State Stat Stars of the Week

The best of those this week for baseball are stingy pitchers, including Hans Crouse of Dana Hills and Michael Mercado of San Diego Westview, who both have MLB scouts very interested, plus freshman Lucas Gordon from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. For softball, it’s the sluggers getting the most attention, including four girls who all cracked three homers in one game last week: Lilly Bishop of Grand Terrace, Belle Herrera of Riverside Patriot, Madison Huskey from Gahr of Cerritos and Audrey Sellers of Glendora St. Lucy’s.

Note: We will collect totals from MaxPreps, newspapers, tweets and from those sent in to us. We also will compile single-game highs from this post throughout the season and of course we use our weekly State Stat Stars collection as an aid for the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book. That is the only state record book anyone has ever done and we have published it seven times with full copyright protection. To report totals to us for this feature and for the record book, email markjtennis@gmail.com or call 209-608-1317. You can also text to 209-608-1317.

For this week’s NorCal/SoCal State Players of the Week, CLICK HERE.

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(All players listed in alphabetical order)
(Writeups by Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis, contributing editor Paul Muyskens & CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett)
(For games played through Saturday, April 29 with some games from this week)

BASEBALL

Andre Antone (Capistrano Valley Christian, SJ Capistrano)
Playing Saddleback Valley Christian is to Andre’s liking. He had seven RBI in his team’s previous meeting with that team and last week in a 9-4 win he went 3-for-3 with two homers and six RBI. Antone already has smashed his seventh homer of the season this week.

James Biles (Clayton Valley, Concord)
His performance for the Ugly Eagles was not an ugly one as he pitched a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and just one walk during a 3-0 win over College Park of Pleasant Hill. With the win, Biles not only helped Clayton Valley stay unbeaten, but he improved to 8-0 on the year with a 0.11 ERA.

Hans Crouse (Dana Hills, Dana Point)
When you have the type of arm that Hans does and pro scouts are very interested, it’s a difficult dance between getting him some appearances but limiting the pitch counts. He went six innings last week in a 5-1 win vs. Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo and gave up just two hits with eight strikeouts. In the same game, Crouse went 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles and two RBI. After an outing this week vs. Trabuco Hills, Crouse had just 27 innings but his strikeout total was sitting at an insane 78.

Matt Dallas (Gregori, Modesto)
Also helping his team remain undefeated and move into the top 10 of our state rankings, Dallas pitched a complete game shutout during a 6-0 win over Johansen of Modesto. He allowed just two hits while striking out 11.

Noah Flores (Central Valley Christian, Visalia)
Standout pitcher had a memorable game by throwing a seven inning no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over Exeter.

Isaiah Gonzales (Santa Fe, Santa Fe Springs)
With two important Del Rio League games against La Serna of Whittier on the schedule, Gonzales pitched his second consecutive shutout and struck out five against the Lancers. In the same game, he also drove in a run.

Lucas Gordon (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks)
Showing why he is committed to USC despite being just a freshman, Gordon improved to 6-0 on the year with a 1.29 ERA after he pitched seven no-hit innings during a 1-0 nine-inning win over Crespi of Encino. If he keeps that up, maybe Gordon will get on the cover of SI like teammate Hunter Greene.

Blake Grider (Highland, Bakersfield)
He extended his hitting streak to 23 games when he hit three doubles, had three RBI and went 4-for-6 at the plate in a 20-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader against South of Bakersfield. Teammate Cade Sakomto also had a fine game as he went 5-for-6 with four runs scored, four RBI and two doubles. In the second game with South, Grider finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, one homer and scored twice in a 17-4 win.

Robbie Lyles (Apple Valley Christian)
In a 16-9 triumph by AVC against Victor Valley, Lyles came alive by going 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI. Later in the week, he scored four times (he was officially just 1-for-2 with a double) in a 23-2 romp past Bethel Christian of Riverside. After those games, Lyles was batting .561 for the season with 35 RBI.

Michael Mercado (Westview, San Diego)
He’s already made a big impact this week by pitching a 2-1 win for Westview against state-ranked Rancho Bernardo. Mercado makes the stat star list for striking out 12 and getting a two-hitter in a 8-0 win vs. Mt. Carmel. That outing came after Mercado pitched a no-hitter and struck out 14 in his previous start vs. Del Norte.

Charles Middleton (Lincoln)
As of the middle of this week, Middleton was at the top of the reported batting average leaders on MaxPreps. He’s also getting into state record book territory for doubles. Last week, in a 15-0 win vs. Colfax, Middleton went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI. He later doubled as part of a 3-for-3 day in a 8-7 win by the Zebras over the Falcons. His most recent totals had him at .640 with 17 doubles and 40 RBI.

Zach Pettway (Wilson, Long Beach)
Leading the way on the mound, this UCLA commit pitched a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts while also driving in two runs with a double during an 11-0 win over Long Beach Poly.

Lucas Sweany (Vacaville Christian)
It looks like Lucas recorded all 12 outs in a four-inning outing vs. Golden Sierra of Garden Valley via the strikeout, but that wasn’t all he did in a 14-0 victory. While he did give up two hits in those four innings, Sweany also starred at the plate. He went 2-for-5 with homer and five RBI. In another 10-0 win vs. Golden Sierra, Sweany finished 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.

Tristan Workman (Citrus Valley, Redlands)
Putting in impressive work at the plate and on the mound, he hit a go-ahead grand slam home run during an 8-5 win over Yucaipa before pitching a three-hit shutout with five strikeouts while also driving in two runs during a 12-0 win over Yucaipa.

