Live Oak is off to a good 3-0 start to its season and is looking
for its 12th consecutive playoff appearance.
Live Oak is off to a good 3-0 start to its season and is looking for its 12th consecutive playoff appearance.
“We’re excited about the prospects this year,” said Live Oak coach Mark Cummins. “We finished strong last year, defeating Oak Grove before losing to Hollister with the walk-off homer. We’re excited about playing them again.”
The Acorns and the Baler square off March 12 in the Tri-County Athletic League opener at Hollister. Each of the six TCAL teams in the league faces each of the other ones three times. The teams will face each other twice in one week – once at home and once away.
Live Oak defeated Capuchino 8-6 Thursday at Capuchino High. Daniel Watson had three RBIs, Bryan Jones had three hits and Dave Newton had two hits.
Scott Hayslip started the game but struggled with control, giving up four runs. Dillan Regan came in and got a double play on the second pitch he threw to get out of inning. Regan pitched the final six innings and got the win.
On Saturday, Live Oak defeated Scotts Valley 9-4 and then shutout a tough Menlo-Atherton team 4-0 on Tuesday.
The Live Oak baseball field, which underwent much TLC by Cummins in the offseason, held up well despite heavy rain on Monday night. New infield dirt was added both this year and last year with money from the Live Oak boosters.
The 1-2 starting punch of pitchers Ryan Muller and Kyle Bennett had strong outings and didn’t give up any runs in the first two games of the season.
In Saturday’s game, Hayslip, who gave up the four runs when Live Oak was ahead, and first-year varsity player Regan each pitched a pair of innings.
“Dillan has a sneaky fastball and a tight curve ball,” Cummins said. “He could be successful at this level so he may get some innings.”
Eric Abbott and Newton helped preserve the shutout Tuesday. Muller, who has signed a baseball scholarship at University of San Francisco, gave up a pair of hits to start the seventh inning, but came back to strikeout the next three batters with his hard heat.
The pitching is not the only thing the Acorns have going this year. The team also has some offense. Dave Newton, the leadoff hitter, hit the first pitch he saw Tuesday over the fence for a home run against Menlo Atherton, which had a 23-3 record last year.
Live Oak has 11 players returning from last year. Although not all 11 players started last year or will start this year, the team will still have a deep bench.
Chase Perez is returning as catcher. But he is being pushed at that position by Jake Bouslog and Daniel Watson.
“Chase has improved defensively and should be solid for us behind the plate,” Cummins said. “It (the past balls) is not all his fault. Ryan Muller is difficult to catch. He throws about 90 miles per hour and his ball is not straight.”
Depending on who pitches, the Acorns will be rotating players at first base. Kyle Bennett, Sean Nourie and Michael Mom can all play the spot. Nourie can also play third base when Muller is pitching. He showcased his arm on Tuesday by recording a putout on a speedy runner.
Returning player Trevor Molyneaux is the starting second baseman right now, but he may move to the outfield to make room for last year’s JV MVP Andrew Cummins. Coach Cummins said his son would not get any special privileges and would have to earn his keep with his bat.
“If he is not hitting, he won’t play,” coach Cummins said.
Newton provides the Acorns with both a solid bat and a solid defense at shortstop. Newton had three hits on Saturday and couple more on Tuesday. Newton also is the closer for the Acorns.
“He throw hards – mid 80’s,” Cummins said. “He is a very competitive kid.”
On Tuesday, Newton pitched the sixth inning, while Muller finished off the game to get an inning of work in before he pitches again on Saturday. Muller moves to shortstop when Newton pitches.
In the left field, the Acorns have Molyneaux, Cummins, Bennett and Chris Horner, who coming off of a CCS wrestling appearance. Center field is anchored by returning starter Jones, who received honorable mention last year in the Monterey Bay League.
“He is a solid player, hard worker and good leader,” Cummins said.
Abbott, who had a solid year on JV last year, is another possible center fielder if Jones is moved to left of right, Cummins said.
In right field is Scott Hayslip, who has another good bat in the Acorns’ lineup. Hayslip is also a left-handed threat off the mound.
Junior Jared Kwock can play right field and may see some time at third base as well. Basketball players Miles Curley and Scott Moquin are a couple of possibilities for right field. Moquin may concentrate his efforts on just pitching.
Steve Conner, who has excelled at football and basketball this year for Live Oak, is another player that has shown he can hit in the past. But Cummins said it may be tough to find him a defensive spot.
Dan Benevento, who just arrived after the wrestling season, is a utility player who Cummins said can fit in at catcher, second base and left field.
The varsity team is carrying about 19 or 20 players this year, Cummins said. There are 16 or 17 on the JV team, but the freshman team only has 12.
“The players will have uniforms, but the coaches won’t,” Cummins said jokingly. “We’re going bigger just to try to keep some more guys in the program.”
The pieces are starting to fall in place for the Acorns.
“I think we will have a good year,” Cummins said. “We have had up and down years the past couple years. But we want to get back to putting that sign on the fence. It would be special to win the first TCAL title.”
This Saturday, Live Oak plays Los Gatos at 9:30 a.m at Valley Christian and then faces Valley Christian at 12:30 p.m. in the Wilcox Tournament. The tournament championship is at 7 p.m. March 8 at Washington Park.
