The Fremont Christian baseball program has been setting new precedents for success in the past couple seasons, including the Warriors’ first 20-win season last year, but this year’s team is not settling for anything short of the program’s first section title.
By most standards, Fremont Christian has been a model of consistency over the past decade, posting winning records every year since 2009. That includes a run of six straight unbeaten seasons in Bay Counties League-General Division play from 2009-2014, and a 22-1 mark in league play over the past two years. But one thing has eluded the Warriors each season, and that is a deep playoff run. This year, they are off to a 10-4 start, but a closer look at Fremont Christian’s schedule makes it clear that the Warriors are gunning for much more than just another league banner.
“We knew we needed to schedule up this year, to prove what we can do as a small school. We started six freshmen on varsity two years ago, and I feel like I can put these kids up against anyone,” said Fremont Christian coach Chris Gomez. “The last two years, our goal was to go unbeaten in league, and we did that last year. This year, it is NCS or bust. We thought we had a good shot last year before losing to Athenian. Now, we’re trying to bring a large school mentality to a small school program.”
The Division V Warriors have certainly scheduled up to start the 2018 season. In early March, Fremont Christian played back-to-back Division I programs, notching a big 11-4 win over Irvington, a win that looks even better after the Vikings picked up wins over James Logan and Washington.
The Warriors have also played, and beat, both programs which reached the Division V title game last season. Both wins over Redwood Christian and Athenian have come in extra innings. In the recent win over Athenian, it was Tyler Woodman providing a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth to score Bubba Gomez, who had walked with two outs. In the win over Redwood Christian, Gomez struck out 11 batters on the mound, and Brendan Hylton provided the game-winning single in the bottom of the eighth to score John Sanguinetti.
Gomez has been a known commodity since a couple years ago, earning recognition as the North Coast Section Freshman and Sophomore of the Year after a phenomenal start to his high school career. He is the ace of the pitching staff, as a junior, currently holding a 4-1 record with a 1.39 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched. Gomez no-hit Summit Prep in the team’s season opener, and struck out 15 batters in a recent win over Pacheco-Los Banos at the Nipomo Tournament.
Another key piece this season has been senior Ramon Barragan, who transferred from Newark Memorial, where he played on the varsity as a sophomore before not playing at all as a junior. Barragan, who was a first-team all-league selection for basketball, leads the team in hitting with his .580 average to go with 13 extra-base hits, including three home runs. And his multi-sport success is nothing unique for a school of 211 students, where the majority of the student-athletes excel in more than one sport.
“If you go to school here, you play soccer, basketball, and baseball,” Gomez said. “We have eight kids on our team who do all three.”
That includes the younger Gomez and Sanguinetti, who both received all-league honors in basketball. Sanguinetti was also a first-team all-league selection in soccer this past fall, while Gomez received honorable mention honors for the fall sport. Gomez’ primary sport, however, is easily baseball. He has taken unofficial visits to both Cal and University of San Francisco, and has interest from numerous schools.
Despite the lofty goals, and recent success, the Warriors are keeping their priorities in check as well. The elder Gomez, who credits a stable staff of assistant coaches which includes pitching coach Brandon Chamberlain and outfield coach Phil Woodman, is quick to point out the philosophy of the Fremont Christian program.
“When I go into the office, it is all about developing student-athletes,” said Gomez, who has taken the team to volunteer at a local homeless shelter. “Our top priority for our athletes is being a Christian, then being a student, and then being an athlete.”
So far, it’s working out for the Warriors, who are once again off to an unbeaten start in league play, but have a couple more challenges with larger schools remaining – facing Newark Memorial and American in late April and mid-May – before the quest for a first-ever section title truly gets underway.
Weekend success boosts De La Salle
It’s rare for De La Salle to ever be considered an underdog, but that was pretty much the case heading into this Friday and Saturday, as the Spartans prepared for a grueling back-to-back against Foothill and Elk Grove.
De La Salle, however, met the challenge head on and extended its win streak to six games after out-lasting Foothill in 10 innings, and then executing in all facets for a big 3-1 win over Elk Grove on Saturday afternoon, in a game played at UC Berkeley.
Since an extra-inning loss to Monte Vista, the Spartans had dominated games against San Ramon Valley, Liberty, Jesuit-Carmichael, and California, allowing just three runs in the four games. That was not going to be the case against Foothill, but after Taison Corio’s two-run homer gave DLS an early 2-0 lead, the Spartans found themselves battling in extra frames after the Falcons came back to tie the game. They finally broke through in the 10th inning, as Grant Daley doubled in a run, Corio singled in another, and Nick Cirelli put the finishing touches on the rally with a two-run base hit, for the 6-2 victory.
On Saturday against Elk Grove, Jared Amigh drove in Daley during the bottom of the second inning, and two innings later, Trace Tammaro’s two-out single to right field scored both Dominic Grupalo and Sam Cooke for a 3-0 lead. Elk Grove managed a run in the fifth inning on a single by Brian Freitas, but the trio of Gunner Mayer, Collin Cate, and Chris Santiago held the Thundering Herd to just three hits for the day.
Power surge in San Anselmo
After winning the NCS Division III title last season, Drake is looking like it will certainly be in the hunt to repeat this year, and the long ball is a big reason why.
The Pirates have slugged 20 home runs through 14 games, led by eight from junior Eamonn Lance, who is batting .477 and has nine multi-hit games. Case Delst and Gabe Leary each have three home runs for Drake, which is atop the Marin County Athletic League standings with Redwood.
Awesome start for Antonini
St. Vincent de Paul is off to a 12-0 start on the diamond, under new head coach Stan Switala, and 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore Gio Antonini is a key piece of the puzzle. The catcher-pitcher combo has attacked opposing hitters just like he did ball-carriers during football season, when he racked up 93 tackles, including 19.5 tackles for a loss.
Antonini has made six appearances on the mound this season, and has yet to allow an earned run. In March games against Westmoor and Laytonville, he pitched back-to-back no-hitters in five-inning, mercy-rule shortened victories. The overall numbers for the season are staggering – in 19 innings pitched, he is 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA, having allowed just four hits while striking out 40 batters.
Oh, and is pretty good at the plate as well, leading the section with his .639 batting average, to go with nine doubles and six stolen bases. If the Mustangs are going to earn a section title for the first time since 2008, Antonini will likely be the one leading them there.