Danny Zimmerman (Redondo Union, Redondo Beach)
Looking like he could play for the Washington Nationals, he hit two home runs during a 4-3 loss to Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates. Zimmerman, who was the top junior on last year’s team at Redondo that ended No. 2 in the state, is among the state leaders in home runs with nine. With teams pitching carefully to him, he then walked three times during a 7-4 win over Peninsula and walked twice and scored twice during an 8-0 win over St. Bernard of Playa del Rey.

SOFTBALL

Lilly Bishop (Grand Terrace)
Pretty soon she may not have any official at bats if teams decide to pitch around her and walk her every time. In two games last week against Fontana (both wins), Bishop made the most of her five total at-bats against Fontana with three home runs and now has nine home runs on the year. She has signed with North Carolina State.

Courtney Beaudin (Foothill, Pleasanton)
During wins last week over Carondelet of Concord (6-2) and Dublin (11-0), Beaudin went a perfect 4 for 4 with two home runs, three walks and eight runs batted in.

Hailey de la Vera (Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood)
Not only did she have two triples at the plate during a 5-0 win over Marymount of Los Angeles, but this Ohio Wesleyan commit pitched her second no-hitter of the season with 15 strikeouts.

Ashley Gammel (North, Bakersfield)
In a wild game against Mira Monte of Bakersfield that the Stars won 23-18, Ashley had a big day, going 4-for-5 with five RBI. Teammate Hailey Flud also had five RBI and scored three times.

Belle Herrera (Patriot, Riverside)
Nearly hitting the home run cycle, she went 3 for 3 in the first of two games in a 13-0 romp past Jurupa Valley as she hit a grand slam, a three-run home run and a two-run home run. She also finished with nine runs batted in. In game two, Herrera went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs as Patriot thumped Jurupa Valley 18-1.

Madison Huskey (Gahr, Cerritos)
Not often would hitting three doubles and driving in three runs not be your best game of the week but that was the case for this junior as she hit three home runs and drove in six runs during a 21-0 win over Lynwood.

Alyssa Ito (San Benito, Hollister)
Leading an offensive attack that scored 20 runs during a 20-1 win over Gilroy, this sophomore went 4 for 4 with two doubles, two home runs and five runs batted in. Teammate Brittnee Rossi also homered and drove in five runs.

Keelie Koepp (Calaveras, San Andreas)
Just a freshman, Koepp is forcing opposing pitchers to cope with her bat. She led her 21-3 team with eight RBI while going 3-for-3 with a double in a 26-2 romp last week against Bret Harte of Altaville. For the season, Keelie also has 42 RBI and a .440 average.

Caitlin Ladd (Los Alamitos)
Despite a lengthy layoff with no games, the Griffins had no problems earning a 12-1 win over Huntington Beach as their senior second baseman hit two home runs, including a three-run home run that reportedly landed on top of a car.

Brandi Leach (Dunsmuir)
After tossing a no-hitter with nine strikeouts for the Tigers last week in a 17-0 victory against Herlong, Leach now has four no-hitters on the season. She’s just a sophomore.

Makena Macias (Torrey Pines, San Diego)
A sophomore who hit .426 for the Falcons last season, Macias led her team to two Avocado West League triumphs last week by going 6-for-8 with four RBI, two runs scored and one steal. One of those hits was a homer.

Marissa Mazon (Mission Oak, Tulare)
The career homers are starting to pile up for Mazon. The senior warmed up at the plate by hitting her 32nd home of her career with six RBI in a 25-6 win over Delano. THen in the second game of the week, she hit her 33rd home run in a 13-0 win over Porterville.

Kiya Sandoval (Gunderson, San Jose)
It is hard to not like players that are multi-threats and Sandoval is one of those players. In one of her games last week, this freshman pitched five no-hit innings during a win over Yerba Buena. For the week at the plate, she also went 6-for-9 with four doubles, a triple, five runs scored and five runs batted in.

Jessica Seely (Foothill, Palo Cedro)
The all-state player from last season is continuing to dominate in the CIF Northern Section. Seely, who has signed with Sacramento State, went 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBI when the Cougars beat Pleasant Valley of Chico last week 12-2. That also was the fourth straight game in which she homered and she added a fifth this week vs. Chico before the streak was halted. Seely also pitched a one-hitter last week with 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 victory over Enterprise of Redding.

Audrey Sellers (St. Lucy’s, Glendora)
Putting on a performance that those in attendance will not likely forget, she homered in her first three at bats and drove in eight runs before walking twice during a win over Chino Hills. She also homered and drove in two runs against Upland. In the two games, Sellers had four home runs, 10 runs batted in and five runs scored.

Sierra Shanoff (Montgomery, Santa Rosa)
She’s been sending shots toward the Sierra Nevadas this season for the Vikings. Shanoff belted her 10th homer of the spring in a 13-6 victory last week vs. Maria Carillo of Santa Rosa as part of a day that saw her end at 4-for-5 with six RBI. She’s already hit her 11th homer of the season this week.

Keelin Spencer (Prospect, Saratoga)
A strong week for her was highlighted when she finished 4-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI in a 27-0 romp past Mt. Pleasant of San Jose. In the three games, Spancer reached base in 12 of 13 plate appearances and went 8-for-9 with two doubles and three RBI. She also raised her league-leading batting average to .541.

Taryn Young (Canyon, Anaheim)
Needing just a single for a cycle, she was 3 for 3 with a double, triple and home run while driving in five runs during a win over Foothill of Tustin. Young has been one of the state’s top-ranked college prospects for three years and is having an all-state season with nine homers and now up to 24 for her career.

COACHING
According to CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett, Mike Noel of Clovis became the fourth softball coach in section history to reach 600 wins on April 11 when the Cougars posted a 7-5 win over Buchanan of Clovis in Tri-River Athletic League action.

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