After sharing the Tri-County Athletic League championship with
Hollister-San Benito last season, the Live Oak High baseball team
has had no problem setting its sights this year, according to Coach
Mark Cummins.
After sharing the Tri-County Athletic League championship with Hollister-San Benito last season, the Live Oak High baseball team has had no problem setting its sights this year, according to Coach Mark Cummins.
“We’s like to put up another sign on our outfield fence,” Cummins said, referring to the placards commemorating past league titles adorning the Live Oak baseball field’s wall.
And, with a solid corps of eight returning players and four starters, including three all-TCAL first-teamers, the Acorns are poised to give that goal a good shot.
Live Oak, 11-4 in league last year and 17-11 overall, is bolstered by the return of all-leaguers Dave Newton, a senior shortstop-pitcher, Chase Perez, a senior catcher and three-year varsity starter, and Andrew Cummins, a junior second baseman and the coach’s son.
According to Coach Cummins, the trio will be expected to serve as catalysts for the squad.
Cummins called Newton the “staff ace,” with his fastball clocked in the high 80s to low 90s. The coach also praised Newton’s glove at short and his bat in the third spot in the lineup.
Perez will offer “a lot of leadership,” Cummins said. “We definitely like that experience coming back behind the plate.”
Andrew Cummins will provide a spark in the leadoff spot with his high on-base percentage and aggressive baserunning.
With Cummins, junior Bryce Wilson, the JV MVP last season, and senior Daniel Salinas, who ran track last year, Coach Cummins said the team is “pretty athletic” and has “more team speed than in the past,” an attribute the Acorns will use this season.
Other position players expected to contribute include senior Steve Conner, who will DH or play first base and hit in the middle of lineup, and Doug Porras, a talented shortstop-pitcher, both of whom are still playing basketball in the section playoffs.
On the Acorn pitching staff, Newton will be complimented by Dylan Regan, the only returning pitcher with extensive experience last season, and Eric Abbott.
Senior outfielder Jake Bouslog and junior infielder Shane Christman will also see playing time.
In the season-opener on Tuesday, Live Oak dropped a 3-2 decision to visiting Willow Glen, which ralliedc from a 2-1 deficit in the top of the sixth inning. Newton started and went three innings, Regan followed and picked up the loss, and Abbott finished up. Christman had a two-out RBI single in the fourth inning to break up a 1-1 tie.
Live Oak plays at Saratoga and Wilcox on Saturday, then begins TCAL play at Hollister on March 10.
The Acorns lost in the first round of the CCS playoffs last season.
