El Dorado High School - El Dorado Yearbook (Placentia, CA)

Page 190 text:

The Team Hits Rough After two unbelievable preceding years thie Var- sity Baseball Team suffered what coach Steve Lea- vitt referred to as a total collapse, A collapse which stunned a previously optimistic coaching staff who were looking forward to yet another good year. The causes for this breakdown, however, were as diversified as they were numbered, The teams pitching was weak, and consequently we weren ' t getting ahead of the other teams batters. Our defense wasn ' t making the plays they should have, our offense wasn ' t hitting when we needed them to and it may have been that coaching staff wasn ' t doing its job, Leavitt openly asserted. De- spite their dismal record the team was loaded with many talented players, but for one reason or an- other they just couldn ' t pull it together in the clutch, Two of the most consistent players were Richard Sandoval and Jon Stofer whom both did well in batting for the team. The team ran into some rough waters during their second year in the Empire League, A league which is considered by many to be the toughest league in the state because it has four teams that are ranked in the top 10 in GIF. Despite these seemingly insur- mountable odds none of the players lost their win- ning spirit. Coach Leavitt talks things over with pitcher Rich- ard Hayden. Oh come on! says Coach GullottI, Make up your mind, was he out or safe! Jon Stofer gets the relay just a few seconds to late. 186 Varsity Baseball

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tircHi (O Nicicnafici v4t l, our onCr .... d ' fhr (x,f the bcacKl t-ovc, V Mark Brubaker saves the game with the winning John Stofer passes one more ball back to the catch. mound. Kelley Fitzpatrick uses his golden arm to make Anthoney Moreno goes for the ball, but Richard the final out. Hoyden just can ' t find t. Ron Cozart awaits anxiously the arrival of the ball One more homerun for Rusty Flora, before the batter to first base. Coach Gullotti ' s inspiring pep talk enthuses the Batting a thousand Mike Shula hits another ho- team to no end. merun. Coach Leavitt tries to comprehend why Brian Hunt has his nose up in the air. Richard Hayden does his imitation of a flamingo. Varsity Baseball 185

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Waters . .If ' s ffmXi. ' ' trt o Diving safely into first is Brian Hunt. The varsity baseball team (standing) Coach Leavitt, Rusty Flora, Mark Bru- baker, Mike Leyel, Jack Obrey, Jeff Boehlert, Ron Cozort and Coach Gullottl. (I neeling) Mike Shula, Jim Pope, Richard Sandoval, Richard Hay- den, Jon Stofer and Brian Hunt, (sitting) Rick Woncik, Kelly Fitipatrick, Bob Blankenship, Mike Alverez, Anthony Moreno, Brian Peters and John Nico- lettl. Junior pitcher Bob Blankenship shows his perfect form. Varsity Baseball 187