LJ track: Azimioara cooks

Nicole Azimioara PR'ed against OLP

with a long jump of 15'7", then

followed that with a 15'4" leap at

the Cerveny Invitational

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Sophomore Nicole Azimioara extended to her best long jump mark ever by nine inches, 15'7", in La Jolla's home dual meet against OLP and St. Augustine Thurs., April 13. Then she came right back two days later and leaped a solid 15'4" at the first Jim Cerveny Invitational at Mission Bay High.

"She's never jumped before this year," said an enthusiastic Roger Karnopp, the Vikings' coach in the long jump and triple jump. "She's doing good."

"She's our top long jumper and triple jumper. She's also a good hurdler," said Paul Byrne, La Jolla's head coach.

How Azimioara has achieved such a quick "P.R.", or "personal record", according to Karnopp, is technique. "It's all technique," he said as he kept a watchful eye like a mother hen on the sophomore and his other jumpers, who were waiting their turns in the triple jump at the Cerveny event after the long jump event was concluded at mid-day of the all-day event.

"She's beginning to put the technique together. She looked at me before, when I told her to do something, and said, 'You're asking me to do what?'" Karnopp related.

Sophomore Manami Nishikawa gets instruction

from Viking jump coach Roger Karnopp.

 



Another jumper in La Jolla's stable is Manami Nishikawa, Azi's classmate. She PR'ed in the triple jump against OLP with a mark of 29'8", bettering her previous distance by 13 1/4 inches. She's brand new to the jumps, too.

Nishikawa also PR'ed in the long jump against OLP at 13'2' 1/4, then lengthened that to 13'10" at Mission Bay two days later.

The two girls tie in the longest-last-name category, with nine letters each.

While the two "super sophs" have contributed their points to the Viking varsity, a third jumper, junior Danielle Shields, has competed at the junior varsity level. She triple-jumped 23'7", a PR by 2 1/2 inches, against the Pilots Thursday in the Vikings' brand-new home pit.

LJ baseball 2, Country Day 4

Some frustration was expressed after La Jolla's baseball team entered the seventh inning leading visiting Country Day 2-0 Mon., April 17, yet couldn't hold the lead and fell 4-2 in eight innings.

For the first time this season, the Vikings fell below .500, with an 8-9 record. Also, this was the first time Coach Gary Frank's team, which continues to struggle offensively, has lost games back-to-back.

La Jolla opens league play Tues., April 18, at Scripps Ranch. Frank's starting rotation has often sent Nick Ferenczy out in the earlier game, with Nick Hammel pitching the second game in a two-game week.

LJ baseball 16, Otay Ranch 12

Viking catcher Garrett Brown (dealing with

another pitch in the dirt) was kept

plenty busy in La Jolla's wild

16-12 win at Otay Ranch.

(Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Whether it was something in the water or the rigors of tournament play that wear out pitching staffs, La Jolla batted around in the top of the sixth inning and scored eight runs to win going away, 16-12, at Otay Ranch Tues., April 11, on the second day of pool play in the annual Lions Baseball Tournament.

The Vikings, whose lumber has been slumbering the first half of the season, broke out with the 16 runs, led by Nick Hammel's two-run single in the big inning, as well as RBI's by several other players.

The raggedly-played game was characterized by the plate umpire's becoming rattled in the bottom of the third, calling an end to the inning after La Jolla recorded only two outs in the field. From then on, his calls showed some shakiness.

In the third, Viking shortstop Zach Sehgal took an underhanded toss from second baseman Connor McNally on a potential double play ball, and appeared to make the putout at second. McNally was a little tentative on the play. The runner, Cristian Lopez, headed for the dugout, seeming to think he was out. But the base umpire called him safe, ruling that he beat the throw. That made the score 7-5, Otay Ranch now only trailing by two runs with no outs in the hard-fought game.

