LJ baseball: Lancaster's stuff has movement

Viking starter Travis Lancaster

stretches for one of his first

pitches against Otay Ranch

Wed., Feb. 26. He threw

a two-hitter Feb. 21.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Good times for good players.

On Fri., Feb. 21, La Jolla starter Travis Lancaster two-hit visiting Hilltop over seven innings, facing the minimum of 21 batters and using only 68 pitches. He was on.

Three days later, in a 7-5 Viking win at Mater Dei Catholic in the South Bay, the senior clubbed a massive home run that cleared the barrier in left field at MDC, a high one, from all accounts.

Good things come to those who wait. You could use up all the idioms and trite phrases, but it was a wonderful stretch that even his father said he enjoyed, proud of his son.

Asked Wed., Feb. 26, if he had any tough stretches in the two-hitter, Travis answered, "Not really." "My curveball was working."

And to complement that pitch, La Jolla pitching coach Koa Scott commented while Lancaster was pitching in his follow-up appearance against Otay Ranch at home Wednesday--which ended in a close 3-2 loss--"he's got movement on his fastball".

Lancaster, earlier in the delivery

to the lead-off batter.

LJ g beach VB v. Canyon Hills 3/25 - non-league

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ g lax 9, UC 4 - halftime 3/25

Photos by Ed Piper

Senior Stella Lee (3)

Allison Hawthorne (12) guarded by two

UC defenders, plus the goalie.

Lily Mebust (20, behind) defended by three

Cents in front of the UC goal.

Another goal by Lily (20), who had two in the first

quarter, and another one in the second.

The stark numbers on the scoreboard, for

the Vikings, who had four goals

in the first five minutes.

Another view of Allison

Hawthorne (12), who had two

goals in the first period,

another in the second.

Junior Sofia Rose (far right) tangles with

a pair of UC opponents in the La Jolla

attacking zone.

Stella Lee (3) advances the ball

into the attacking zone.

LJ b golf v. Santa Fe Christian @ Lomas Santa Fe 3/24

Photos by Ed Piper

Senior Seigo Lavinsky in warmups.

Junior Tate "Philly" Phillips

on a cold afternoon at Lomas

Santa Fe.

Lavinsky (L) and Phillips do the buddy

thing before their match.

Second-year assistant coach Jarid Morrison

(far left) and junior Carson Diehl (far right)

book-end the buddies in the middle,

Seigo Lavinsky and Tate Phillips.

Junior Leo Hawkinson makes

his first media appearance

in golf.

"The Hawk", who has a stroke coach

grandpa in Chicagoland.

LJ g beach VB 2, Scripps Ranch 3 - 3/24

Photos by Ed Piper

Junior Sofia Costello (12)

serves for the two's

for La Jolla.

Teammate Daniella Vinolo (10),

a senior, bumps a pass.

Three's action by #7.

LJ #8 hits at the net.

#8 follows through.

Tall Jordi Steele (11)

serves for the sixes.

Steele (R) and teammate Gianna

Puli (9) slap hands after a good play.

Teams switch sides every seven points.

Puli on the bump pass.

Conference time during the "tech" (timeout).

LJ b VB v. Cheyenne (North Las Vegas) - Pool play, BCI 3/21

Photos by Ed Piper

Beach Cities Invitational

LJ baseball 2, Hilltop 0 - 3/21

Senior Travis Lancaster (15), before

the Alumni Game Feb. 22.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Right-hander Travis Lancaster threw a complete-game, two-hit 2-0 shutout at home over Hilltop Fri., March 21, in the GMC Tournament.

Dropping his ERA to 2.55, the senior raised La Jolla's record to 4-5 in the young season. He walked one while striking out three in facing the minimum number of batters in seven innings, 21.

Said Viking coach Gary Frank, "Travis stepped up for us huge.

"We were coming off a tough loss, and it was the end of a three-game week, so our pitching was depleted.

"Travis did everything you can ask for out of a senior leader on a team--on the mound, he was dominant and efficient in throwing a 68-pitch complete-game shutout.

"He also sparked the offense, going 3-for-3 with two doubles. It was a great finish to a successful week."

 

GMC, the name of the annual tournament, stands for the conferences: Grossmont, Metro, and City (La Jolla is in the last one).