Point Loma High’s baseball team has made steady improvement throughout the season and now finds itself in position to challenge for at least a share of the Western League crown.
Sporting a 10-7 overall record, the Pointers stand at 3-1 in league action, with their only loss at home to undefeated (4-0, 13-7 overall) Madison. The teams meet again on the Warhawks’ diamond May 7 before a final showdown May 11 at David Wells Field.
To capture an outright league championship and control their own destiny, the Pointers will likely have to sweep these two games in addition to maintaining a perfect record in remaining games against other league foes University City, Mission Bay and La Jolla high schools.
In a thriller last Thursday on their home turf, the Pointers began their last at-bat in the seventh inning trailing 2-0 to a Viking team that had amassed seven hits in building its lead behind starting pitcher Weston Clark. The senior was cruising to his fourth complete game, recording only one walk while striking out nine Pointers.
But the Pointers weren’t finished.
Starting pitcher Seth Urbon had scored to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Pointers were down to their last out when senior Jayson Pappas stepped to the plate with sophomore Frank Rogozienski on third base and junior Phillip Huber standing on second.
Pappas, batting from the left side, hit a scorching line drive to the Viking shortstop, who was unable to field the ball as Rogozienski crossed the plate while the Vikes’ left fielder made a throw to the plate. Huber was waved home by third base coach Kyle Harvey and executed a perfect slide around the lunging tag attempt of the Viking catcher, sweeping his left hand across the plate as his teammates and coaches erupted in celebration.
It was the Vikings’ first road loss of the season after seven victories.
The Pointers, who carried a low team batting average earlier in the season, have climbed to a respectable .261, including a 16-hit explosion in a 7-3 road win over University City.
Senior Cole Lemmel continues to dominate at the plate with a .517 average, which includes five doubles, three triples, a grand slam home run against Del Norte and 15 runs batted in among his 30 hits.
Junior Urbon has upped his average to .293, second to Lemmel, with 17 hits including three doubles.
Pappas’ 13 runs batted in are second-highest, while senior Lawrence Perez celebrated recent Lasik eye surgery by hitting the team’s only other home run, also against Del Norte. Game notes
-In the Madison loss, senior Pointer pitcher Mason Verhees’ first pitch of the game was drilled over the left field fence at David Wells Field by Warhawk Andrew Shebloski, giving his team an instant 1-0 lead.
-Junior Cole van den Helder pitched a complete game 4-0 shutout at league foe Mission Bay, walking two and striking out nine. On the season, van den Helder is 3-0 with a 1.22 earned run average and limiting opponents to a .159 batting average.
-Southpaw senior pitcher Sean Robinson has returned to game action after losing a year to arm surgery. His return came April 16 when he threw 1.2 late innings in the Madison loss. Facing seven hitters, Robinson yielded one hit. He was then credited with the victory in the thrilling La Jolla game, pitching a perfect seventh inning before the Pointers’ walk-off win in the bottom of the frame.
-The Pointers are headed towards a CIF Div. II playoff spot. They currently rank sixth among 18 division teams. Ironically, the Vikings and University City, with better overall records, are listed above them.
-The Pointer junior varsity, under 2007 alum Scott Heylman, boasts a 12-4 record including a perfect 4-0 league mark.
-During a freshman team game played at David Wells Field, Bariza Sunday-Kennedy showed his power, driving a pitch over the left field fence. The ninth grader leads his team with a .423 batting average.