What appeared to overload the home plate umpire's decision-making came on the next play: With the bases full and Sam Stewart now pitching to his second batter, having been brought in to relieve La Jolla starter Nick Ferenczy, the Mustangs' Justin Legaspi hit a grounder to third baseman Noah Brown. Brown made the throw home for the force for the first out.

Catcher Garrett Brown threw to first to get another out, but Legaspi was called safe. That's when La Jolla coach Gary Frank appealed to the plate umpire that his catcher was obstructed by the runner, Alex Artalejo, who did not slide into home. The plate umpire concurred and called Legaspi out at first, completing the double play.

Otay Ranch coach Marco Dickinson disputed the call. Discussion went on for a few minutes, first between the plate umpire and Frank, then Dickinson. Finally, after affirming the double play, the plate umpire signaled the end of the inning. He apparently had in his mind that Sehgal's play at second had been the first out.

In any case, the La Jolla players left the field. They told a reporter in the dugout, "Don't say anything." After Dickinson contested the call that the third inning was over, the plate umpire had the Vikings return to the field. Otay Ranch scored three runs in the inning, making the score 7-6.

Three innings later, in the top of the sixth, with two Viking runs already in, Otay Ranch leading 10-9 with one out, Dimich got aboard on a base on balls. But after Otay's coach again appealed, the plate umpire called Dimich back, ruling the count was only 3-and-2. Back in the batter's box, Dimich was plugged in the shoulder by pitcher Felix Canizalez, though it wasn't intentional.

After that, Viking players in the dugout held up fingers to help the plate umpire keep track of the count.

In the eight-run sixth, with La Jolla trailing 10-7, one out, Garrett Brown boomed a triple to center to score Ferenczy, who had walked, and Sehgal, who singled. The ball rolled near the fence in 400-foot territory. Brown ended up 4-for-5 on the day. Dimich was hit by a pitch and stole second.

A new pitcher was brought in for Canizalez, Osvaldo Tovalin. Hammel then drove in Brown and Dimich, putting the Vikings in the lead to stay, 11-10. Tovalin, the Mustangs' starting first baseman, didn't record an out against the six batters he faced. He walked his first batter, Blaise Gimber. McNally, inserted back into the game, singled to right. With the bases loaded, Noah Brown was hit by the pitch, forcing in a run.

Dane Hansen, in his second at-bat in the inning, walked to force in another run. Ferenczy then worked Tovalin for another base on balls and yet another run, forcing the pitcher out of the game. Then, facing the Mustangs' fifth pitcher in the game, Omar Lopez, Sehgal flied to center for a sacrifice, driving in Noah Brown from third. Garrett Brown lined out to second to end the inning for his only out of the day.

LJ baseball: Dimich looking up

The Vikings' Cole Dimich,

who capably patrols

centerfield.

(Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

The La Jolla High baseball team has kept up an almost impossible-to-keep-up pattern in their 16 games so far this season: They have won the first, third, fifth, etc. games, and followed each and every win with a loss in the second, fourth, sixth, etc. games on their schedule.

At this moment, Coach Gary Frank's 2017 contingent stands at 8-8. Fathom that, with a perfect every-other-game record.

This is a fascinating mathematical pattern, but it is not one that draws or merits praise. It means that the Vikings, though carrying several talented seniors who are leaders along with other talented players, are mired right around the .500 mark. That's mediocrity, and they know it.

One good sign lately, among others, is that centerfielder Cole Dimich has picked up his batting average.

That's good to see, because Cole is a highly capable athlete, and he was struggling in early going to put together a few basehits.

Dimich is the kind of student athlete who, in his determination to excel, it seems puts a lot of pressure on himself. In football, he became the quarterback-designate after playing part time as a junior. Having to learn a new system this year under Coach Matt Morrison, he struggled and sputtered at the outset.

It's one thing to be a part-time quarterback, but when you become the man, in such a central skilled position in football--a focal point--the spotlight shines much more brightly on you.

Cole, asked questions by a reporter early in last fall's football schedule, acknowledged that he was mightily trying to learn new plays with new reads, and it was hard.

