The Culver City High School baseball team ran into a familiar foe last Tuesday at Palos Verdes High School in the CIF playoffs.
Getting timely hits and scoring runs have caused problems all season for the Centaurs. In their 2-1 loss, they managed only four hits and left runners on base several times.
The Centaurs played flawless defense and pitching was outstanding.
“We are going home because you have to score,” said a disappointed Coach Rick Prieto. “We train hard, and our players go out there and do the best job they can do but sometimes that’s just not good enough.”
Jay Sterner is at the top when talking about doing a good job. Sterner, who played varsity for four years, will go down as one of the best pitchers and overall players in Culver City history.
On Tuesday, Sterner left the game when the score was 1-1 in the fifth inning. Palos Verdes scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh against hard throwing junior reliever Nolan Martinez on a base hit right past a diving shortstop.
“Of course I am disappointed in the way it ended,” Sterner said. “We played well, good defense, good pitching. We made the other team work hard.”
As for his own performance, “I wanted to do my best and represent the school.”
Sterner’s memory of himself will be “of someone who played hard every time he stepped out on the field.”
Coach Prieto will miss his star who pitched several no-hitters this season. “What can you say about a young man who came in as freshman with great character and athletic ability?” Prieto asked. A wonderful person, the same humble person he was when he came here.”
Despite the loss of Sterner and other seniors, the Centaurs return 11 players who have started games.
Pitching should be solid with Martinez –whose pitches have been clocked in the low 90s – leading the way.
He may be ready to take his place as the next standout Centaur pitcher.
If Culver City can improve its hitting, the team should they will make a deeper run into the CIF playoffs next year.
“We had a good season,” said Devaughn Wallace, a former player, now an assistant coach.
“We a played hard. We never gave up. You cannot ask much more.”
Wallace paints the future brightly.
“We have outstanding young players on varsity and a lot of good junior varsity players who will be coming up.”
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
