Two on this week’s honor roll of noteworthy single-game outings in the state are from Taylor Roberts of Paraclete and Brent Bell of Fullerton. Can you tell where Bell pitched? Photos: Courtesy school & FUHSMedia/Blastathletics.com.
Taylor Roberts and Kailla Searcy of Lancaster Paraclete combine to throw three straight no-hitters, including two perfect games to lead softball’s best. For baseball, Chase Wheatcroft of Saugus joins interesting list of those who’ve thrown no-hitters on his school.
As has been customary for many years, we collect the state stat stars in support of the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac. The book has been published seven times (the most recent, though, was 2009) and is as official as a state record book can be since no other exists. To report a State Stat Star of the Week of your own, please email details to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Note: We will now be doing separate blog posts for any boys and girls basketball state record updates and stat star performances for the rest of the season. All baseball and softball state records are in the process of being added to this web site. Some of them already have been added. They will be part of our Gold Club membership. To join our Gold Club today, please CLICK HERE.
Thanks to Mark Tennis and CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett for also contributing items this week. This honor roll is for games played from March 17 to March 21 with some performances from this week also included.
BASEBALL
Chase Wheatcroft (Saugus)
Opening up Foothill League play with a dominant performance on the mound, he pitched a no-hitter while striking out five in a 5-0 win against Golden Valley of Santa Clarita. According to the L.A. Daily News, MLB pitcher Tommy Milone was the last Saugus pitcher to throw a no-hitter in 2005. Centurions head coach John Maggioria had one when he pitched for the school as well.
Joey Matulovich (San Ramon Valley, Danville)
Following up his one-hit performance the week before against previous No. 1 in the state College Park of Pleasant Hill, he pitched a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts during a 3-0 win over Palo Alto.
Isaac Esqueda (Bishop Amat, La Puente)
Some people can go their whole life without seeing a no-hitter in person (such as our own Paul Muyskens) but those that were there to see the Lancers defeat Cathedral of Los Angeles 11-1 can say they have seen one. Esqueda, a sophomore, struck out nine during his no-hit performance on the mound.
Niko Navarro (Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga)
Selected as one of our NorCal/SoCal Players of the Week, this San Diego State committed standout had three home runs and six runs batted in during a 21-8 win over Etiwanda.
Brent Bell (Fullerton)
Getting the chance to start in a major league stadium, he made sure it would be an even more memorable one as he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed just two hits while striking out 13 during a 1-0 win over Troy of Fullerton at Angels Stadium.
Jay Sterner (Culver City)
Following up his no-hitter from the week before against Venice, Sterner continued to be strong when he allowed just two hits during a 3-0 win over Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach.
Jacob Evangelo (Sierra Pacific, Hanford)
Although he gave up eight hits, Evangelo set a school record by striking out 18 batters to lead Sierra Pacifica past Corcoran 4-3 in a East Sequoia League game.
Kyle Molnar (Aliso Niguel, Aliso Viejo)
Not only did he pitch a complete game shutout, but he did it while striking out 11 during a 2-0 win over Capistrano Valley. Molnar, a UCLA signer, is one of the state’s top MLB prospects and he certainly will be tested in South Coast League games this season against teams like state No. 1 San Clemente and state No. 4 Dana Hills.
Jeremy Polon (El Camino Real, Woodland Hills)
A big part of the Conquistadores winning the Babe Herman tournament, Polon he didn’t allow a run while striking out 10 during a 6-0 win over Arcadia. He’s been a top pitcher for ECR since his sophomore season when he had 0.96 ERA.
Marrick Crouse (Dana Hills, Dana Point)
With more basehits at the plate then he allowed while on the mound, Crouse had two hits and allowed just one while striking out nine when the Dolphins beat Tesoro of Las Flores 2-0. Dana Hills moved to 9-1 on the season while Crouse, a University of San Francisco committed senior, moved to 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA to go with a .486 batting average and 13 RBI.
Jeremy Ydens (St. Francis, Mountain View)
Not only did he pitch five shutout innings with eight strikeouts against St. Ignatius of San Francisco last week, but in his three games at the plate he also had nine hits in 11 at-bats, including four doubles. The Lancers also went 3-0 in their WCAL games, too.
Cody Riley (Bakersfield Christian)
The namesake of one of the nation’s top sophomores in boys basketball, this Cody Riley had a nice hitting game as he smacked three doubles and collected four hits, three RBI and three runs scored in a 26-2 lopsided win over Kennedy of Delano.
Daniel Alvarez (California, Whittier)
It’s one thing to have a big performance against a team with a poor record but Alvarez did his against a team that had yet to lose a game this season. In a 6-0 triumph over previously unbeaten Whittier, Alvaraz pitched the shutout with nine strikeouts and no walks.