Fortunately, Morrison, who served one season before leaving for Parker, is a former quarterback himself and shielded his starter: "He'll get better as the season progresses," was the head coach's repeated mantra. And it helped take the limelight away from Cole's scattered passes.

What Dimich does well naturally is run, and run he did when in doubt. His running came much quicker than his successful passing did during his senior season.

Well, in baseball this spring, you could see the right-hander almost squeeze right through his bat, he was gripping it so tightly, as he tried to put together a string of successful at-bats.

Frank is a coach who says, "I don't pay attention to individual statistics. The players' natural skills will come out over the course of a season." So, no pressure there.

Lo and behold, I looked up statistics last weekend or early this week, to fortify my information supply in advance of covering the Vikings' pool-play games in the Lions Tournament Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Dimich's batting average was up to a respectable .267 or so. (I tried to check yesterday and this morning for this story, but the Vikings' batting statistics are not accessible on maxpreps.com. I think Gary, who is a detailed stat guy, along with his father Howard, who keeps the team's official scorebook, used the lock capability on the website. This would prevent opposing teams in the tournament from quickly looking up La Jolla batters' statistics and using it to their advantage in games.)

As the young athlete relaxed somewhat throwing the football later in his senior season, so he has also seen an uptick in his B.A. as he has let his batting skills rise toward their natural level.

As Frank called out to the team during Wednesday's 3-0 shutout by Rocklin in their final Lions tourney contest, "Let's wake up the bats." May that happen throughout the Vikings' lineup, just in time for league play.

LJ baseball 0, Rocklin 3

Viking starter Nick Hammel limited the Thunder

to one run in his first five innings, and gave up

seven hits overall. (Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla right-hander Nick Hammel pitched five-hit ball, yielding no runs for five innings, but Rocklin's J.T. Fitzpatrick out-dueled him, shutting out the Vikings, 3-0, to take home the victory in the Lions Tournament Wed., April 12.

The senior Hammel, who has pitched well this season but on several occasions has received a no-decision, retired eight Thunder batters in a row during a stretch in the second, third, and fourth innings. He didn't give up any walks until the fifth and sixth inning, striking out five.

The Thunder, taking a welcome Spring Break from school, near Sacramento, after the torrential rains earlier this year made their home field unplayable at times, finally broke through in the top of the sixth for a single unearned run against Hammel.

In the inning, after the right-hander struck out Mitchell Secondo looking, designated hitter Chase Webb got aboard by forcing Cole Brown at second base. Hammel walked Kyle Wojciechowski, who had one of Rocklin's hits.

After a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, eighth-slot hitter Spencer Schaller hit a bounder to Viking shortstop Zach Sehgal. Sehgal got a glove on the ball, but it glanced off for an error, and the runner on third scored. Belatedly, Hammel was able to get the third out in the inning by forcing Nik McClaughry to ground out to him, but the damage had been done.

The Thunder were able to add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, with left-hander Blaise Gimber relieving Hammel after he gave up a single to the leadoff hitter, Cole Anderson. But the Viking hitters were not able to generate any offense against Fitzpatrick, and he took home the complete-game win.

The senior from the Northern California school, northeast of Sacramento, scattered seven La Jolla hits and struck out eight. It was his second win of the season without a loss to tie for his team's lead. Fitzpatrick is now 2-0.

Meanwhile, Hammel, the hard-luck pitcher, drops to 0-2 on the season.

LJ track: Good cookin'

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla senior Gaby Ibarra prevailed in the shot put at Hoover High Thurs., April 6, as she heaved the four-kilogram sphere 25 feet even, a personal record.

That was good enough to lead the way to a Viking girls 1-2-3 sweep in the varsity event, with freshman Lia Luyties finishing second behind Ibarra with a best of 22 feet, 10 inches. Skylar Huntley, a junior put the shot 18 feet, 8 inches for third place.

Ibarra, in a pre-meet interview, showed she mixes it up pretty well with her mother in fixing foods that help supply her energy demands for the two throws--discus, as well as shot--and a long day at school, but which taste good, too.

