Baseball: The week ahead has lots of good games
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You have to feel sympathy for high school coaches. Just after celebrating success in a tournament, it gets back to league play, and there’s really no time to start feeling good about yourself.
Encino Crespi (15-3) won the Diamond Sports National Classic, but it won’t matter if the Celts can’t do well this coming week in two important Mission League games against Mission Hills Alemany (14-4) on Tuesday at Alemany and Friday at 7 p.m. at Birmingham.
The night game ought to attract a huge crowd. The last time Alemany and Crespi played in a night sporting event was the Southern Section 4A basketball final at Mater Dei in which Alemany had eight buses filled with students show up. I’ve confirmed Birmingham will be selling hot dogs, so the party is on.
Orange Lutheran (12-4) looked terrific in the National Classic, but the Lancers are in the Trinity League and look who’s waiting this week. Orange Lutheran plays host to Mater Dei (7-7) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Hart Park, and will have to face ace Cory Hahn. Then the Lancers play Mater Dei on Friday at 6 p.m. at Mater Dei.
Huntington Beach Edison (10-6), the preseason No. 1 team in Southern California, plays Los Alamitos in a two-game Sunset League series Tuesday and Friday. The Chargers have been in a season-long hitting slump, with both shortstop Christian Lopes and center fielder Eric Snyder struggling. Ace pitcher Henry Owens is expected to throw in Friday’s game.
The best pitching matchup of the week could come when Glendora and Diamond Bar face off Wednesday and Friday. Glendora has UCLA-bound Adam Plutko. Diamond Bar has Cal State Fullerton commit Kenny Mathews, a junior.
-- Eric Sondheimer