Two of this week’s leading stat stars are pitchers Natalie Lugo from South Hills of Covina & Jeremiah Estrada of Palm Desert. Photos: Patrick Takkinen/OCSidelines.com & ProspectPipeline/Twitter.com.
Last few games of championship season for Palo Cedro Foothill’s Jessica Seeley were hard to believe, including one game in which she hit two grand slams and drove in 12 runs. Another from softball comes from a girl who took an AP exam for four hours before zipping out to have a strong game. In baseball, we had one stat star from a 32-0 game while another was La Mesa Helix junior standout Jack Stronach, who has committed to UCLA.
Note: Writeups this week mostly for games played through May 20 but also from two weeks ago and some mentions from this week. Writeups by Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis & CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett. We also 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.
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BASEBALL
James Acuna (Cypress)
The CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs saw some outstanding first round pitching performances and none was better than Acuna’s performance against Edison of Huntington Beach as he pitched a no-hitter with five strikeouts in a 3-0 win for the Centurions over the Chargers.
Santiago Cantu (Patterson)
Before Patterson was ousted in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D5 playoffs, Cantu had a strong week. First, he had seven strikeouts on the mound in a complete-game 6-1 victory vs. Union Mine. Then later, Cantu went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and four RBI when the Tigers beat Lincoln 5-0. After that pitching outing, Cantu was 9-0 with a 0.39 ERA.
Look for details soon on exciting, new way for every stat star, player of the week and all-state player to be able to order their own highlight video.
Daniel Contrano (Harbor Teacher, Wilmington)
He was the winning pitcher (going all seven innings despite giving up 13 hits) and went 1-for-3 with a double and RBI in a 7-6 triumph over Port of L.A. in the CIF L.A. City D3 playoffs. Earlier in the week, Contrano went 3-for-4 with two triples and three runs scored in a 8-3 playoff victory vs. Animo Venice.
Ramon Enriquez (Capuchino, San Bruno)
A senior third baseman, Enriquez led the Mustangs in their 10-7 victory vs. Aptos in the CIF Central Coast Section D2 playoffs with two hits and three RBI. Then in the quarterfinals, he went 2-for-3 and had the game-winning RBI when Cap topped Burlingame 2-1.
Jeremiah Estrada (Palm Desert)
A junior fireballer to watch, Estrada tossed a five-inning one-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a 17-1 CIFSS playoff win last week over Paso Robles. He’s already had a relief outing this week vs. Knight of Palmdale with three strikeouts in one perfect inning and in the last week of the regular season he had a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a 5-0 win over La Quinta.
Noah Fluman (El Toro, Lake Forest)
Perfect until the fourth inning, he allowed just three hits while striking out eight and pitched a complete-game shutout for the Chargers, who advanced in the CIFSS Division I playoffs with a 4-0 win over Kennedy of La Palma.
Kevin Gowdy (Santa Barbara)
One of many big time pitching performances last week to open up the postseason, this UCLA-bound hurler allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out 11 in a 1-0 win over Bellflower in the CIFSS Division II playoffs.
Collin Quinn (JSerra, SJ Capistrano)
No stranger to earning a spot in our weekly state stat stars feature, he pitched a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts when the Lions opened up the CIFSS Division I playoffs with a 3-0 win over Dana Hills.
Todd Roberts (Ramona)
In a bizarre end of the regular season for the Bulldogs, Roberts went 4-for-6 with three runs scored, four RBI and two doubles in a 32-0 win over Orange Glen of Escondido. It was a full seven-inning game and Ramona scored eight times in two separate innings. Roberts began the playoffs hitting .382 with 27 RBI.
Jack Stronach of La Mesa Helix is one of those top players who can hit and pitch. Photo: EastCountySports.com.
Blake Schriever (Esperanza, Anaheim)
With no room for error against Tustin, he allowed just four hits while striking out ten as the Aztecs advanced in the CIF-SS Division I playoffs with the 1-0 win. Esperanza lost in its second-round playoff game earlier this week, after which longtime head coach Mike Curran announced he is retiring. Curran has been one of the state’s top coaches – both for wins and producing great players – for many years.
Kieran Shaw (Bellarmine Prep, San Jose)
Getting the start against Terra Nova of Pacifica in the quarterfinals of the CCS Open Division playoffs, he pitched six shutout innings while striking out eight as the Bells advanced with a 6-0 win.