In fact, the personable senior makes chopping up fruit and veggies with her mom in preparation for "escuela" sound like an awful lot of fun.

LJ baseball 1, Point Loma 16

The Vikings' Sola Hope leads off first after reaching

board on a walk in the bottom of the second

inning Monday. (Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

The scoreboard at Ronnie Spelman Field encountered something it hasn't faced too many times before on Mon., April 10. The fourth inning box for the visiting team, Point Loma, only had space to show a "3", while the Pointers actually scored 13 runs in the inning.

La Jolla, hosting the Lions Baseball Tournament game on the first day of the annual tourney, used four pitchers in the disastrous fourth on the way to a 16-1 thumping at the hands of the squad of Coach David Wells, the former New York Yankee.

This was shades of Steele Canyon, where three weeks ago the Vikings went through a similar nightmare: three pitchers giving up six walks in an inning. Coach Gary Frank knew he had a choice to make when he slated his top hurlers, the two Nicks, for Tuesday's and Wednesday's games in the tournament. Nick Ferenczy goes at Otay Ranch in day two, Nick Hammel back at home Wednesday against Rocklin.

So that meant starting with right-hander Alex Monell against the Pointers, with another "pitching by committee" effort in the works. It didn't work out, as the tall junior threw 56 pitchers in only three innings.

His successors loaded the bases in the fourth, then gave up four runs on a walk, a hit batsman, and three hits sandwiched around a force at the plate the runner was called safe on.

Before the final unlucky 13 number was only partially able to be dialed in on the left field display, three relievers had made their appearances on the Muirlands mound and several more hits had ensued--at least they weren't walks, as in the debacle at Steele Canyon last month.

Garrett Brown drove in La Jolla's only run, driving in Zach Sehgal with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Brown, the starting catcher, had given way the first three innings to junior varsity backstop Arman Sanchez-Mohit, because of a college trip he and his father made to see UCSB and Cal Poly, missing practice.

Monell, through the first three innings against Point Loma, only gave up one run. That came in the top of the first, when Anthony Hall singled home Matt Amberg, who had reached base on a walk, with one out.

Alex, standing 6'5" or so, induced Hall to hit into a double play in the third. That was fortunate from a La Jolla standpoint, because then the Pointers advanced runners to second and third, on a bunt by opposing starter Santiago Gomez for a base hit, then a walk to Justin DaLuz. A wild pitch moved them to third and second, respectively.

The right-hander was able to end the inning when Hunter Otjen hit a fly to Sola Hope in right field.

The game was called after six innings, with the visiting club leading by 15, under the mercy rule.

Hopeful for the Vikings is that in the other game within the four-team pool Monday in the 6A Division of the tourney, Rocklin overcame Otay Ranch, 8-7. That means that in the Point Loma-Rocklin matchup, one team will end up with at least one loss.

If the winner of the Rocklin-Otay Ranch game suffers a loss, the Vikings would still have a chance. The whole goal of pool play is to get out of the pool. It could take a playoff Thursday morning if two teams are tied.

Prior to Monday's game, La Jolla had already faced the Pointers twice, in a doubleheader at home April 1. Monell, in a close 2-1 win in the morning game, allowed no hits and gave up only an unearned run in six innings of work. He walked only two batters, while striking out two.

Sam Stewart finished the game, allowing no runs, striking out two as he gave up one hit.

Thus, starting Monell against Point Loma in the tournament made a lot of sense. He just couldn't duplicate his effectiveness Monday.

LJ b VB: Prospectus and update

La Jolla, top-ranked in the county, with

middle hitter-blocker Oliver Parker (17) and

teammates. (Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's boys volleyball team is the first team, according to Viking coach and tournament organizer Dave Jones, to win the Beach City Invitational twice--in 2008 and this year.

