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Baseball preview
High hopes for a winning season

By Brian Gomez

Heading into a season with more reasons to be skeptical than optimistic, the Corona del Sol High School varsity baseball team is setting its expectations just as high as ever.

Then again, why not have lofty hopes when you’ve got nothing to lose?

The Aztecs return just one starting position player in senior Eric Smith and feature a pitching staff that resembles a jigsaw puzzle. Only four of seven projected returnees likely will be back. And the lone solidified position lies in the dugout, where Ron Davini begins his 27th season as head coach.

But there are no signs of conceit in the Aztecs, even as they attempt to distinguish themselves in a balanced Central Region that figures to be a dogfight for second place behind Mountain Pointe.

“We’re not going to give the crown to Mountain Pointe, and we’re not going to give the crown to Desert Vista,” said Davini, whose team hosts defending state champion Chandler Hamilton in a scrimmage at 3:45 p.m. Feb. 20.

“They’re going to have to come through Corona del Sol to get it.”

Most of Corona’s leadership will be provided by Smith, who may see time at second base this year after being used predominantly in the outfield last season. Junior right-hander Chris Reap also will be counted on heavily, mainly because senior Chris Rodriguez is the only other pitcher with varsity experience.

Candidates for the starting middle infield spots are juniors Matt Webb and Jeff Sinay, both of whom weren’t on the varsity team last season. Rodriguez is expected to play first base when he’s not pitching, while junior Cameron Quade will get the nod behind the plate. Senior Phil Anderegg and junior Tyler Ladue could split time at third.

The rotation behind Reap remains uncertain, although Rodriguez is a lock for one of the starting spots, along with southpaw Gabe Sandersius, a junior transfer from Phoenix North. Junior T.J. Stapp will be used mainly in relief, and Anderegg might pitch, too.

“Our kids are workers,” Davini said. “They just go out every day and try to play hard.”

Davini speculates that his lineup won’t be finalized until the start of region play, meaning next week’s season-opening Aztec Baseball Tournament and the annual spring break tournament (March 13-18) will help determine what team takes the field down the stretch.

Corona’s non-region schedule includes games against Gilbert Highland, Hamilton, Glendale Ironwood, Peoria High, Class 4A state champ Scottsdale Chaparral, Avondale Westview and Phoenix Goldwater, the team that eliminated the Aztecs from the state playoffs two years ago.

“We’re realistic about what we have to go up against and who we have to compete against,” Davini said, “and they’re just going to have to get better each and every day, and become a better team.”

How much success Corona has this season will depend largely on the effectiveness of Reap, who is penciled in at the top of a rotation that could run four deep.

Reap, a finesse pitcher, relies on his changeup and curveball to set up his fastball, which rarely touches above the low 80s on the radar gun. He proved last season, though, that having power isn’t always necessary for success, especially in the high school ranks.

“We’re going to have to rely on our pitching, we’re going to have to manufacture runs, and we’re going to have to play defense behind our pitching,” Davini said. “We’re just going to have to be downright scrappy.”

Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@wranglernews.com.

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