Santa Margarita players celebrate a victory this season. (Photo courtesy Santa Margarita baseball).
Santa Margarita High School baseball players kept battling through a rough patch this season and it paid off in a trip to the CIF finals.
The Eagles, coached by Chris Malec, are in the CIF Division 1 championship game Friday night to face Trinity League rival St. John Bosco at Goodwin Field on the Cal State Fullerton campus.
“The key to this year’s team is resilience,” Malec told OC Sports Zone Thursday. “We had a tough stretch in the middle of the season, but our kids never wavered in their togetherness and toughness.”
Santa Margarita captured CIF titles in 2014 and 2019 and won a CIF regional title in 2023. The Eagles lost to JSerra 1-0 in the CIF finals in 2023.
The Eagles (20-12) are led by pitcher Brennan Bauer, who has four wins in four playoff games. In 71 2/3 innings, Bauer is 11-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 36 strikeouts.
“Enough said,” Malec said of Bauer. “Clutch, just a winner.”
Other top pitchers include Ethan Russell, who is 4-3 with a 3.43 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 51 innings; Chris Saucedo, who is 3-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 19 innings; and George Hayden, who is 2-3 with two saves and a 2.42 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 49 innings.
On offense, Gavin Spiridonoff has a .305 batting average, He also has 20 RBI, 20 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple and a home run. Brody Schumaker has also been big a key weapon for the Eagles. He’s batting .343 with 26 runs scored an nine RBI.
Ben Finnegan and Warren Gravely IV each have 19 RBI and Andre Owens 17 RBI.
St. John Bosco (26-4) captured the Trinity League title while Santa Margarita took third place.
“Bosco has had an incredible year, 14-1 in the Trinity League,” Malec said. “They have been consistent all season long. We are excited for the challenge to compete against a well coached, athletic, talented ball club.”
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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