"This has been a strong class all the way through," said Jones of his juniors, who make up a core of the team. "There were 20 players in the class two years ago." Things have jelled among the veteran and talented crop of players, which includes other classmen, many of whom play sand and court volleyball, resulting in the Vikings' top ranking in CIF San Diego Section before a 3-0 whitewashing by visiting Parker Wed., April 5.

Case in point: When La Jolla (now 19-5) won the Gold Division title of the BCI last month, Chase Blackwell, Gabe Vargas, and Luke Lentin were named All-Tournament. Blackwell is a senior, actually, while the others have blossomed as juniors.

In addition, going 5-1 in Hawaii, the Vikings had Berkeley Miesfeld and Nathaniel Gates placed on the All-Tournament team there. Miesfeld is a junior, Gates a sophomore.

Asked who his leaders are, Jones said, "They're all (leaders)." He went on to name the five who have gained all-tourney honors.

 

Speaking of his Coast Volleyball club teams, Jones said, "Luke is on the under-18's, Berkeley the under 17's. They are the two best setters in the county.

"Chase is on the under-18's, Nate and Gabe on the under-17's.

 

"Plus the non-club players have really stepped up. Daniel McColl is a three-sport star (with football and basketball) who has improved dramatically."

Asked if he is enjoying the ride, Jones said, "Oh, yeah. It's awesome."

Newly up from last year's junior varsity is Grant Starsiak, playing libero. "That is a new position for him," said his coach.

"They're motivated, they have a goal in mind and that's to win CIF. Business-like," Jones said of his players' approach.

LJ b VB 0, Parker 3

Team members huddle during what would turn out

to be a 3-0 clean sweep by visiting Parker.

(Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's boys volleyball team, ranked number 18 in the nation by MaxPreps, succumbed 3-0 to an aroused Francis Parker squad on the Vikings' home court Wed., April 5.

"We missed Chase (Blackwell) more than we thought we were going to," said Coach Dave Jones after the loss, only the fifth in 24 decisions for his team this season. Blackwell, a 6-7 middle hitter-blocker, sat out the game after undergoing a "medical procedure", according to his coach.

Parker, ranked 301st by the rating service, had the upper hand from the outset. Jones told his team before the match started, "Parker is pumped up. You need to bring your game," or words to that effect.

More importantly for the situation at hand, Parker held a 1-1 won-lost record in the Western League going in, while the hosts were a spotless 2-0--but with Blackwell in the lineup.

Still, the Vikings hold plenty of other thoroughbreds in their stable, including 6-6 junior Gabe Vargas, 6-7 sophomore Nathaniel Gates, and junior Oliver Parker, at 6-2, in the middle.

But in the first game, after pulling out to a 12-8 lead, La Jolla was tied at 15-all and fell 25-21.

The Lancers' David Barrett, a junior outside hitter, began to exert his influence as the match unfolded, pounding powerful spikes past the Vikings' block for resounding points.

In the second game, La Jolla struggled early, going down 8-6 as Parker took advantage of the shorter Daniel McColl on the outside, at 6-2 not one of the towering pines. Shortly, the Vikes edged ahead, 13-10, on a Gates spike that showed soaring authority at the center of the net.

But the Lancers prevailed, 25-23, and the third game followed in similar pattern.

The decisive moment of the match came with the score knotted, 23-23, in that second game. Setter Luke Lentin, in the middle, had endured a couple of faceoffs with his Parker counterpart at the net, only to lose the one-on-one battle.

Jones' troops showed some fighting spirit, coming back from being down three points at 23-20, led by a Gates spike, a Vargas smash by the lefty from the right side, and a two-hand push shot by the seemingly still-growing Nathaniel.

But then the visitors regained their footing and put away the last two points to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

The two teams are now tied in the Western League standings at 2-1, with front-runner Cathedral Catholic at 3-1.

LJ softball: Josie to be a Toro

Vikings shortstop Josie

Sinkeldam verbally committed

to CSU Dominguez Hills.

(Photo Ed Piper, Jr.)

 



By Ed Piper, Jr.

