Two of this week’s SoCal/NorCal players of the week are Madilyn Nickles of Merced and Cole Lemmel from Point Loma of San Diego. Photo: Twitter.com & PerfectGame.org.
One of this week’s choices is a senior from San Diego who is coached by a former MLB pitcher with a perfect game. Our other three honorees are from San Mateo, San Pedro and Merced.
To nominate a player for next week, email markjtennis@gmail.com by Monday at 12 noon and be sure to include a photo that we can use (which means it’s not from the local newspaper or from another web site). Please feel free to call at 209-463-9050 as well both for nominations or to see if your business or small company would like to become a sponsor for this weekly content.
Note: For purposes of this feature, we are considering the CIF Central Section to be in the north.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Baseball Player of the Week
Cole Lemmel (Point Loma, San Diego) Sr.
With a famous head coach like former MLB pitcher David Wells, who once threw a perfect game for the New York Yankees, it’s nice to see that Wells is doing his part to make sure one of his players at Point Loma is becoming well-known as well.
Lemel had his third straight multi-hit game during a 5-4 win last week over Madison of San Diego and is now hitting .514 on the year. Earlier this season, during a 10-9 loss against Del Norte of San Diego, he had a season-high five runs batted in with two doubles and a homer. He also went 4 for 5 during a 7-3 win over University City of San Diego that started Point Loma’s five-game winning streak.
“When he’s hot, he can carry a team,” Wells said earlier this season to the San Diego Union Tribune.
Lemmel, who has a 4.0 GPA, will attend Cal through academics, but will walk on and try to earn a scholarship with the Golden Bears.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Baseball Player of the Week
Ro Mahanty (Hillsdale, San Mateo) Sr.
For the third time this season, Ro pitched a complete game one-hitter as he allowed just one walk while striking out 11 during a 2-0 win over San Mateo.
On the year, he is now a perfect 9-0 with a 0.87 ERA and has allowed just 23 hits and 18 walks. Mahanty also has struck out 63 in 56.1 innings pitched.
Not only did he get the win on the mound over the Bearcats, but Mahanty’s hitting played a big part as well with a home run and two RBI. He is currently hitting .483 with three home runs and 20 runs batted in on the year.
Entering this week, with Mahanty leading the way, the Knights are 26-1 and have won 23 straight games and are on the bubble of our state rankings.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Softball Player of the Week
Nicolle Miranda (Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro) Sr.
Nearing the end of an outstanding high school career, this senior allowed just two hits while striking out nine during an 8-0 win for the Polar Bears over Harbor Teacher of Wilmington last week.
Now with 169 strikeouts on the season during 103.1 innings pitched, she also went 3 for 4 in the win at the plate.
While Harbor Teacher isn’t the biggest of schools, Miranda’s performance a few days before that against Westlake of Westlake Village certainly caught our attention as well. Facing another top SoCal pitcher, Meehra Nelson of the Warriors, she allowed just four hits and one earned run while matching her season-high with 14 strikeouts in the 3-1 win that also saw her triple and drive in a run.
As a sophomore, Miranda helped Port of Los Angeles earn the state’s No. 1 ranking for Division V.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Softball Player of the Week
Madilyn Nickles (Merced) Jr.
In the circle and at the plate, Nickles has had a tremendous junior season for the Bears.
In a 10-0 win last week over crosstown Golden Valley, she allowed just one hit in five innings while striking out 10 and also went 3-for-3 with three RBI with her sixth homer of the season. Nickles also homered for the third straight game.
With double-digit strikeout totals in 14 of her last 15 starts, she had a game earlier this season that saw her strike out 18 during a 5-1 win over Turlock and for the season she has 244 strikeouts in 145.1 innings pitched.
Last season, Madilyn was named to our All-State Underclass Second Team. She is committed to UCLA and also was selected for the 2015 USA Junior National Team.
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