Nick Sparks (De La Salle, Concord)
One of several big-time pitchers for the Spartans, Sparks opened the CIF North Coast Section Division I playoffs by tossing a two-hitter with eight strikeouts in a 10-0 shortened win game vs. Pittsburg. After that game, Sparks improved his season totals to 10-0 with a 0.39 ERA plus 60 strikeouts.
Jack Stronach (Helix, La Mesa)
A junior who has committed to UCLA, Stronach is on his way to having a standout career with the Highlanders. When they blanked Granite Hills of El Cajon 3-0 last week to end the regular season, Stronach pitched the complete-game shutout and also hit a home run as a batter.
Will Tomlinson (Crean Lutheran, Irvine)
Named by OC Sidelines as its Player of the Week, he pitched a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts when the Saints defeated Chadwick of Palos Verdes Peninsula 15-0 in the first round of the CIFSS Division VI playoffs.
Travis Vander Molen (Ripon Christian)
Another small school standout from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, Vander Molen had the bizarre line of 0-for-1 with three runs scored, one RBI plus he threw a one-hitter with eight strikeouts in five innings during a 17-0 win over Golden Sierra of Garden Valley in the CIF SJS D6 playoffs. In his next game, a 9-5 win vs. Woodland Christian, Vander Molen went 1-for-1 with two runs, three RBI and a homer. The Knights will play Mariposa in the SJS D6 title game on Monday in Lodi.
Jack Wolger (Jesuit, Carmichael)
It was a matchup of two pitchers both headed to Cal and it was Wolger and the Marauders who came away with the 4-0 win over Vintage of Napa and Jared Horn. Wolger allowed just two hits while striking out three in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I North playoff win. Jesuit, however, already this week has been eliminated from that bracket.
SOFTBALL
Erin Brown (La Reina, Thousand Oaks)
Not only was she the winning pitcher with one run allowed and 10 strikeouts, Brown also had two hits, including a double, while driving in four runs as the Regents defeated Godinez of Santa Ana 8-1 in the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs.
Kaitlin Buff (Rolling Hills Prep, San Pedro)
It was rough to hit against Buff when our top-ranked Division V team in the state beat Malibu 10-0 in the CIFSS Division VI playoffs. The George Washington University-bound pitcher did not allow a hit against the Sharks as she pitched a no-hitter with eight strikeouts.
Cristiona Caccamise (Henry, San Diego)
While going 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs batted in may not be the biggest game, this LSU committed junior catcher has the details around her performance during a 7-1 win over Westview of San Diego to make it even more impressive. Having to wear her uniform to school, she finished a four-hour advanced placement Spanish exam early and rushed over to the field, arriving just minutes before first pitch to play.
Madison Earnshaw (Notre Dame, Belmont)
Just a sophomore, she more than earned the win as she pitched eight shutout innings before the Tigers scored to pick up a 1-0 win over Stevenson of Pebble Beach in the CIF CCS Division III semifinals.
Terra McGowan is one of the leading hitters for powerhouse Mission Viejo. Photo: OCSidelines.com.
Nerissa Eason (Bear River, Grass Valley)
While it wasn’t the three home runs and seven runs batted in performance from earlier this month, Eason did hit a home run and drive in five runs during a 17-2 win over Sierra of Manteca in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D4 playoffs.
Rebecca Gallis (Kern Valley, Lake Isabella)
Going up against Coalinga ace Lannay Wilson in the CIF Central Section D5 playoffs, Gallis smacked a pair of fence-topping doubles and had two RBI as the Broncos beat the Horned Toads 5-1. Kern Valley played in the section semifinals on Thursday.
Maddi Hackbarth (Oakdale)
Following up her three-homer game with five runs batted in earlier in the week during a 13-3 win over Cordova of Rancho Cordova, she hit a home run and drove in two more during a 9-1 win over Vista del Lago of Folsom. Unfortunately for her, the Mustangs couldn’t get into the title round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D3 playoffs.
Alyssa Hernandez (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta)
Falcons’ athletic director David Mendoza reports that Hernandez racked up an impressive total of 20 doubles this season. That total puts her into the Cal-Hi Sports state record book files, but even more impressive is that she’s just a freshman.