Josie Sinkeldam, the junior shortstop for La Jolla High, has verbally committed to Cal State Dominguez Hills for a one-half athletic scholarship to play softball for Coach Kim Aggabao's program.

Josie's father, Gary, said Dominguez Hills, which plays in NCAA Division II, has a limited number of scholarships that it divvies up into partial grants for multiple athletes. The senior Sinkeldam said his daughter's scholarship would cover half the expenses of tuition plus room and board.

"(Josie) attended a camp run by her (Aggabao), she liked the way it was run, the coach talked to her," and connected with the student athlete, said Gary Sinkeldam of Josie's reasons for choosing Dominguez Hills. The proud dad said his daughter would probably pursue an undergraduate degree in Education, with the goal of being a school teacher.

He pointed out, "If Josie hadn't wanted to stay nearby on the West Coast, she could have easily gone to a school in the East. She had a lot of interest from other schools."

The involved dad, who serves as La Jolla's team scorekeeper at all home and away games, also expressed relief at the long recruiting process being over. "If I had all the money in the fund that we spent on traveling to camps, I could have paid for Josie's first two years," he said in astonishment, but with seeming humor also, as the Vikings tackled San Diego High at the downtown school Tues., April 4.

From the viewpoint of the La Jolla High softball program, this is a feather in the Vikings' cap. Until the last three years, the varsity was not competitive for many years. For it to have a player verbally committing like this is a big deal. It shows how far the program has come.

Stephanie Alvarez, the Vikings' starting catcher two years ago, would be the closest a recent player has risen to this level. Alvarez is now an infielder at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. Junior first baseman Emily Alvarez's older sister, Stephanie was a mainstay power hitter in the style of present third baseman Linda Brown in the La Jolla lineup from 2012 to 2015.

LJ softball 1, San Diego 7

Pitcher Kyra Ferenczy, with a Caver

runner on second. Ferenczy was battling

an irritating blister on her pushoff

foot. (Photo Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's softball team, at present, is a hair-trigger mechanism. Not yet finely-tuned, like much of last season, but sensitive to the slightest alteration.

Witness: Coach Andrea Denham's team was missing two starting infielders last Wed., March 29, against Helix, and with the right side of the infield missing, the entire unit collapsed in a 10-run second inning on the way to a 14-1 defeat. The MIA were Emily Alvarez, the junior first baseman, and Sara Tyrus, the senior second baseman. (Denham, undergoing surgery on her throwing arm, also was absent.)

Witness: In the aftermath of that defeat, and the likelihood that two more players, centerfielder Vanessa Shaffer and leftfielder Ava Verbrugghen, wouldn't be able to make both games, the coaches forfeited their other tournament games scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 30-31.

Fast forward: The Vikings, behind pitcher Kyra Ferenczy, were sailing along with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning at San Diego Tues., April 4. In the top of the first, shortstop Josie Sinkeldam, the third hitter, lined a curving drive down the right field line. The drive glanced off Cavers right fielder Anjeli Fitzgerald's glove, rolling near the fence. The swift Sinkeldam didn't stop running into she slid into home ahead of the throw. Vikings on top, 1-0.

Then, in the Cavers' half of the fifth, what has happened several times happened again. Ferenczy, though suffering from a blister on her "throwing toe" (push-off toe), was throwing well. But a combination of hits dropping in, and mental errors by inexperienced players, gave way to four runs by the young San Diegans, 1-7 coming into the game.

To repeat: For the Vikings so far this season, it has been a fine line between success and sudden failure. La Jolla's roster doesn't include any subs with softball experience, so the red and black have to stick with who brought them to the dance.

With one out, Cavers captain Alaina Zavala doubled to right center. Freshman Cassidy Crusberg, San Diego's pitcher, dropped a bunt right in front of the plate. Neither Ferenczy nor catcher Hailey Ramos could get to the ball quickly enough to make a play. The ball sat on the bare dirt for a single, moving Zavala to third.

