Sports
Baseball: Titans Sweep 3-Game Set from Sundevils
It's spring break for students at Poway High, but the Titans baseball squad has been in full swing this week.
The Poway High baseball team has been on fire this week, opening conference play against Mt. Carmel in a big way. On Tuesday, the Titans outscored the Sundevils 37-1 in sweepng a doubleheader, and it was more of the same on Thursday as Poway downed winless Mt. Carmel 14-1 to complete the season sweep.
Poway pitchers Chad Etchison, Evan Richards and Victor Sandoval combined for 10 strikeouts and held Mt. Carmel (0-13) to just one run on three hits.
After a few rocky games at the beginning of the season, the Titans (10-3) seem to have found their stride at the right time with help from some big bats, solid defense and stellar pitching performances. Overall the team is batting well above .300 and has been holding opposing teams to fewer than three runs a game.
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“We’re seeing the ball well. Everyone seems to be getting their swings down,” said junior outfielder Ryan Moreno. “We’ve been putting in a lot of work in the cages and it’s showing on the field.”
One of the biggest surprises in the Titans’ lineup has been first-year varsity starter Kevin Newman, who reached base on every plate appearance Thursday.
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“He’s been unbelievable,” said head coach Bob Parry. “We knew his defense was good, but he’s really impressed us this year with his hitting.”
Newman has been on a tear, leading the team in batting with a .465 average and in runs batted in with 15. He also has been perfect on the basepaths with seven steals in seven attempts.
“I’m staying focused out there and just trying to help the team as much as I can,” said Newman. “I’ve been seeing the ball really well this year and hopefully I can continue that throughout the season.”
The Titans have been dominant of late, but will be facing some stiff competition in the weeks ahead as they host the 61st annual Lions Tournament beginning April 18, the oldest and largest high school basball tournament in the nation.
“We have a tough schedule in the tournament. We play Green Valley, the best team in Nevada, then we face off against Edison which is No. 1 in California,” said Parry. “It will give us a good idea of where we stand in the nation.”
The Titans were the Lions Tournament champions in their division in 2009, but they are going to need to continue their sterling play if they hope to get back to the top spot.
For more on Poway High baseball, visit the team website, or find them on Max Preps.
