Central Valley Hurlers, Coast Hit Machines Highlight Week #9-10 NorCal Top Players/Pitchers
Skyline College outfielder Brayden Smith and Merced righthander Logan Mooneyham, West Valley catcher Ryan Bays and Taft southpaw Julian Orozco are CCCBCA NorCal Players and Pitchers of the Week #9 (March 16-22) and Week #10 (Mar. 23-29).
Smith, a 6-foot, freshman slugger from Los Gatos High, had a monster Week #9 by batting a sizzling .813 with 13 hits. He scored eight runs, swiped a remarkable seven stolen bases, hit three doubles, a triple, drove in four RBI and slugged a 1.125 percentage. Smith’s big performance over three games helped the Trojans get the series victory over Canada in week #9.
The 5-8 Mooneyham, from Stone Ridge Christian HS, was brilliant in a complete-game, 4-hit shutout with no walks and five strikeouts in Merced's 11-0 win v. Canyons on March 18.
For Week #10, West Valley's Bays, a 6-foot sophomore from San Jose's Bellarmine College Preparatory, put on a power show with three home runs, 11 RBI, and a .647 average in a 3-game series v. Gavilan. Most of his damage came in a 27-10 Vikings win in the series opener as he was 6-for-7 with two home runs, a double, five runs scored, and eight RBI.
In a 3-game span going back to Mar. 20 v. Hartnell and the first two contests v. Gavilan, Bays torched opposing pitchers in this way: 14-for-17, four dingers, two doubles, and 14 RBI and a 1.647 slugging percentage (28 total bases). Most can't do that off a batting tee, let alone live pitching.
The 5-10 Orozco, from Robert Kennedy High in Delano, was masterful in Taft's 8-3 win over Reedley on Mar. 28. Orozco twirled eight innings of 4-hit shutout ball, walking one and tallying five Ks.
Other North Region Conference Players of the Week #9
Bay Valley--Player: Nico Velasquez Fr OF, Napa Valley (.667, 10 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1.067 SLG); Pitcher: Blake Goen So RHP, Napa Valley (7 IP, Win, 5 H, 1 R, 4 K)
Big 8--Player: Aidan Hall Fr INF, Delta (.600, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1.200 SLG); Pitcher: Myles Standish So LHP, Santa Rosa (7 IP, Win, 2 H, 0 R, 8 K)
Central Valley--Player: Caleb Catalano So OF, Sequoias (.625, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 1.125 SLG); Pitcher: Mooneyham, Merced
Coast North--Player: Smith, Skyline; Pitcher: Steven Dalton, So LHP, Skyline (8 IP, Win, 3 H, 0 ER, 8 K)
Coast South--Player: Jordan Montez So 1B, West Valley (.357, 5 H, 7 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI); Pitcher: Wyatt Barton So RHP, Gavilan (9 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 3 K)
Golden Valley--Player: Jack Selfridge Fr C/3B, Butte (.615, 8 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 1.000 SLG); Pitcher: Caden Fowler Fr RHP, Lassen (7 IP, Win, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K)
Other North Region Conference Players of the Week #10
Bay Valley--Player: Gilbert Roth So C, Marin (.462, 6 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 8 RBI); Pitcher: Caleb Garrison So RHP, Laney (9 IP, 2 Wins, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 K)
Big 8--Player: JT Summers So 1B, Santa Rosa (.643, 9 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 9 RBI); Pitcher: Kannon Sharpe So RHP, Modesto (2 APP, 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB)
Central Valley--Player: Drake Davis Fr 1B, Fresno City (.615, 8 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.154 SLG); Pitcher: Orozco, Taft
Coast North--Player: Vinny Smith So
Coast South--Player: Bays, West Valley; Pitcher: Fabio Bundi So RHP, Monterey Peninsula (8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 13 K, Win, Save)
Golden Valley--Player: Sam Moore So OF, Lassen (.500, 6 H, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.167 SLG); Pitcher: Lucas Day So RHP, Shasta (6 IP, Win, 3 H, 1 R)