SOFTBALL
Taylor Roberts & Kailla Searcy (Paraclete, Lancaster)
Roberts & Searcy started this week in a good mode as the great friends had combined to throw three no-hitters and two perfect games in a row. Roberts, who is normally in Searcy’s shadow, started the streak with a no-hitter against Thousand Oaks at the High Desert Classic. Roberts pitched again in Paraclete’s next game and had a perfect game with 12 strikeouts and hit a home run in a 21-0 romp past Campbell Hall of North Hollywood. Searcy then kept it going with a perfect game and struck out 11 in a 11-0 win against Palmdale to end the week. “I can’t remember that ever happening before,” Paraclete coach Margaret Neill told the Antelope Valley Press. “Kailla threw very well today, but we hit the ball well off a good pitcher. I was very pleased with that.”
Caitlyn Emberson (Taft)
The daughter of head coach Russell Emberson put on a hitting show last week by going 15-for-18 at the plate with 13 RBI, 12 runs scored and hit three homers in a busy week. Emberson also increased her career total to 34 home runs, which is the second most in Central Section history according to Central Section historian Bob Barnett.
Taylor McQuillin (Mission Viejo)
The Diablos remain No. 1 in the state with their Arizona-bound pitcher a big part of why as she pitched a no-hitter, the 8th of her career along with two perfect games, and had nine strikeouts during a 2-0 win over Pacifica of Garden Grove in the championship game of the Best of the West Tournament.
Meehra Nelson pitched well for Westlake in a game last year against No. 1 Mission Viejo. Photo: Courtesy school.
Meehra Nelson (Westlake, Westlake Village)
The Oregon State-bound senior had a big first day at the Torrance TNT Tournament as she pitched a perfect game with 19 strikeouts during a 6-0 win over Arbor View of Las Vegas, Nevada and followed that up with a one-hitter while striking out 15 during a 1-0 win over Palo Verde of Las Vegas, Nevada. She was named by the Ventura County Star as its girls’ Athlete of the Week.
Maddy Dwyer & Adrianna Millan (Orange Lutheran)
Dwyer was already named as one of our NorCal/SoCal Players of the Week after a game that saw her pitch four scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts while also hitting a solo home run and a grand slam home run in the same inning during a 16-2 win over Esperanza of Anaheim. Millan, meanwhile, had a big game at the plate during a 17-7 win over Fountain Valley as she went 5-for-6 and hit for the cycle.
Gianna Mancha (Central, Fresno)
The promising sophomore pitched a perfect seven inning game with 14 strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Monache of Porterville in the Washington Invitational. Gianna was also chosen MVP of the tournament as she pitched & hit a single to drive in a run which would be the game winner in the 8th inning in a 7-5 triumph over Oaks Christian of Westlake Village.
Lindsey Walljasper (Sierra, Manteca)
While her older sister, Allie, is now at LSU and making an impact for the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, this freshman looks to continue the Walljasper legacy with the Timberwolves. It’s also almost unfair to have one Walljasper graduate only to have another ready to step in. Lindsey pitched a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts during a 4-0 win last week over Central Catholic of Modesto.
Gabby Jimenez (McClatchy, Sacramento)
The Lions’ girls basketball team will be playing for a state title this weekend but this freshman is getting some attention playing outside. She tripled and homered while driving in seven runs during a 13-6 win over Kennedy of Sacramento last week. She followed up that performance with a two homer game in a 10-2 win over Laguna Creek of Elk Grove.
Mia Camuso (Shasta, Redding)
One of the leading home run hitters in the state, she hit her sixth home run of the season last week and it came with the bases loaded. Camuso also had two more RBI for six in all to help Shasta defeat Wooster of Reno, Nev.
Megan Stevens (Etiwanda)
Her spirits had to be soaring high last Wednesday night after an impressive day saw her go 4 for 4 with two doubles, a home run and five runs batted in during a 12-2 win over Jurupa Hills of Fontana before ending the day with two home runs and six runs batted in a win against Redlands. She also pitched three perfect innings during the first win of the day with four strikeouts.
Jordyn Macias (Hanford West, Hanford)
She went 3-for-7 at the plate with a career best of seven RBI in a wild 22-17 win in nine innings against Redwood of Visalia in the West Yosemite League.
Haylee Sobrero (Paradise)
Already with a nine-RBI performance earlier this season, this junior shortstop had her second game with six runs batted in during a 11-0 victory against Argonaut of Jackson. Sobrero doubled, homered and had six RBI in the game.
Marciela Romero (North, Bakersfield)
Leading the offensive attack that saw the Stars win by a football like final score of 24-7 against Foothill of Bakersfield, this junior went 5-for-6 with two doubles, a home run, five runs scored and five runs batted in.
Paul Muyskens is the Stockton office assistant editor for CalHiSports.com. Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
