California Games of the Week: 3/31 - 4/5
March 31, 2025
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VENTURA, CALIF. - As the entirety of the of the California High School sections are underway with regular season games Prep Baseball California will be highlighting weekly games of the week with some of the best matchups from all over the Golden State.
This week our staff has picked these four matchups as their top games of the week from around the State of California:
Les Lukach: Foothill Knights vs. Woodbridge Warriors
Steven Hardesty: Pacifica Tritons vs. Ventura Cougars
Hank LoForte: Kingsburg Vikings vs. Immanuel Eagles
Matt Monk: Patrick Henry Patriots vs. #13 Granite Hills Eagles
Les Lukach Game of the Week:
Foothill Knights vs. Woodbridge Warriors
+ Date: 3/31/25 (Ryan Lemmon Tournament)
+ Time: 4:00 PM
+ Location: Great Park Irvine Field #1
+ Foothill 2025 Record: 12 - 4
+ Head Coach: Chris Price
+ Woodbridge 2025 Record: 11 - 5
+ Head Coach: Ryan Brucker
+ Key Players (Foothill):
+ '25 SS/RHP Gavin Lauridsen (USC Commit)
+ '25 OF/1B Sean Green
+ '25 OF Aidan Colburn
+ '25 C Daniel Troncale (CSU-San Marcos Commit)
+ '25 OF Chris Zill
+ '25 RHP/INF Adam Ujiie (Army Commit)
+ '25 LHP Kyle Telson
+ '26 C/OF AJ Nagler
+ '26 OF/P Brayden Bianchi
+ '26 P/OF Grady Wright
+ '27 UTL Evan Kim
+ '27 INF/RHP Evrett Rycroft
+ Key Players (Woodbridge):
+ Henry Uhrik
+ Vincent DeMarco
+ Alex Johnson
+ Dylan Mutuc
Game Preview:
The Knights enter this tournament matchup boasting a strong 12-4 record and have ridden the wave of dominant pitching having allowed just 30 runs over 16 games for less than two per game including eight shutouts (four in a row entering the game). Both Lauridsen and Tellson boast ERA's under 1.00 with Wright sitting at 1.20. On offense the Knights have scored 90 runs on the spring and have ridden the powerful bat of Lauridsen who is hitting .462 with seven doubles and two homers while Green is not far behind at .440 with a team leading nine doubles and tied for the team lead with two homers. Zill has blasted a pair of homers in spot duty for the Knights. Woodbridge has started the year with 11 wins over their first 16 games as they face off with Foothill. The Warriors have been stellar on the mound allowing just 39 runs in their 16 games while putting up 84 runs themselves. Namgoong has been a force offensively for Woodbridge posting a present .491 average with two doubles and two triples on 27 total hits. Stottlemeyer leads the team with 14 RBIs while posting three doubles and a triple. DeMarco tops the team in innings pitched at 32.1, strikeouts at 59 with a .22 ERA and has allowed only nine hits all season.
Steven Hardesty Game of the Week:
Pacifica Tritons vs. Ventura Cougars
+ Date: 4/1/25 - 4/4/25
+ Time: 3:30 PM
+ Location: Ventura High School
+ Ventura 2025 Record: 9-5-1 (plays on 3/31 prior to matchup)
+ Head Coach: Anthony Espitia
+ Pacifica 2025 Record: 12-4
+ Head Coach: Bryan Wilson
+ Key Players (Ventura):
+ '25 INF/RHP Wylan Nelson University of San Diego Commit
+ '28 OF/RHP Trevor Woodworth
+ Key Players (Pacifica):
+ '25 1B/LHP Devon Wilkes CSU-Bakersfield Commit
+ '25 RHP/OF Alex Villicana
+ '26 OF/INF Sal Lopez
+ '27 1B/OF/LHP Dario Navarro
+ '27 INF/RHP Byron Cibrian
Series Preview:
In a showdown between two of the top three teams at present in the Channel League the first place Tritons square off with the third place Cougars (Ventura plays San Marcos on Monday 3/31 where a win would put them in a tie with Santa Barbara for second place at 4-1-1). Ventura has ridden the strength of a dominant pitching staff that has allowed just 31 runs over 15 games and is fresh off a three game dominant showing in Tennessee including a combined no hitter. Nelson has been the Cougars ace with 52 Ks in 33 IP sporting an eye-popping .85 ERA with Josh Woodworth, Tyler Woodworth, Sebek and Tinkey all striking out over one batter per inning pitched that will challenge the Tritons lineup. The Cougars have been powered at the plate by Josh Woodworth, Kimble and Nelson who are all hitting over .300 with Woodworth having posted four doubles, three homers, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored while Nelson has scored 19 runs, driving in 16 and posted three doubles with a homer. For the Tritons who sit atop the league Devon Wilkes has been the key component to their offense with nine homers, seven doubles, a .500 average, with 21 RBIs and 18 runs scored plus an astounding 1.741 OPS over halfway through the spring. Ortega, Navarro and Carmona are all hitting over .300 on the spring for the Tritons. Villicana is sporting an impressive .79 ERA through 35.1 innings on the spring with Garcia and Navarro averaging right around one strikeout per inning and ERAs under 3.00 on the spring adding depth to the Tritons rotation.
