Given the great expectations for Moorpark College baseball, close losses early in the season left the Raiders hovering just above the basement in the Western State Conference North standings.
After the opening day 10-3 shellacking of Antelope Valley College on the road, the Raiders looked all set to run the gamut, but lost the next five games.
“Our starters pitched well early on, but the relievers we brought in didn’t,” said Head Coach Mario Porto. “We lost five in a row by one run and could have won four of those easily.”
After dropping a heart breaker 5-4 against Pierce College in extra innings at home on Feb 25, in a game they should have won, the Raiders refocused and won four of the next five games.
The return of sophomore Riley Conlan from Creighton University, a Jesuit college in Omaha, Nebraska, was an unexpected bonus. A standout in last season’s Raider squad, Conlan’s leadership on the field has been inspirational.
“It feels good seeing all the familiar faces, meeting all the coaches and the guys again and being back in California,” said Conlan. “It’s a great welcome home.”
Moorpark’s record to date is 7-9 overall and 5-3 in conference. They are now in second place in the standings with a 0.625 win percent, behind Ventura College at 0.667 win percent.
“Our conference is really good and very competitive,” said Porto. “Whoever wins the conference may [finish] only two or three games above 0.500.”
To date four sophomores, outfielders Conlan and Jesse Aucelluzzo, and infielders Terrell Tate and Garrett Kueber, are all batting over 0.300. They are closely followed by freshmen infielder Austin Fields and outfielder Jack Rosenberg. The 18-year-old Rosenberg leads the pack with three homers so far this season.
“I got a stress fracture in my pelvic bone from overwork and putting too much strain in that area,” said standout third baseman Thomas Luevano, who was injured during preseason training. “I have three more weeks of physical therapy left, and then I can start working out and playing baseball.”
Following in Conlan’s footsteps, Luevano was offered and accepted a sports scholarship to attend Creighton starting in the fall.
“They’re paying [me] to go to school and play baseball,” said a happy Luevano, whose scholarship covers about 80 percent of tuition. “I start this season, but I don’t get to play yet because of my injury.”
However, Conlan’s experience on a sports scholarship to Creighton should also serve as a warning to other student athletes to tread very carefully before jumping at offers of tuition-free education at a four year school.
“My mom and I were under the impression it was a full scholarship and I didn’t have to worry about anything except playing baseball,” said Conlan, who was reluctant to discuss the details. “It wasn’t what we expected and financially it didn’t work out. It’s also a burden on my mom. It’s been tough [since] my dad passed away 2 1/2 years ago.”
Sophomore right-handed starters Jake Eaton, 1-3, and Zak Daniels, 1-0, have been consistent performers for the Raiders and have pitched deep into games to give the offense a shot at winning. Daniels also pitched a complete game in a 9-4 away win over Pierce College on Feb. 27.
Freshman reliever John Cashman, 4-2, from Chatsworth High has most wins for the team thus far this season. Porto said he has been throwing well and keeps the team in the game.
“We call him ‘The Vulture’ because he steals all of our wins,” said Daniels joking about Cashman.