Jasmine Islas (Calipatria)
Junior standout from the Imperial Valley went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI in a 15-5 CIF San Diego Section playoff win over Canyon Crest Academy. In the previous week, Jasmine had two triples, one homer and six RBI in a win vs. Julian. She started this week hitting .700 with seven homers and 41 RBI.
Natalie Lugo (South Hills, Covina)
Regarded as one of the top college pitching prospects in the state, Lugo hurled a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts to lead the Huskies past Pacifica of Oxnard 10-0 in the CIFSS D2 playoffs. She had one-hitters in each of her previous three starts and has struck out as many as 19 in one game, which she has done twice.
Jamie Madigan (Carlmont, Belmont)
Inserted into the lineup because of an injury to a starter earlier in the game, Madison capped a huge comeback by the Scots with a three-run walk-off home run for a 13-11 win over Los Gatos in the CCS Division I playoffs. Carlmont trailed 9-0 after just one-and-a-half innings and it looked like a difficult last game in the legendary head coaching career of Jim Liggitt. Instead, Liggitt’s career continued. His final game will be Saturday in the CCS D1 championshp game against San Benito of Hollister. Earlier this season, the retiring Liggitt won the 1,000th game of his career.
Marissa Moreno (Torrance)
Getting the start against Maranatha of Sierra Madre, this San Diego State-bound pitcher allowed just one hit while striking out 11 during a 10-0 win for the Tartars. She’s the same Marissa Moreno who won for Torrance in last year’s CIFSS Division III final over Highland of Palmdale even though big-time pitcher Rachel Garcia of that team had a no-hitter.
Katie Murphee (Templeton)
Making the most of her two hits, she had two home runs and drove in four runs when the Eagles defeated Pomona Catholic of Pomona 13-0 in the first round of the CIFSS Division V playoffs.
Chloe Romero (Academy of Careers & Exploration, Helendale)
If you haven’t seen the name of this school before, it’s been mentioned in the D5 state rankings and rankings bubble. Romero, a junior, is the main reason for that. Already this week in a 6-0 CIFSS D7 playoff win over Avalon of Catalina Island, Romero struck out 17 in a two-hitter. She also went over 200 strikeouts for the season. Last week, she went 2-for-2 with four RBI and pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts when Academy clobbered Hesperia Christian 18-0.
Jessica Seeley (Foothill, Palo Cedro)
We ran a photo of three Foothill girls last week since the team is moving up in the Division II state rankings, but that was actually after Seeley had a monster game for the Cougars in their 24-0 romp past Las Plumas of Oroville in the CIF Northern Section Division II-III playoffs. She went 5-for-5 at the plate with two grand slams, one double and racked up a whopping 12 RBI. Those totals for grand slams and RBI in one game both qualify Seeley for the Cal-Hi Sports state record book. Last weekend, Seeley pitched a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts and went 1-for-3 with a double and run scored as Foothill beat Paradise 3-1 to wrap up the section title.
Vanessa Taukeiaho & Megan Stevens (Etiwanda)
Listed as No. 1 and No. 2 in the state for home runs this season on MaxPreps, Taukeiaho hit her 20th home run of the season last week during a 7-2 win over King of Riverside while Stevens hit two solo home runs and now has 19 home runs on the year. Etiwanda has already lost this week in that bracket to Mater Dei of Santa Ana. Final career totals for both Taukeiaho and Stevens are still being figured out.
Mia Torres (Lassen, Susanville)
We had to write up Mia from a CIF Northern Section playoff doubleheader she had two weeks ago. Lassen played Anderson in that twinbill and won 16-0 and 13-3. Torres went 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI in the 16-0 game and also went 4-for-4 but with two triples and three RBI in the 13-3 contest. Torres helped Lassen win the Northern Section D4 title last Saturday with a 4-3 win against Sutter. That win also sent head coach Paul Moore of the Grizzlies off to retirement on a happy note. He’s been coaching at Lassen for 16 seasons and has always responded to requests for info regarding his team and all-state nominations.
Camryn Ybarra & Terra McGowan (Mission Viejo)
Oregon State-bound Ybarra had two home runs while the Arizona State-bound McGowan had a home run and five runs batted in during the Diablos’ 10-0 win over Moorpark in the opening round of the CIFSS Division II playoffs.
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
