It
’s go time for the Live Oak High baseball team this season.
Literally. According to LO coach Mark Cummins, the Acorns, who open
their Tri-County Athletic League season by hosting North Salinas on
Wednesday at 3:30pm, will rely heavily on a speedy lineup and a
swift defense. “We don’t have as
much power as we’ve had in the past so we’re going to have to
manufacture runs and take advantage of our opportunities,” Cummins
said. “We have five or six guys who can steal a base and we’ve
stolen quite a few bases early in the season.”
It’s go time for the Live Oak High baseball team this season.
Literally.
According to LO coach Mark Cummins, the Acorns, who open their Tri-County Athletic League season by hosting North Salinas on Wednesday at 3:30pm, will rely heavily on a speedy lineup and a swift defense.
“We don’t have as much power as we’ve had in the past so we’re going to have to manufacture runs and take advantage of our opportunities,” Cummins said. “We have five or six guys who can steal a base and we’ve stolen quite a few bases early in the season.”
LO (3-2 overall in non-league play) is stacked at the top of the lineup with experienced hitters who can all run, including returning all-league first-teamers Andrew Cummins (Sr., 2B) and Doug Porras (Sr., SS) who will hit first and third, respectively. Cummins hit .453 in league play last season, while Porras hit at a .408 clip against TCAL opponents a year ago.
In addition, senior leftfielder Bryce Wilson is a high-average hitter (.342 in TCAL play last year) who will make plenty of contact in the second slot in the order. Wilson was a second team all-league pick a year ago.
Even cleanup hitter Kyle Mosbrucker can run a little, Cummins said.
But the all-league honorable mention pick’s primary job will be to drive in runners ahead of him, and he should have plenty of chances to do that, according to Cummins.
Despite not getting regular plate appearances as a sophomore last season, Mosbrucker has earned the four spot by showing a potent bat in non-league play, according to Cummins, including a long home run against Capuchino earlier this season.
Even the bottom of the Acorn lineup features speed with senior centerfielder Shaun Standridge in the ninth spot.
“I like to have some speed down there to get on for the top of the lineup,” Cummins said.
Along with senior catcher Michael Marquez, the keystone combo of Andrew Cummins and Porras, and Standridge in center form a strong defensive quartet in the center of the diamond for the Acorns.
“Obviously, you need to be strong up the middle and with those four guys I think we have a chance to be successful,” Cummins said.
Another strength for the Acorns will be right-handed pitching, of which they have plenty.
Led by hard-throwing ace Mosbrucker, who is already drawing collegiate interest, the LO pitching staff features a plethora of options, Cummins said.
Junior Kyle Ferguson gets the nod as LO’s No. 2 starter, while senior Erik Nelson will also see some time as a starter.
Closer Porras will be backed up in the bullpen by juniors Ryan Bennett, John Stemel and Brendan Flaherty.
“We have good depth in our pitching,” Cummins said. “But not so much with our position players.”
Also earning starting jobs for LO are first baseman Nelson, senior third baseman Shayne Christman, and junior infielder/DH Nick Bonfiglio.
On Saturday, LO showed off its offense in a 17-0 blowout victory over Lynbrook in the Wilcox Tournament.
The Acorns collected 19 hits total, including three each by Wilson, Nelson and Christman, in support of Mosbrucker, who picked up the victory with three solid innings.
In local collegiate baseball action, Gavilan rallied to beat host MPC 7-6 on Monday as LO grad Scott Hayslip picked up the win.
