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Coach Nate Goellrich leads his Estancia team into Saturday’s finals. (Photo: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt).
It’s already been a season to remember for Estancia High School’s baseball team, which has racked up a school record 27 wins.
But the Eagles have their sights set on one more victory as they prepare to face Anaheim Saturday at 10 a.m. at Goodwin Field on the Cal State Fullerton campus in the CIF Division 6 championship game.
It’s the first time that Estancia has been in the CIF finals in baseball.
Sophomore Andrew Mits, who got the win in relief in a dramatic 1-0 semifinal victory over Santa Ynez in 10 innings, is the scheduled starter for Estancia (27-5).
“Overall, our players are excited to get to Saturday,” Estancia Coach Nate Goellrich said Thursday. “Practice yesterday was a good one, I was concerned about how they would react from the emotions of our game from Tuesday.
“This playoff run has been huge for our players. We will have five sophomores in the starting line-up Saturday. We have key senior leadership, but our core of sophomores have been getting great experience through this run.”
Mits is 10-4 with a 0.43 ERA, seven complete games and three shutouts. He has 99 strikeouts in 81 innings and has walked only 18.
The other standout pitcher is Trevor Scott, who pitched solidly as a starter on Tuesday. Scott is 9-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 75 innings.
The second-seeded Eagles, who are batting .340, are also loaded with great hitters.
Mits is batting .395 with 25 RBI and 27 runs scored. Scott is batting .352 with 21 RBI and 29 runs scored.
Other top hitters include James De La O, who is batting .372 with 35 RBI and 22 runs scored, Andrew Coyotzi, who is batting .367 with 28 RBI and 30 runs scored, Jack Moyer, who is batting .391 with 22 RBI and 31 runs scored, Miles Moyer, who is batting .309 with 23 RBI and 25 runs scored and Cole Lefebvre, who is batting .385 with 18 RBI and Tyler Humphries, who is batting .400 with 17 runs scored.
Goellrich said his team has lots of respect for Anaheim, which will be led by Jillian Albayati, the scheduled starting pitcher for Saturday’s game. Albayati has an 11-0 record with a 1.68 ERA and is also one of the team’s top hitters with a .360 average.
“Anaheim is a very solid team and I feel this is an evenly matched game that will come down to one or two plays, and hopefully it goes our way,” Goellrich said. “They play solid defense and their offense makes you prepare for all aspects of the game. They have excellent starting pitching and are a very well coached team.
“Overall, it is exciting that it is two teams from Orange County meeting up in the championship game. I am sure Anaheim’s community is just as fired up as our’s is and it should be a great game and great atmosphere for our players to enjoy.”
Both teams have qualified for the CIF regional tournament.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
