HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PREVIEW : SANTA FE LEAGUE : St. Genevieve Arms for Battle With De La Maza, Rohrbough

According to Harvard Coach Jim Brink, the Santa Fe League title is up for grabs this season among the Saracens, two-time defending champion La Salle, St. Genevieve, Bell-Jeff and Chaminade.

“I’d be surprised if you win the league title without two or three losses,” Brink said. “I see five teams capable of beating each other.”

Chaminade Coach Steve Costley has a narrower view of the league race, tabbing his Eagles and St. Genevieve as the teams to beat.

One thing Brink and Costley agree on, however, is pitching.

“St. Genevieve has the best pitching in the league, no doubt about it,” Brink said. “They’ve got two starters back from last year and improved depth.”

Costley was more succinct.

“They’ve got De La Maza. That’s all you need to say. He’s one of the best pitchers at the 2-A level.”

Roland De La Maza is one of St. Genevieve’s two returning starting pitchers. Mike Rohrbough is the other. Last year, their combined earned-run average was 1.55. This year, St. Genevieve Coach Kevin Kane expects them to be even better.

Although De La Maza’s record was 3-6 last season, he struck out 51 batters in 60 innings and walked only 22. His earned-run average of 1.74 ranked sixth in the Valley area. On Saturday, the 6-0, 185-pound junior struck out 21 batters in a 10-inning, 14-4 victory over Palmdale. He has 36 strikeouts in 17 innings this season.

Rohrbough, a 6-1, 190-pound senior, was 6-2 last season with 56 strikeouts and 14 walks in 43 innings and a Valley-leading 1.30 ERA.

“Roland and Mike were good last year,” Kane said. “But they’ve improved. They’re both better pitchers this season.”

Though they’ve had similar success, De La Maza and Rohrbough are different pitchers. De La Maza is a master of technique and has command of three pitches--curveball, changeup and fastball.

“Roland is so technically sound that he rarely makes mistakes,” Kane said. “He has the potential to be a Division I pitcher. He’s only 16, but he has the maturity of someone who’s 21.”

While De La Maza is a pitcher, Rohrbough is a thrower. A very hard thrower.

“He’s got a great fastball,” Kane said. “And he’s working on a split-fingered fastball right now. When he developes that, he’ll really be tough to hit.”

If De La Maza or Rohrbough falter, Kane has a well-stocked bullpen in seniors Aiden Miller, John Argot and Danny Enriquez, and junior Steve Perez.

St. Genevieve

COACH: Kevin Kane, 1st season

LAST SEASON: Tie for 3rd in league at 8-6; 11-9

PLAYERS TO WATCH: With 6 players batting .350 or better last season, St. Genevieve had a potent offensive attack. But 4 of those 6 players have graduated, forcing the Valiants to rely more on pitching this season. That shouldn’t cause any problems because St. Genevieve has 6 solid pitchers, and 2 of them, Roland De La Maza and Mike Rohrbough, are superb. Both had outstanding numbers last season and both have improved. De La Maza had a 3-6 record, but his earned-run average was 1.74, sixth-best in the Valley area. Rohrbough had a 6-2 record, but his 1.30 ERA was best in the Valley area. Aiden Miller, Steve Perez, John Argott and Danny Enriquez give St. Genevieve good depth in the bullpen. Enriquez, senior Danny Alvarez (.382 and 25 stolen bases in 1987) and junior Joe Cascione (.350) will lead a solid offense. Improved fundamentals should also help St. Genevieve, which lost several games last season because of errors or poor baserunning.

OUTLOOK: “I think we’ll be competitive because of our pitching,” Kane said. “Our depth makes us awfully tough. I won’t be hesitant about going to the bullpen. . . . The question mark is our hitting with the graduation of our seniors. We need to get some power out of Alvarez and Enriquez. I don’t want to be strictly a singles hitting team.”

Chaminade

COACH: Steve Costley, 1st season

LAST SEASON: Tie for 5th in league at 7-7; 9-12

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chaminade is coming off its worst season in eight years, but Costley isn’t worried. After coaching Chaminade’s junior varsity team to 4 consecutive league titles and a 67-15 overall record, Costley figures the Eagles can contend for the varsity title with many of the same players. His optimism stems from a potent hitting attack led by Tim Lavin, Greg Baumgartner, Mike Le Cocq and Dave Morrison. Baumgartner is the only one without varsity experience. Kenny Meyer will anchor the Eagle infield at shortstop. A four-year starter, Meyer possesses a strong arm and a reliable bat--he hit .285 last season. Pitching will be a question mark for Chaminade. According to Costley, the Eagles have potential but they lack experience as a group. Junior left-hander Chris De Christo and Baumgartner will comprise the Eagles’ starting rotation with Meyer and Bob Rosemont (4-4, 2.56 ERA in 1987) in relief.

OUTLOOK: “Physically, we’re as good as any team around, except Chatsworth,” Costley said matter of factly. “But our pitching is a question mark. Our starters are solid, but our bullpen is suspect. If they come through, we’ll go pretty far this season.”

Harvard

COACH: Jim Brink, 8th season

LAST SEASON: Tie for 3rd in league at 8-6; 11-10

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Three of Harvard’s top 4 hitters--Marty Holly (.409 in 1987), Brandon Willenberg (.326) and David Lee (.300)--return. Pitching and defense will be the Saracens’ biggest strengths, however. Right-handers Lee (5-1, 2.77 ERA last season) and Buck Robinson will comprise Harvard’s starting rotation once league play begins. Junior Brian Jacobson, who pitched at the junior varsity level in 1987, will be the first pitcher out of the bullpen. When Robinson isn’t pitching, he’ll play in left field alongside Charles Patton (center) and Holly (right). Patton and Holly give Harvard good speed in the outfield, something the Saracens lacked in 1987. Holly was an All-Santa Fe League running back and the league’s soccer player of the year. Tim Rath, a three-year starter, gives Harvard experienced defense behind the plate as well as a reliable bat on offense.

OUTLOOK: “We’ve struggled a little at the plate so far,” Brink said. “But if we start to make consistent contact, we’ll be right there. Our pitching and defense should see to that.”

Bell-Jeff

COACH: Hal Krug, 12th season

LAST SEASON: 2nd in league at 10-4; 12-13

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Bell-Jeff may have been hit harder by graduation than any team in the league. The Guards lost their top 3 hitters, including All-Southern Section 1-A selection Tom Ressler (.386, 6 triples, 5 home runs), and their top pitcher, James Miljanich (6-1, 1.55 ERA). Despite the losses to graduation, the Guards have talent, if not experience. Catcher Greg Issacson, left-fielder Mike Thompson and right fielder Alex Vucerivic are the only returning starters. Vucerivic was expected to help Bell-Jeff’s bullpen this year, but he hasn’t recovered from a shoulder injury suffered playing football. This leaves Krug with a young and inexperienced pitching staff. Junior Rod Arancibia, a breaking-ball pitcher, will be the ace of Bell-Jeff’s staff. Freshman left-hander Brett Lindsey and senior Carlos Mata will battle for the No. 2 spot. One thing Bell-Jeff won’t lack is speed. Led by center fielder Phil Reynolds, the Guards will run as often as possible.

OUTLOOK: “We’re strictly in a rebuilding year,” Krug said. “I just hope we don’t end up in a battle with Pater Noster for the league cellar. I’m hoping we’ll get better as the season goes along. I think we can be competitive with most of the teams in the league by then.”