Lilly Mendez, San Diego's only senior, followed with a hard-hit double to right center, driving in Zavala to tie the game 1-1. Mendez moved to third during the next at-bat. Caver Marykate "Hoss" DeLuca popped out to second. However, the throw went to first to try to catch Crusberg scampering back to the bag. She slid back just ahead of the throw.

Meanwhile, Mendez, playing heads up, was watching all this and broke for home, easily scoring without a throw. It was the kind of mental mistake that is going to happen with inexperienced players, and there wasn't major damage to the Vikings--yet. They now trailed, 2-1.

La Jolla's level of frustration visibly increased with the next series of occurrences. Mazzy Noriega, a left-handed hitter, drove a single into left. The uniquely-named Sunday Tinsley walked, as Ferenczy struggled with her blistered foot on the rubber. 

The next hitter, Fitzgerald, batting in the eighth slot, hit a catchable fly ball into shallow right center. The ball dropped among multiple fielders looking at one another, and, instead of the third out, two runners circled the bases and scored on the miscue. No error was marked in the scorebook, as the ball dropped untouched to the turf. But the score was now 4-1, and the Vikings' side gave way to further frustration.

Having experienced some success and gaining some confidence, the hosts proceeded to add three more runs in the sixth, and that was all she wrote, 7-1.

MLB: Padres, hoo-boy

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Boy, am I glad I'm a Dodgers fan.

As a baseball fan who cares, and a San Diego resident who grew up in the greater L.A. area, I watched yesterday's Padre-Dodger season opener on TV with increasing disdain. Disgust.

For the Padres. After an early 6-1 deficit, the game increasingly became laughable as the local contingent flailed, flustered, and generally looked like the minor league unit that they are, falling 14-3.

Let me explain.

After moving to this area in mid-1993, I attended Padres games for $4 at what would be named Qualcomm Stadium.

Dianna, my future wife, had never seen a baseball game when we met. Then, I got her to 22 Padres games a season for a few seasons.

We parked in the dirt lot where IKEA is now located, walked down the hill to the stadium parking lot, and bought cheap seats. You could buy 'em then.

Then, after a few or trio of years, Dianna started bringing a novel to games. Then, after a year or two more, she said, "Honey, would you like to go to the game alone?"

I knew the honeymoon (for baseball-attending) was over.

So, I had my time with the Padres. It was a family thing. You get attached to something--or a baseball team--because of the person or people you follow the team with.

With that spousal baseball connection gone, I slowly drifted back to my childhood Dodgers.

Big, brash. The Giant to the North looks so different to people down here than when I grew up and lived in Dodger territory among Dodger fans.

But the love affair with the Padres was waning. As I said in starting out, I'm a baseball fan, so if you've read my Spring Training posts, you know that I visit all the parks, view many of the teams, ingratiate myself with Brewers fans--though I'm amazed there are any traveling to Phoenix for Spring Training--Indians fans, you name it.

Fast-forward to yesterday, April 3. Last week, I bought my first baseball jersey. It's being shipped. I haven't worn once since I played first base at Camarillo High School 46 years ago. Clayton Kershaw's is the one I ordered. I tried to find a Koufax, but they had a Kershaw one in 3XLT, more my present (enlarged) size.

That kind of says it all, where my allegiances lie now.

But, like I keep repeating, I'm still a baseball fan in general. I grew up reading the box scores for the Dodgers, as well as the hated Giants, Pirates (who had tons of stars then--Clemente, Stargell), and all the rest, in the Long Beach Independent-Press Telegram. The sports section in that paper was where I practiced a lot of my reading.

And I typed up mock sports newspapers, using my mom's carbon paper to make copies, on my mom's Smith-Corona electric typewriter, which she gave me permission to use. (And here I thought I came with my whole interest in writing. She played a major part.)

At one point later, in my adult life before moving to San Diego, I scored the Padres game on radio on KFMB simultaneously with the Dodger game on 570 radio in L.A. They were National League, just like my childhood Dodgers, so they carried a bit of credence that way.

