Ranked No.5 in the state, EC’s baseball team will try to take another South Coast conference championship with freshman prospect Kyle Petter, who was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 44th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft.
Although still early in the season, February 26 marked the Warriors first Conference home loss to the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties, 5-2. It was only the second home loss in the season.
The Warriors lost to Pasadena City College 7-4 on Tuesday, marking the third loss of the season.
“We expect to compete for the conference championship,” coach Nate Fernley said. “We won (conference) two years ago and came in second last year.”
With a successful conference record, the Warriors could earn a third straight playoff appearance, establishing its place as a conference power after being ranked No.5 after only two conference games with an overall record of 11-6-1 and 1-2 in conference.
Sophomore pitcher Kellen Moen (1-2) pitched five shut out innings against the Mounties, giving up a run in the sixth inning and a two-run home run in the eighth, the first allowed by Moen this season.
“He pitched a good game, (Mt. SAC) made us earn it and we did not,” Fernley said.
Not rattled after Moen gave up the two-run home run in the eighth, he finished the inning strong with his eighth and ninth strikeouts of the day.
“We broke down defensively in the ninth (inning),” Fernley said. “We are usually a good defensive team.”
In the top of the ninth, freshman reliever Adam Fernandez came in to try and keep the game close, but failed after two errors, one on a play at home then another at second base, leading to two more Mountie runs.
“(Our goal) is to win conference and state by throwing strikes and playing defense,” Fernley said. Leaving 11 runners in scoring position against Mt. SAC, Fernley sees a pattern that should be addressed: keeping the player’s heads in the game.
“We are leaving too many runners in scoring position,” Fernley said.
Depth in the pitching rotation has pushed pitchers Beau Hopps, Adam Fernandez and Petter with double duty on the field.
“Pitching is a way to give this team a chance to win the game. We are trying to go as deep into the game as possible,” freshman outfielder and pitcher Kyle Petter said.
“We are moving in the right direction. Seven of the nine position players are freshmen. We have a very young team on the field,” Fernley said.
With all of the young talent, Fernley expects the hard work of the freshman to carry through the season atop the conference.
“We started off a little rough, but now we are playing better baseball,” Moen said. “We should do well as long as we are not beating ourselves.”
Moen is expected to continue pitching next year at the University of Oregon, which is re-establishing its baseball program.
“The main thing for me this season is to establish three pitches for strikes,” Moen said.
With depth on the mound, and a solid foundation in the outfield, the Warriors are starting strong on the path to the playoffs set to begin in May.
“We are mature on the mound, and talented everywhere else, so our expectations are high for the season,” Fernley said.
