So much for the thinking if you're a multiple-sport athlete, you can't do two things at once. On Sunday, Rio Ruiz of La Puente Bishop Amat took a day off from baseball and played quarterback at the Nike football training camp at USC.
He was back playing baseball on Wednesday and belted a 400-foot three-run home run in the first inning to help the No. 1-ranked Lancers beat West Covina South Hills, 4-3, at Mount San Antonio College. Pitcher Paul Paez improved to 10-0, striking out 12.
Ruiz, a sophomore committed to USC, raised his batting average to .492.
Bishop Amat (21-2) will face No. 2 Lakewood on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Redondo in the championship game of a bracket of the Redondo tournament.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Frank McCourt Helps LAUSD Close Sports Funding Gap
Faced with a $1.3-million cutback to the high school sports program in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the LA84 Foundation and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have helped spearhead a fundraising drive that will enable more than 700 coaches to be paid and 75 high schools to maintain their sports programs for the coming school year. LA84 then came forward to make a grant of $252,600 and began encouraging other community members to participate. McCourt pledged that the Dodgers Dream Foundation would help support baseball and softball. Steve Soboroff, chairman of the Weingart Foundation, said his organization is donating $150,000. Other community members will be sponsoring additional sports, such as Chivas USA for soccer and Nike for basketball.
"I'm not so old I can't remember high school sports myself," he said. "They were a huge part of my upbringing and kept me on the straight and narrow. I'm the father of four boys who played three sports. It was a great way to help them stay healthy, stay out of trouble and learn about life."
McCourt mentioned former major leaguers who grew up in Los Angeles and played high school sports, including such Dodgers stars as Don Drysdale, Eddie Murray, Willie Crawford and Willie Davis. "I think the kids today deserve to follow in those footsteps," he said.
Finally, someone sees the value of HS sports for kids!
"I'm not so old I can't remember high school sports myself," he said. "They were a huge part of my upbringing and kept me on the straight and narrow. I'm the father of four boys who played three sports. It was a great way to help them stay healthy, stay out of trouble and learn about life."
McCourt mentioned former major leaguers who grew up in Los Angeles and played high school sports, including such Dodgers stars as Don Drysdale, Eddie Murray, Willie Crawford and Willie Davis. "I think the kids today deserve to follow in those footsteps," he said.
Finally, someone sees the value of HS sports for kids!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
"Let Them Make the Mistakes"
Crespi came away with a 7-6 victory over Orange Lutheran on Wednesday in a semifinal game in the Diamond Sports National Classic at Placentia El Dorado. It was worthy of a championship game, with each team making no errors and refusing to go down without a fight.
Crespi broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the top of the seventh. The Celts took advantage of bases-loaded walks to Josh Mason and Ryan Brockett, plus a two-run single by Alex Gonzalez.
The key to victory for Crespi was its pitchers throwing strikes. Because the tournament is using wood bats, home runs have been rare. Only two had been hit in three days. That means keeping runners off the bases is crucial. Starting pitcher Madison Dang walked none in four innings. Heineman walked three over three innings. In contrast, three Lutheran pitchers had nine walks.
"They helped us out a little bit," Muckey said. "That's our philosophy: Go out and play the game of baseball and let them make the mistakes."
Crespi advances to tonight's 7 p.m. championship game at Cal State Fullerton, where it will play El Dorado, which beat Edison, 2-1. It will be the second time in three years that the Celts will try to win the tournament title.
Despite losing ace Ryon Healy last month because of a muscle strain in his forearm, the Celts keep finding pitchers. Dang and Heineman are Nos. 5 and 6 on the Celts' staff, and a seventh pitcher, Chad Tobin, is expected to start tonight.
They all follow the Muckey credo: Throw strikes.
Crespi broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the top of the seventh. The Celts took advantage of bases-loaded walks to Josh Mason and Ryan Brockett, plus a two-run single by Alex Gonzalez.
The key to victory for Crespi was its pitchers throwing strikes. Because the tournament is using wood bats, home runs have been rare. Only two had been hit in three days. That means keeping runners off the bases is crucial. Starting pitcher Madison Dang walked none in four innings. Heineman walked three over three innings. In contrast, three Lutheran pitchers had nine walks.
"They helped us out a little bit," Muckey said. "That's our philosophy: Go out and play the game of baseball and let them make the mistakes."
Crespi advances to tonight's 7 p.m. championship game at Cal State Fullerton, where it will play El Dorado, which beat Edison, 2-1. It will be the second time in three years that the Celts will try to win the tournament title.
Despite losing ace Ryon Healy last month because of a muscle strain in his forearm, the Celts keep finding pitchers. Dang and Heineman are Nos. 5 and 6 on the Celts' staff, and a seventh pitcher, Chad Tobin, is expected to start tonight.
They all follow the Muckey credo: Throw strikes.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Pitching, defense key in National Classic
The best tournament in Southern California, the 16-team Diamond Sports National Classic, begins on Monday, and the key to emerging as the champion on Thursday at Cal State Fullerton is pitching depth and defense, especially this season, because wood bats will be used.
La Puente Bishop Amat (11-1) and Encino Crespi (11-3) would appear to have the edge. Bishop Amat, however, has to decide when to use ace Paul Paez. Will he throw in the first round against Arizona's Notre Dame Prep?
Crespi won't have its ace, Ryon Healy, available for pitching duties because he has just begun rehab from a strained muscle tendon in his forearm. But Ryan Brockett (3-0, 1.61 ERA) and John Kearns (4-0, 2.97) are ready to go, and closer Josh Mason could end up starting.
Many of the teams are expected to promote junior varsity pitchers this week in case they are needed playing four games in four days, and the player to watch for Crespi could be sophomore JV pitcher Christian Johnson, who might be put on the mound and asked to come through.
Huntington Beach Edison is expected to use its ace, Henry Owens, in Monday's 10 a.m. opener against Palm Desert at El Dorado. But what do the Chargers do in a possible second-round matchup against Bishop Amat? That's the dilemma every coach in this tournament will be facing. When do you use your big gun and who is the first pitcher off the bench?
La Puente Bishop Amat (11-1) and Encino Crespi (11-3) would appear to have the edge. Bishop Amat, however, has to decide when to use ace Paul Paez. Will he throw in the first round against Arizona's Notre Dame Prep?
Crespi won't have its ace, Ryon Healy, available for pitching duties because he has just begun rehab from a strained muscle tendon in his forearm. But Ryan Brockett (3-0, 1.61 ERA) and John Kearns (4-0, 2.97) are ready to go, and closer Josh Mason could end up starting.
Many of the teams are expected to promote junior varsity pitchers this week in case they are needed playing four games in four days, and the player to watch for Crespi could be sophomore JV pitcher Christian Johnson, who might be put on the mound and asked to come through.
Huntington Beach Edison is expected to use its ace, Henry Owens, in Monday's 10 a.m. opener against Palm Desert at El Dorado. But what do the Chargers do in a possible second-round matchup against Bishop Amat? That's the dilemma every coach in this tournament will be facing. When do you use your big gun and who is the first pitcher off the bench?
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