So, having the Dodger background while still having given the Padres, my local team since 1993, a lot of my attention, I feel strongly: Padres fans, your franchise has never treated you right! Yesterday's blowout was Exhibit A. The owners' plea to you is to understand their plan to rebuild, having jettisoned any established major leaguers other than Wil Myers, who hit--what?--.258 last year, their centerpiece.

But the scandal is, while fielding this team that could well lose 120 games this year, they're still going to charge you Major League prices to attend games!

After a night's reflection of how much I enjoyed Spring Training at the end of February, how energizing the World Baseball Classic was in mid-March (I attended Team USA's games against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico at Petco Park), and how much baseball means to me, I broke down the next day and bought a $34 ticket to the home opener Fri., April 7 (plus fees equals $43). That was a week ago.

That's not a discount, for a team with three players who have never played above minor league low A ball. (For those of you who need a refresher, the minor leagues go Rookie, low and high A ball, AA, then AAA. They say that the jump from AAA to the majors is gigantic, so imagine these three kids' jump yesterday--in front of 53,000 Dodger fans at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day--from low A ball to the Padres.)

I'll stop to take my breath.

What I was going to add was, the present Padres team reminds me of the Fire Sale days in 1993. Tom Werner and his gang of investors owners parceled off player after player during that season, with every other Major League team knowing they were going to do it. Meaning, San Diego couldn't get good value for the players they were trading for lesser talents. It made a joke of the franchise, and the commissioner's office stepped in to lend some advice and slow the dismantling of the 1992 team down.

The Fire Sale was a precursor to last year's effort in abandoning James Shields, Craig Kimbrel, Matt Kemp, Derek Norris, and all the rest, whom the Padres ownership had brought on board for big bucks in an effort to jump-start the team. We're in the year after Fire Sale II. Enjoy your baseball, San Diego fans.

LJ baseball 0, Otay Ranch 3

Nick Ferenczy before a turn at bat.

(Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's bats failed the Vikings again, as Otay Ranch stifled the visitors, mired at a .215 batting average for the season. Coach Gary Frank's traveling squad went down to a 3-0 decision Thurs., March 30.

With La Jolla down 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, keeping the Mustangs within range for the Vikings' final at-bat was imperative.

When Viking starter Nick Hammel walked Otay Ranch's Omar Lopez to lead off the inning, Frank pulled him after 82 pitches and inserted left-hander Aidan Suljic.

Suljic, alternately hitting the corners and struggling with his location, wild-pitched Lopez to second. He then walked Matt Brumbaugh.

When the next Otay Ranch batter, Felix Canizalez, bunted toward third base, Suljic came down the mound and deftly fielded the ball. He wheeled and fired to Nick Ferenczy at third. On a close play, Lopez was called safe. Even on Frank's appeal, it was ruled the Mustang runner beat the throw.

That left the bases loaded, no outs. The next batter, Noel Perez, hit the ball back to Viking first baseman Dane Hansen. He made a good throw to catcher Garrett Brown for the out at the plate. One out. No damage done.

Things appeared good for La Jolla when Suljic struck out Noah Isley, in the one slot, looking. If the call at third had gone the other way, the lefty would have been out of the inning.

But then he plugged Justin Legaspi, a defensive replacement in right field in the top of the sixth, in the back with a pitch, forcing a run in. The Vikings only trailed 2-0, but they hadn't solved starter Alex Artalejo and reliever Lopez for the first six innings for more than a few hits.

Mustang Osvaldo "Wally" Tovalin followed with a single to right, scoring another run. Angst was felt in the tense visitors dugout. Then an unusual call occurred: The next batter for Otay Ranch, Miguel Artalejo, the starting pitcher's twin brother, was hit in the left shoulder by a Suljic pitch. But the plate umpire ruled that he leaned into the pitch, and he wasn't awarded first base. Aidan then caused him to pop out to short to end the inning.

The Vikings weren't able to mount any attack against Lopez, a righty, in the top of the seventh, going down to the 3-0 defeat.