Prep Baseball Previews

First pitch of the 2014 prep baseball season will be tossed Saturday for five local high schools.

Four of the five teams, defending Sunset League champion Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, CIF Southern Section Division 1 runner-up Marina, and Ocean View, play season-opening doubleheaders. The fifth team, Edison, is hosting its own tournament.

Below is a capsule look at the local teams.

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Edison

League: Sunset

Head coach: Cameron Chinn (first year)

Coaching staff: Mark Clabough, John Gonsalves, Joe Lehman, Bob Strachan.

2013 overall record: 11-15

2013 league record: 5-10 (sixth)

2013 CIF-SS playoffs: Did not qualify

Returning varsity players: Brian Schales (SS, Sr.); Nick Mailman (OF, Jr.); Kevin Ando (C, Jr.); Noah Kronfly (P, Jr.); Michael Mahony (OF/P, Jr.); Dylan Sneed (1B, Sr.); Wyatt Adams (UTL, Jr.); Stephen Knapp (OF/P, Jr.); Jake Scott (3B, Jr.); Parker Quenneville (OF, Sr.).

Players returning with honors: Brian Schales (first-team all-league); Nick Mailman (second-team all-league).

Varsity newcomers: Kaz Akamatsu (P, Soph.); Adam Moses (1B/3B, Sr.); Charlie Dysome (1B, Jr.); Phil Knapp (OF, Sr.); Leo Hyodo (2B, Soph.); Aaron Satterfield (P, Sr.); Nate Madden (P, Jr.); Jason Mclellan (P, Sr.); Wyatt Bersch (C, Sr.); Jake Bersch (1B, Sr.); Will Pay (OF, Sr.); Andrew Nero (C, Sr.); Austin Vander Reit (OF, Sr.).

Coach’s outlook: “2014 will see this team perform well as we develop team camaraderie and excel at the little things,” said Chinn who previously coached for nine years at Paramount High.

Season opener: Saturday, 9:45 a.m., vs. Compton Centennial, Edison Tournament.

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Fountain Valley

League: Sunset

Head coach: Deric Yanagisawa (second year)

Coaching staff: Chris Sorce; Garrett McFaul; Mark Wishek.

2013 overall record: 24-5

2013 league record: 12-3 (champion)

2013 CIF-SS playoffs: Reached second round, Division 1.

Returning varsity players: Brock Lundquist (1B/OF, Sr.); Daniel Patzlaff (SS, Sr.); Dillon Persinger (OF/2B/C, Sr.); Justin Cobb (OF/P, Jr.); Justin Brand (3B, Sr.); Hunter Margain (P, Jr.); Daniel Rosica (C, Sr.); Justin Navarro MI/P, Jr.); Scott Schultz (P, Sr.); Joe Loranger (P, Sr).

Players returning with honors: Brock Lundquist (2013 league MVP, first-team All-CIF); Daniel Patzlaff (first-team all-league; second-team All-CIF); Justin Cobb (2013 league co-rookie of the year); Dillon Persinger (first-team all-league); Justin Brand (second-team all-league).

Varsity newcomers: Junior Aguilar, (OF, Sr.); Willie Aguilar (CF/MI/P, Jr.); Jon Hill (1B, Sr.); Alec Brown (OF, Sr); Kyle Golden (IF, Sr.); Steven Fedele (OF/C/3B, Jr.); Michael Murphy (OF, Soph.).

Coach’s outlook: The Barons had a big 2013, winning 20 of their first 21 games to start the season. Along the way, they finished runner-up at the Loara Tournament and went 5-0 at the Anaheim Lions tournament, then went on to capture the program’s first Sunset League title in 11 years.

The Barons begin the 2014 season with a No. 6 ranking in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 poll, and No. 13 ranking in the L..A. Times Top 25 prep baseball preseason rankings.

“We have a lot of experience and guys coming back from a successful 2013 team,” said Yanagisawa who was the Sunset’s Coach of the Year last year. “Our strength will be our experience and athleticism. Our pitching staff will be our big question mark. We don’t have a ‘big’ arm. We will have to compete with our depth. Everyone will have to contribute.”

Season opener: Saturday, 11 a.m. doubleheader at Sonora.

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Huntington Beach

League: Sunset

Head coach: Benji Medure (14th year)

Coaching staff: Adam Springston; Jeff Ruziecki; Joel Bernstein

2013 overall record: 15-14

2013 league record: 6-9 (fourth)

2013 CIF-SS playoffs: Reached second round, Division 1.

Returning varsity players: Tyler Murray (C, Jr.); Jake Brodt (1B, Sr.); Jarrett Anton (2B, Sr.); Jesse Kuet (SS, Sr.); Logan Pouelsen (3B, Soph.); Marcus Mayorga (DH, Sr.); Dillon Millar (CF, Sr.); Clint Jack (RF, Sr.); Sean O’Toole (P, Sr.); Noah Davis (P, Jr.); Ryan Abady (P, Sr.); Brian Rousseau (P, Jr.); Evan Grace (C, Sr.); Roger Lemburg (IF, Sr.); Andrew Arledge (P, Sr.); Jarrett Anton (IF, Sr.); Branden Williams (C, Sr.); Clay Morris (P, Sr.).

Players returning with honors: Jake Brodt (all-league); Jesse Kuet (all-league); Logan Pouelsen (league co-rookie of year); Dillon Millar (all-league).

