RYAN SILAPAN
Prep2Prep Senior Editor

May 29, 2016

SAN JOSE — St. Francis High baseball coach Mike Oakland was singing the praises of the eight seniors he will lose to graduation.

However, there is one in particular that the Lancers will have a difficult time replacing.

Jeremy Ydens, who just threw a six-hit shutout to lead the Lancers to back-to-back Central Coast Section Open Division titles, just put the perfect to cap to an amazing career at St. Francis. Oakland, though, felt that amazing wasn’t a strong enough word to describe Ydens’ career at St. Francis.

“I think he’s going to be remembered one as of if not the best in St. Francis history,” Oakland said.

That is a notable statement because St. Francis has produced several major leagues, including former A's star Eric Byrnes, World Series champion Daniel Descalso and current Los Angeles Angels outfielder Daniel Nava.

Ydens, who last year was named the West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year, shared the honors this season with Serra’s Hunter Bishop. He was the key for the Lancers whether on the mound or in the batter's box throughout the season but especially in the playoffs.

In St. Francis’ semifinal game against Carlmont, Ydens played center field and went 2-for-2 with a double and scored all three runs in the Lancers’ 3-2 win.

In Saturday’s championship game against San Benito the UCLA-bound outfielder pitched his final game for St. Francis and likely final game of his career and went out with an absolute bang.

Ydens finished with seven strikeouts including the final batter as his trusted battery mate and fellow senior Johnny Mendoza raced from behind the plate to the mound to embrace Ydens.

“I was able to throw my fastball for strikes and spot it where I needed to and my curveball also,” Ydens said.

Ydens had at least one hit in all four of the playoff games for St. Francis.

For the season, Ydens led St. Francis in batting average, hits, runs, triples and tied for the team lead in doubles. He batted .453, had 48 hits, 38 runs, five triples and 11 doubles. On the hill, Ydens went a perfect 8-0 with a .096 earned run average.

Playing in the WCAL — the toughest league in the CCS — Ydens struck out 55 batters in 65 2/3 innings pitched while allowing only 36 hits and nine earned runs.

He may not be the biggest, the strongest or the fastest, but Ydens has something that can’t be taught.

“Heart, courage, resilience,” Oakland said of Ydens. “He did exactly what the best player in our area was supposed to do.”

Last year, Ydens garnered the Prep2Prep CCS Player of the Year award and is a strong candidate to win the award again this year.

For all his individual success, seeing the team - especially his fellow seven seniors - go out on top is as Open Division champions is what meant most to him.

“It’s pretty exciting for us to go out on top and back-to-back CCS champs is pretty amazing,” Ydens said.

Sounds like Ydens putting the team’s success above and beyond that of his.

Ydens will remember leading St. Francis to back-to-back Open Division titles while coaches, fans, and his peers will remember him as being one of if not one day the best baseball players to ever come out of St. Francis.

Talk about a memorable career — Ydens had that and then some.