore had two impressive outings in the circle last week. First, the UCLA commit allowed just two hits and struck out 11 during a 6-0 win over Los Altos and then allowed just one hit during an 11-0 win over Pacific Grove.
Britney Howard (North, Bakersfield)
According to CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett, Howard set a school record by hitting three triples for the game and four rbi’s in a 12-2 win over Foothill of Bakersfield.
Paul Muyskens is the Stockton office assistant editor for CalHiSports.com. Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
