Marmonte League ready to flex its muscle in baseball playoffs
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

All four Marmonte League baseball teams that made the playoffs believe they have a shot at winning it all. And why shouldn't they?

This afternoon the CIFSouthern Section Division I postseason will begin. Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Simi Valley and Royal high schools will represent the Marmonte League.

In the past four years, the league has sent three teams to the divisional championship game, winning a pair of CIF titles.

Thousand Oaks won Division II in 2003. Simi Valley was the Division II champ the following season. Last year, Agoura lost to Lakewood in the Division I final. None of the aforementioned Marmonte teams finished in first place during the regular season.

This year the league appears to be as deep and as talented as ever.

League champion Thousand Oaks was seeded No. 2 overall. The Lancers were 23-4-1 during the regular season. Newbury Park won 20 games. The teams played three times this year, with the Panthers winning twice.

Simi Valley and Royal won 18 games apiece.

"Every team has a legitimate shot," Thousand Oaks head coach Frank Mutz said.

"I look at Royal's seeding and they can beat any one of those teams they may face. Simi Valley can beat any team on that board. And, obviously, there's Newbury Park. If you've got a Marmonte League team in your bracket, you're going to have to throw your best guy or you're going to be in trouble."

The strength of the league is its pitching.

The expected opening-round starters read like a who's who of Ventura County high school baseball: Matt Bywater for Thousand Oaks, Andrew Lambo of Newbury Park, Simi Valley's Nick Barnese and Tanner Peters from Royal.

Bywater, the lanky left-hander with a 1.01 ERA, will attend Pepperdine in the fall. Lambo is a soughtafter major league prospect who's got a scholarship to Arizona State in his back pocket. Barnese can throw in the low 90s and has accepted an offer to Cal State Fullerton. Peters posted a league-leading 56 strikeouts.

"Those guys are as good as anybody can put on the mound, from this year to years past," Royal head coach Dan Maye said.

On paper, Thousand Oaks is one of a handful of favorites to capture the Division I crown. The Lancers are ranked No. 3 in the state, according to CalHiSports.com. Newbury Park is ninth in the same poll.

Defending champion Lakewood is the top seed and ranked No. 1 in state. California's second-ranked team, Long Beach Wilson, tied Lakewood for the Moore League title but lost a coin flip and was seeded third overall.

In the latest Baseball America/ National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 50 poll, Long Beach Wilson was ranked second in the nation, Lakewood was sixth and TOHS was No. 31.

Thousand Oaks has a ton of quality arms in its rotation. In addition to Bywater, the Lancers can send Matt Montgomery, Jeff Johnson, Chad Smith or Kevin Gelinas out to the mound. All five could be aces on almost any other staff, Mutz said.

Still, Bywater said his team's offense is good enough to carry the load even if the pitchers have an off day.

"There's not that much pressure, really," Bywater said. "If we go out there and play like we can play, it's going to happen."

Newbury Park's offense is second to none.

Lambo came five RBI away from winning the league's Triple Crown. He led the Marmonte in batting average (.450), home runs (eight) and was second behind teammate Mike Schwartz with 27 RBI.

Schwartz, Jack Marder, JoJo Sharrar, Jason Andersen, Ben Cohen and Ian Long help establish a formidable middleoftheorder threat to opposing pitchers.

According to head coach Scott Drootin, Newbury Park took a big hit when infielder Brad Greve was removed from the team for disciplinary reasons. Greve batted .429 this year and scored 23 runs.

The Panther lineup is solid, but the key to the team's postseason fortunes will likely be No. 2 pitcher Anthony Montenegro.

Working behind Lambo in the starting rotation, Montenegro posted a 5-1 record with a 2.75 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 33 innings of work.

"I feel good about the way we're swinging the bats, and we always seem to find a way for somebody to get it done," Drootin said. "But the whole key is: Will our No. 2 guy shut them down? I think he can. Some days he's the best and some days he's average. It depends on which guy comes out and pitches for us."

With Barnese toeing the rubber for Simi Valley, the Pioneers will be tough to beat, Drootin said.

"How about if you're a No. 1 seed and you've got to face Simi Valley and a pitcher who throws 94 miles per hour?" Drootin asked. "That's not fun for anyone."

Nick Russo, Drew Sandler and Jordan Flores give the Pioneers enough pitching depth to match any team's bullpen outside of Thousand Oaks.

As for Royal, even Maye admits the team is young and probably didn't expect to be in the postseason at the beginning of the year. Nevertheless, the Highlanders are here, and with a 10-1 record outside of league, Maye's group knows it can beat anybody, anywhere.

"Our message is, 'Hey, there are 32 teams in this playoff bracket and we've earned the right to be here. We're as good as all 32 teams.' It's going to take us playing well, having some luck, and making sure we benefit any time the other team makes a mistake."

Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park will each play at home today at 3:15 p.m. The Lancers will host Long Beach Poly. NPHS takes on Hart of Newhall.

Simi Valley and Royal will both be on the road. The Pioneers play at Centennial of Corona, while the Highlanders travel to Riverside Poly.

Second-round games will take place on Tuesday afternoon. The Division I championship is scheduled for Fri., June 1, at Dodger Stadium.

"It wouldn't surprise me if any one of our four teams were in the final," Drootin said. "And it wouldn't surprise me if we had an all-Marmonte League final, either."