Varsity newcomers: Daniel Amaral (OF, Jr.); Hagen Danner (P, Fr.); Cooper Moore (DH, Jr.); Gordan MacDonald (P, Sr.); Logan Hopkins (OF, Sr.); Kyle Coburn (IF/P, Jr.); Ryan Zuanich (OF, Sr.).

Coach’s outlook: The Oilers overcame inexperience last year to find their stride late in the 2013 which ended with them defeating ML King and Mater Dei in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs before falling, 3-2, in the second-round to Riverside Poly. This year’s team, with six NCAA Division 1 commits, starts out ranked No. 1 in the L.A. Times’ top 25 preseason baseball rankings, and at No. 10 in the preseason CIF-SS Division 1 rankings.

“We have a lot of talent and experience, but so does everyone else in the league,” Medure said. “There is not one weak team in our league so we have to play at a very high level every game to finish toward the top. With our depth, I feel like we can battle any one.”

Season opener: Saturday, 11 a.m. home doubleheader vs. Aliso Niguel.

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Marina

League: Sunset

Head coach: Bob Marshall (fourth year).

Coaching staff: Steve Foreman; Mike Grasse; Paul Renfrow.

2013 overall record: 22-9

2013 league record: 11-4 (second)

2013 CIF-SS playoffs: Reached Division 1 title game.

Returning varsity players: Nathan Camacho (RHP, Sr.); Steve Gingery (LHP, Jr.); Jake Maisano (OF, Sr.); Landon Marshall (C/3B, Sr.); Austin Moore (RHP/OF, Jr.); Grant Peugh (RHP, Sr.); Austin Sojka (OF/INF, Sr.).

Players returning with honors: Steve Gingery (first-team all-league); Austin Sojka (first-team all-league).

Varsity newcomers: Remy Balboa (OF, Jr.); Greg Fronek Jr. (RHP, Jr.); Jared Harmon (RHP/OF, Jr.); Griffin Hennessey (SS, Soph.); Danny Jasperson (INF, Jr.); Garrett Malter (OF, Jr.); Tyler Mathews (UTL, Jr.); Connor McCollum (RHP/INF, Jr.); Riley Ohl (RHP, Soph.); Max Ronquillo (1B, Jr.); James Ryan (RHP, Jr.); Chase Sebby (C, Jr.); Jack Sinanian (C, Jr.); KJ Spiratos (INF, Jr.); Ryan Taylor (1B, Sr.); Joseph Waked (UTL, Soph.); Nolan Winks (OF, Jr.).

Coach’s outlook: Marshall’s program turned in a sensational postseason run last spring that catapulted the Vikings to Dodger Stadium where they finished runner-up to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title to eventual champion Harvard-Westlake. Only a handful of returnees return in 2014. Gingery, Sojka and Landon Marshall enter their third varsity year, and Moore his second.

“There will be many new faces on varsity,” Bob Marshall said. “Yes, we are young. Yes, we are talented. This year our greatest challenge as a team will be the lack of varsity experience. As the off -season progressed we saw a lot of improvement from our rookies. The players are stepping up to the challenge that the coaches are putting in front of them and they are working hard to make themselves better. With a solid attitude and effort, focusing on the fine details of playing baseball, the belief that we can beat anyone, anywhere, any time, and the that we must care more about our team than ourselves, will allow us to compete with anyone, anywhere, and any time.”

Season opener: Saturday, 10 a.m., doubleheader at Pacifica.

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Ocean View

League: Golden West

Head coach: Shane Borowski (ninth year)

Coaching staff: Patrick Johnson; Bill Schulenburg; Chris Tallman; Kevin Nance.

2013 overall record: 9-18

2013 league record: 6-9 (fourth)

2013 CIF-SS playoffs: Did not qualify.

Returning varsity players: Dustin Fisher (P/1B, Sr.); James Wilson (DH, Sr.); Ramon Sepulveda (OF/P, Sr.); Bobby Evans (OF, Jr.); Jett Volo (2B, Jr.); Steven Cotton (P/IF, Jr.); Michael Giacone (P/OF, Jr.); Christian Adams (1B, Jr.).

Players returning with honors: James Wilson (second-team all-league).

Varsity newcomers: Braydon Salzman (C//P/UTL, Soph.); Joseph Romero (SS/P, Fr.); Brian Schlosser (INF/P, Soph.); Jake Legg (C, Soph.); Ben Myers (OF/C, Soph.); Brandon Nicholson (P/2B, Soph.); Gabe Ledezma (OF, Jr.); Grant Rockefeller (OF, Soph.); Matt Myer (OF, Sr.).

Coach’s outlook: “Our team in 2014 is very young and inexperienced,” Borowski said. “What they lack in experience, however, they make up with hard work. They are a very determined bunch and there is a lot of competition for spots this year. Honestly, this is the most competitive it’s been for a starting spot since I’ve been a coach at OV. All spots are open, no job is safe. Every day in practice is a competition, a chance to earn the starting spot. Oddly enough, it’s really brought them all together, knowing that any one of them can be called on to get in. They have great chemistry and that is important on a team that hasn’t proven itself yet. If there are bumps in the road, and there may be with a team like this, their chemistry and friendships with each other will take them through those bumpy times into better ones. I don’t expect lengthy losing streaks with this team because of their chemistry.”

Season opener: Saturday, 11 a.m. doubleheader at Calvary Chapel.

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CIF Preseason Baseball Rankings

Division 1: Fountain Valley, No. 6; Huntington Beach, No. 10.