Baseball looking for momentum heading into playoffs

Baseball looking for momentum heading into playoffs

CHATSWORTH — The Sierra Canyon baseball team is gearing up for the Div. 2 playoffs and will finish the regular season this week with two games against Crossroads.

Currently, the Trailblazers sit in third place behind Paraclete and Windward. An early season tie with Campbell Hall looks to keep Sierra Canyon out of one of the top two spots.

Sierra Canyon travels to the westside Tuesday before hosting the Roadrunners at 3:45 p.m. Thursday at M.J. Siegel Stadium.

“The goal is to finish strong and see what happens in the playoffs,” Sierra Canyon coach Jerry Royster said. “We have played some really good teams this year. We are battle tested and ready.”

It’s been and up-and-down year with a solid showing in league contests but lacking a signature nonleague victory. Sierra Canyon has played Newbury Park, Moorpark and La Mirada in tough nonleague games.

The playoffs will feature Arcadia, Thousand Oaks, La Quinta, San Dimas, Agoura, Simi Valley, Crescenta Valley, Loyola, Camarillo and others. There will be no easy contests.

Bryce Bond and freshman Jaden Noot are the 1-2 starters and will have to be on top of their game. The offense will be paced by leadoff hitter Josh Reiter, Aaron Gutierrez, Noot, Zach Freeman, Ryan Mittelman, Max Nahmais, Luca Rubin and the speedy Bleu Ellis.

“We have to figure out way to hit better and score more runs,” Royster said. “We have to come through situationally and come through with runners on base with timely hits.”

The future is bright for Sierra Canyon with nearly 80 percent of the roster returning in 2020.

“We are excited,” Royster said. “But I think we can make a mark this year and turn some heads.”