Walnut High School - Cayuse Yearbook (Walnut, CA)

Page 256 text:

its my 'Q A ki . s 'F til' A 'X L QII t .-at--mg L L Rik M .ri ACETTINC HIS FORM DOWN, Tom Blake pitches hatting practice. Pitt hing tor the hitters is just on chore of the pitc hc-rs on the IV squad. LGUNNING DOWN THE RUNNER, Clonn Pic-rcv trios to turn two. Clvnn is tht- starting third baseman for the IV squad. Mergers! Boys' lunior Varsity Baseball W it A . X K 'ra W. . f f s.. A Q Rf' iw O swwwkf' V 'K K ss K ' ' is -,CW W .sax x Q OW i. A O-wi. -X -Q- T - . i W 'Xi-xxx rf M - Q NON 'iv . -imlvn -M A i' .... N- if if ' ' yur. ,gh s - -rg J -N WK - . ,X , A A V W -su ' 'R' - ' ' ' N x , M.. an-t , . W' N r -F N O.- ., , 3- 3' -'Quan . X 3 ss. v--nf-. X w . K Qt . K V .H M .

Page 255 text:

lihseball Been Ber Bery Good As Chico Escuela would say, Base- nall has been bery bery good to the ustangsf' After a successful 18 and season in 1979, the Mustangs lost te majority of their pitching staff ith the graduating class. However, 1is didn't seem to get in their way, rtly because of the outstanding ility of team captains Dennis Wil- rd, Brad Shuler and, Bob Williams id other returning lettermen. Ecording to Coach Dennis Paul, the engths, such as the veteran infield, tfield and strong hitting, out- ighed the weakness of inexperi- ced pitching. The Walnut players wouldn't settle for just any position, they planned on going for the league championship and making it to the CIF playoffs. In order to reach these goals, the team mainly needed to avoid raindrops. During the beginning of the season, the team found it difficult to practice due to the tormenting rain. However, the players did have the added incentive of field improvements such as batting cages, an outfield fence, batting tunnels and new uniforms. The money for all the new equip- ment and field improvements had to come from somewhere, so the play- ers suddenly became solicitors. Any- one who knew a baseball player was probably asked to buy a ticket to a car wash, the Alumni game, or maybe a dance. Or possibly you were hit up as a sponsor for the baseball mara- thon. Talk about a large amount of fundraisers! The Mustang baseball players were surely kept busy. Explaining what was important to him during the '80 baseball season, Coach Paul remarked, We are very encouraged by the progress made by this group of athletes towards mak- ing the baseball program a very com- petitive -lA program. Varsity Baseball!Mergers

Page 257 text:

Baseball Flooded With Young Talent The first challenge that first year coach Mr. Mike Wendt and Frosh- Soph coach Scott Cassells had vvas the tough job of deciding vvho would stay on the teams and who would get cut. With so many good players coming out, it's hard to tell vvho's making the team and vvho's not, coach Wendt observed, The things they looked for in a player are good abilities and a good attitude. Having young but experienced teams, the junior varsity and Frosh- Soph squads were expected to do very well. Anthony Sanchez com- mented, Our team looks good. We should be on top by the end of the season, According to coach Scott Cassells, the two excellent baseball leagues in the Diamond Bar-Walnut Valley areas supply experienced young ball play- ers for the baseball program at Wal- nut. With so much talent in these leagues, becoming a Walnut High player vvas even more difficult for the incoming freshmen and sophomores? AGOING FOR THE TAG, Willie Zamora attempts to put out a baserunner, Willie was the starting first baseman for the I.V. squad. QCOMING OFF THE BAG to grab a bad throw, leff Locke stops the ball from going over his head. leff is one of the sophomores on the squad. QFIELDING A GROUND BALL, Chris Huttger concentrates on his form, Chris and the rest of the Frosh-Soph squad had to practice on the cement because of the rain. Boys' Frosh-Soph BasebaII!Mergers