Two of our NorCal/SoCal players of the week are Peja Goold (left) from Lincoln of Stockton and Trevor Hansen from Royal of Simi Valley. Photos: fastpitchmedia / YouTube.com & perfectgame.org.
For week three of our Baseball and Softball Players of the Week feature we start out in Placer County (north of Sacramento) in the community of Granite Bay, then head south to the Port City of Stockton, and then to Ventura County for the second straight week, before ending this week’s journey across the border in Westlake Village in Los Angeles County.
We hope you enjoy this free story on Cal-Hi Sports.com. For our State Top 35 rankings packages for the rest of the baseball-softball seasons plus State Stat Stars of the Week, state record updates and special features, please check out our Gold Club membership today. If you’re not a member, CLICK HERE.
Note: For these honors, we consider CIF Central Section players for Northern California. To nominate anyone, email markjtennis@gmail.com. We are picking the winners on Tuesday nights until spring football games are over.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Softball Player of the Week
Peja Goold
(Lincoln, Stockton) Jr.
The Port City of Stockton along the banks of the San Joaquin River is where we find our Northern California Softball Player of the Week and this week’s honoree has been getting it done both in the circle and at the plate for the 7-0 Trojans, who were welcomed to the state rankings earlier this week as a newcomer in the No. 34 spot.
For her part last week, Goold didn’t get fooled as a hitter, and in the one game she pitched she was lights out as well.
In a 4-0 win over crosstown arch-rival St. Mary’s to start last week, Peja had a hit and scored a run, and from the circle Goold was golden after tossing a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts. Last Thursday, she didn’t pitch but instead played first base in a 7-3 victory over defending CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion Tracy, and went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. The Trojans also had a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs earlier in the season and in that one Peja pitched a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts.
On Tuesday of this week, Goold was back in the circle and in 4.1 innings she did give up four hits and a couple of runs, but she struck out nine in a 16-2 win over Tokay of Lodi. She also blasted a two-run home run and was on base after walking and getting hit and scored an additional run.
So far this season, not including a game this week on Thursday, Goold is 4-0 from the circle with a 1.80 ERA and 44 strikeouts in just 23.1 inning pitched. With bat in hand, she is hitting .391 with the one round tripper, a double, five RBI and five runs scored.
Granite Bay’s J.R. Freethy gets his left-handed swing ready to pounce while playing with Kansas City Royals’ scout team last summer. Photo: Twitter.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Baseball Player of the Week
J.R. Freethy
(Granite Bay) Sr.
The northwestern shore of Folsom Lake not far from Interstate 80 is where we land in our search for the Northern California Baseball Player of the Week. There we find a senior University of Nevada-bound infielder and relief pitcher who’s been a key component of the 5-1 Grizzlies who are knocking on the door of our Top 35 state rankings.
Freethy has been posting solid numbers all season but it’s in his last two games for which he’s being honored.
Last week, in a 10-3 win over Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills, Freethy was 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI. He had a hit and scored one of the two runs in the Grizzlies’ only loss this season (not including any games beyond Tuesday of this week, 3-2, to Roseville Oakmont. J.R. followed that up by getting two hits with two RBI and a run scored in a 7-3 victory over Franklin of Elk Grove. Then on Thursday in a 19-8 scoreboard lighter-upper, J.R. was 3 for 4 with a home run, double, two stolen bases, four RBI and three runs scored.
On Tuesday of this week, and in a 10-6 victory versus Jesuit of Carmichael, Freethy was 2 for 2 with a home run, a double, a walk, he was hit by a pitch, stole a base, drove in five runs and scored twice. He also got some work on the mound against Jesuit and gave up a hit with a strikeout in one inning pitched.
So far this season, J.R. has raised the bar at Granite Bay as he leads the team in every offensive statistical category except triples. After six games, Freethy was hitting .684 on 13 hits in 19 at-bats, with two home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored. The 14 RBI is a top 10 reported mark in the state.
As an infielder, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Freethy also has only made one error in 22 total chances. J.R. has stolen four bases and in two innings as a relief pitcher he’s given up one hit and a walk with two strikeout and no runs allowed.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Softball Player of the Week
Riley McCoy
(Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) Fr.
We head west on Highway 101 from downtown Los Angeles to the border of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
In Westlake Village is where we find one of the top defensive infielders in Southern California playing the hot spot at third base, plus she carries one of the biggest bats for the Lions this season.
It’s a little corny but to say Riley McCoy is “the real McCoy” might be a bit of an understatement since despite being only a freshman she’s a big part of why Oaks Christian was off to a 6-0 start and was holding down the No. 16 spot in the latest Cal-Hi Sports state rankings.
Last week, in a 2-1 win over neighboring Thousand Oaks, McCoy was 2 for 3 in a 2-1 win. Earlier this week, she was 2 for 4 with a home run, double, three RBI and two runs scored against Marmonte League rival Agoura in an 8-3 victory.
In three wins two weeks ago, McCoy did not toy around. She was 3 for 3 with two runs scored in a 10-0 win over Calabasas, 2 for 3 with a double in a 4-2 win over El Camino of Woodland Hills, and she had two hits including a triple with two RBI in an 8-0 win over Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth.
Defensively, Riley has had 11 total chances, including five in the Agoura win, with no errors.
With bat in hand, and including a blowout win over Sun Valley Village Christian to open the season, McCoy is hitting .667 on 14 hits in 21 at-bats, with a homer, two triples, three doubles, six RBI and six runs scored.
We also have to give a shout out to Riley’s sophomore teammate, Heaven Oliva. The Lions’ catcher blasted two home runs against Agoura with two knocked in and now has five home runs and 13 RBI this season. With no games showing on Oaks Christian’s schedule until next week, the five round trippers were the highest reported total in the CIF Southern Section and tied for third in the state.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Baseball Player of the Week
Trevor Hansen
(Royal, Simi Valley) Soph.
For our Southern California Baseball Player of the Week, we head to the eastern end of Ventura County and not far from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
It’s in Simi Valley where we find a right-handed pitcher who despite only being a sophomore has been a huge factor in an 8-0 start for the Highlanders that has them as a newcomer in the No. 34 spot in this week’s Cal-Hi Sports State TOP 35 rankings.
Last week, in a 16-0 blasting of Ventura that solidified the Royal spot in the rankings, the 6-foot, 160-pound Hansen tossed a one hitter with seven strikeouts. Trevor followed up that performance with a second-straight one hitter, and although he did give up six walks Hansen struck out seven and the run he gave up was unearned in a 4-1 victory over Santa Barbara.
So far this season (through Tuesday games of this week), Hansen was 3-0 with two shutouts and a 0.00 ERA with not even an unearned run scored against him. He also struck out 22 batters in 20 innings pitched, and opposing hitters had a paltry .152 average facing him.
About the only thing Trevor doesn’t do is hit, but he has come to the plate twice with a walk and a run scored in a season-opening 13-3 win over Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