Hank LoForte Game of the Week:
Kingsburg Vikings vs. Immanuel Eagles
+ Date: 4/2/25 - 4/4/25
+ Time: 6:30 PM for both games
+ Location: Immanuel High School / Kingsburg High School
+ Kingsburg 2025 Record: 7 - 4
+ Head Coach: Jim Cranford
+ Immanuel 2025 Record: 9 - 2
+ Head Coach: Steve Ramirez
+ Key Players (Kingsburg):
+ '25 INF/RHP Gavin Ekizian (Fresno State)
+ '25 SS/RHP Eric Garcia
+ '25 RHP Kyle Garcia
+ '26 RHP/INF Jensen Hirschkorn
+ '26 RHP Travis Clifton
+ '27 INF/RHP Elijah Duarte
+ '27 OF King Rodriquez
+ '28 1B/RHP JT Sanchez
+ Key Players (Immanuel):
+ '25 SS/RHP SJ Ramirez
+ '25 OF/1B John Vanleeuwen
+ '26 C/INF Lucas Pettitt
+ '26 INF/RHP Julian Ornelas
+ '26 RHP/INF Joshua Thomas
+ '27 3B/RHP Kelton Eastham
+ '28 OF/P Jax Davidson
Game Preview:
In a league opening showdown between the Vikings and the Eagles, Immanuel enters with an impressive 9-2 record having scored 81 runs in those 11 games while allowing 48 runs so far on the spring. Three times on the spring the Eagles have plated double digit runs with Ornelas hitting .486 to top the squad while Pettitt and Davidson are both hitting over .300 well into the spring. Davidson, Ornelas and Eastham have been the three stalwarts on the mound for Immanuel so far and have all posted ERA's of 3.00 or lower while combining for six of the nine wins and Davidson has added two saves on the spring. Kingsburg has so far scored 56 runs in their 11 games while allowing 52 runs with four games in which they have allowed two runs or less on the mound. Hirschkorn is leading the way at the dish with a .382 average while collecting three doubles and one homer with a team leading 12 RBIs. Rodriquez and Garcia have been solid for the Vikings early in the season with averages right around .300 and Rodriquez leading the team with 14 runs scored. Clifton has struck out 25 over 22.2 with two wins and an ERA at 3.09 while Sanchez has struck out 13 in 12.1 innings on the spring and posted a 1.02 ERA with a win. Hirschkorn has added eight Ks in 5 innings of work and Garcia has been been reliable in his 12.2 innings for the Vikings.
Matt Monk Game of the Week:
Patrick Henry Patriots vs. #13 Granite Hills Eagles
+ Date: 4/2/25 (Lions Tournament)
+ Time: 4:00 PM
+ Location: Granite Hills High School
+ Patrick Henry 2025 Record: 5-3-1
+ Head Coach: Sheldon Watkins
+ Granite Hills 2025 Record: 6-0-1
+ Head Coach: James Davis
+ Key Players (Patrick Henry):
+ '25 SS/RHP Cody Cappelletti St. Mary’s Commit
+ '25 C Kayden Henson UCSD Commit
+ '25 INF Preston Conklin
+ '25 RHP Nate Moloney
+ '25 C Rohan Brown
+ '26 RHP/OF Tyson Bobo
+ '26 OF Alex Mestman
+ '26 OF/C Ian Brooke
+ '26 RHP/INF Brady Gunn
+ '26 RHP Eli Brum
+ '26 LHP/1B James Gunn
+ '26 RHP/INF Sal Gagliano
+ '27 OF/RHP Lukas Waite
+ Key Players (Granite Hills):
+ '25 SS/RHP Brenden Lewis (Arizona State Commit)
+ '25 OF Trevor Smith (Washington State Commit)
+ '25 INF Tommy Entrekin (Cal Baptist Commit)
+ '25 1B Phillip Jones
+ '25 OF/RHP Parker Vance
+ '25 P/OF Luke Bailey (UCSB Commit)
+ '26 INF Anthony Miotti
+ '27 INF Eurijah Schutza
+ '27 UTL Westin Pace
Game Preview:
This is second week in a row that a matchup between both Patrick Henry and Granite Hills on the 2025 spring and with the talent on each squad don't be surprised if we see one or both of them back here again. The pair played to a 5-5 tie last week. Patrick Henry jumped out to a 4-0 start, but have dropped two of their last three games, but face off with San Marcos and Del Norte prior to this game. Granite Hills enters the matchup undefeated fresh off a win over Pt. Loma and tie with Patrick Henry, but will play Del Norte and San Marcos prior to their matchup, as well. Patrick Henry has been successful this spring on the strength of a dominant pitching staff that is allowing just over two runs per game for at total of 24 runs in nine games. Their offense has been decent, but an uptick at the plate could help them get back on the winning path after plating 45 runs for an average five runs per game. Granite Hills has scored 41 runs in their seven games for an average of just under six per game while allowing just 17 runs for just over an average of two runs per game. Both teams appear evenly balanced on paper between the stats and talent littered over each roster and will be playing their third game of the week meaning each will likely have used their top arms again prior to squaring off testing the depth of each teams pitching staff. Brenden Lewis has been the power behind the Granite Hills early season success while Ian Brooke has started the season on a torrid pace for the Patriots offense handling these two impact bats will once again be the focal point for each team in trying to earn the win after their tie last week.
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