Diamond Dandies – De La Salle Baseball And Heritage Softball Each Begin In The Top Half Of 2019’s SportStars’ Preseason NorCal Top 20

BASEBALL

1. Valley Christian-San Jose (29-3-1 in 2018)

CalHiSports.com’s 2018 State Team Of The Year begins this season as back-to-back Central Coast Section champions (Open Division last season, and Division I in 2017). The Warriors lost a handful of key seniors, but still return a slew of talent. That includes Stanford-commit Eddie Park (OF/P), Santa Clara-bound Coleman Brigman (OF), Nick Marinconz (IF), Steven Zobac (P/1B) and 2018 CalHiSports’ State Freshman Of The Year, Jonathan Cymrot (IF/P)

2. De La Salle-Concord (26-4)

The three-time defending North Coast Section Div. I champs return three hitters who had at least 30 hits and 20 RBI. They will also bring All-State pitcher Kyle Harrison back to the fold. Harrison went 9-1 with a 1.17 ERA as a sophomore last season.

3. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (22-8)

Junior infielder Nick Yorke is the returning West Catholic Athletic League Player Of The Year after hitting .494 with 18 doubles a year ago. He should lead a very strong lineup for the Monarchs. Mitty also has good experience back on the hill, including Andrew McCann (3-1, 1.70 ERA) and Dominic Quinones (2-2, 1.82).

4. Franklin-Elk Grove (23-8)

The Wildcats lost SportStars NorCal Player Of The Year, Evan Gibbons, to graduation. But several standouts remain, including Nevada-commit Zach Meddings, a two-way threat who hit .348 and also went 7-2 with a 1.90 ERA. Junior outfielder Chase Davis is also a name to note.

5. Jesuit-Carmichael (21-11)

Coach Joe Potulny has returning talent pretty much everywhere in 2019. There’s Washington-bound senior pitcher Carter Benbrook and Oregon State commit, junior infielder/catcher Daniel Susac. Anthony Susac (Daniel’s cousin) is a rising sophomore infielder/pitcher, and senior pitcher Cade Pilchard is committed to CSU Northridge.

6. Los Gatos (23-9)

Plenty of CCS coaches point to the Wildcats as a major threat this season. Not surprising considering they reached the CCS Open finals in 2018. They return Stanford-committed junior Tommy Troy (IF/P) and San Jose State-bound senior Trevor Allen (P/UTIL).

7. Vacaville (26-8)

Seniors Devereaux Harrison (Long Beach State) and Hunter Dorraugh (Sacramento State) will lead the Bulldogs in their attempt to defend the SJS Division I title. Pitching ace Brandon Chalk also returns.

8. St. Francis-Mountain View (24-8)

The starting lineup lost a sizeable group of seniors, but there’s enough talent in the cupboard for the Lancers to hold their own in the WCAL. Junior pitcher Gianluca Shinn returns after going 9-1 with a 2.00 ERA last season.

9. Davis (19-13)

All-NorCal outfielder Nick Vogt (.432, 48 hits and 18 doubles last season) takes the leadership reins after the graduation of two-way star Ryan Holgate. Senior Jonah Henrickson and sophomore Josh Catacutan will also be big contributors for the Blue Devils.

10. Alameda (27-2-1)

It all starts with All-State arm Max Nyrop for the Hornets. The senior opens the season five innings shy of the state record for consecutive scoreless innings. His supporting cast should be enough to challenge for a second straight NCS Div. II crown.

SOFTBALL

1. Foothill-Pleasanton (24-4 in 2018)

Last year’s North Coast Section Division I runner-up still has the East Bay’s most potent battery for two more seasons. Just juniors, Oklahoma-bound pitcher Nicole May and her All-NorCal receiver Courtney Beaudin, power a team which lost just four seniors from a year ago. The Falcons also return senior Hope Alley, a .457-hitting shortstop committed to Pittsburgh.

2. St. Francis-Mountain View (23-6)

All the defending Central Coast Section Open Division champions have going for them in 2019 is a lineup featuring their top five returning hitters and All-State pitcher Jordan Schuring returning to the circle. No big deal.

3. Valley Christian-San Jose (19-7)

The 2018 West Catholic Athletic League champions are led by All-State catcher and Cal-commit, Kacey Zobac. The Warriors return three of their top four hitters from a year ago, as well as pitcher Kayla Dominguez (16-6, 1.50 ERA).

4. Tracy (25-5)

NorCal Player Of The Year Rachel Cid is already racking up Pac-12 honors at Oregon, but fun fact: Returning Bulldogs outfielder Isabella Cargill had eight more hits (52) than Cid in 2018. She leads a contingent of at last five key returning hitters, all of which should dutifully support All-State pitcher Karina Faasisila (21-2, 0.92 ERA)

5. Sheldon-Sacramento (25-5)

The Huskies were destined to be joined in the rankings with Tracy. Both teams lost their best all-around player (Cid for Tracy, Shea Moreno for Sheldon), but return talent, experience everywhere else. Kiannah Pierce (57 hits last season) and Sam Oliver (15 doubles, 39 RBI) power the offense.

6. Amador Valley-Pleasanton (23-5-1)

All-State pitcher and Ms. Softball State Player Of The Year Finalist, Danielle Williams, now plays at Northwestern University. However, she was one of just two graduates from the defending NCS Div. I champions. Junior infielder Valeria Torres-Colon leads the array of top returners.

7. Benicia (28-3-1)

NCS newcomers, the Panthers will be hoping to pick up where they left off in the Sac-Joaquin Section — as Division II section champs. Led by Amanda Ajari (8 HR, 47 RBI), there’s more than enough pitching and firepower to do it, too.

8. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (19-8)

The third of four WCAL teams inside the Top 10, the Monarchs feature All-State junior Diamond Holland at the top of the order. The horde of remaining talent also includes pitching/hitting star Hannah Edwards.

9. Heritage-Brentwood (17-4)

The time is now for a Patriots team which has been eliminated from the NCS semifinals by Foothill three years in a row. Morgan Hess (CF) and Xiara Diaz (SS) headline a quartet of four-year varsity players with plenty of experience to draw from. Keep an eye on freshman Tianna Bell at third base. She committed to Washington as an 8th grader.

10. St. Ignatius-S.F. (19-6)

Junior catcher Kelly McGuigan tied for the Bay Area home run lead with 13 in 2018. The Wildcats graduated just one player from their near-20 win team in 2018.

To see the rest of the NorCal Top 20 for both baseball and softball, visit SportStarsMag.com. Other preseason content for SportStars included, four features plus Players To Watch and more.

Softball photo info: Heritage seniors Morgan Hess, left, and Xiara Diaz (Chace Bryson photo)

Baseball photo info: De La Salle coach David Jeans gets the gatorade shower following the Spartans’ 2018 NCS Championship. (Berry Evans III photo)