The Peterson Principle 2/27/12

Tim Peterson

Alhambra and Temple City scrimmaged at Temple City Saturday. It didn’t matter in the wins and losses- the real season starts Friday. But the sun was out, the weather was perfect and baseball lets you know that winter is over and spring is just around the corner.

Jonah Jarrard will be stating at catcher this year for the Rams. Jarrard, a senior is one of those players that seems like he has been at Temple City forever. Maybe it’s because I’ve been covering him since he was ten years old and playing at Millham Field for the TCN Dodgers.

Jarrard is coming off a season in which he hit .382 with a home run, six doubles, a triple and 18 RBI. Jarrard does a great job as well behind the plate guiding the pitchers through games. He will be an integral part of the Rams’ success this year.

Calvin and Corey Copping are the pitchers that will anchor Temple City’s staff. Calvin was 5-2 with an ERA of 1.39 and 42 strikeouts. Corey was 4-2 an 0.97 ERA and 59 Ks. They’ve seemingly been around for a long time too. Anybody remember them throwing for the TCA Angels?

Coach Barry Bacon showed again that he likes playing the kids. Freshman Nic Starling was at second base at the same time his brother Kyle, a senior, was at first. 

Speaking of Jarrards, there’s another one on the way. Zachariah is an eighth grader who could be donning a Ram uniform as soon as next year. Older brother Julian, who graduated last year, is now playing at Glendale JC.

Kevin Heaton, former TCA Red Sox Manager, is on Steve Gewecke’s staff at Alhambra. Heaton joined the staff after his son Cody graduated from Alhambra. Cody is also at Glendale JC playing third base after taking a couple of years off.

“I’m just glad he’s back on the field,” Kevin Heaton said.

Dusty Sanderson, (Temple City class of 2011) is redshirting this year at Azusa Pacific University after suffering a shoulder injury in Summer League. Sanderson is on track to graduate in four years and will make up the season in his fifth year while he begins his work in the Masters program. Sanderson, who played mainly shortstop and second at Temple City, played third base for APU as a freshman.

“It was kind of a difficult adjustment. The ball comes off the so much faster and sometimes I had trouble playing the hops,” Sanderson said. “But it’s been a great experience at APU.” 

Eddie McKiernan, the former Monrovia pitcher that was drafted by the Angels, has thrown to some of the APU players a couple of times at practice.

“He was throwing the ball well,” Sanderson said. “He’s still throwing the ball hard and has some good off speed stuff as well.”

McKiernan just left last week for Spring Training.

“He’ll be at AA or AAA with the Angels to start. Then who knows?” said his father Mark McKiernan.

While Alhambra and Temple City were just scrimmaging some schools played their first regular season games of the year. It was a rough start for Arroyo who was routed by Covina 21-1 Saturday Ouch! The game was called after five innings. The Colts scored in every inning including eight in the third and six in the fifth.

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Yes basketball is still in season but it’s winding down. Pasadena advanced with an 81-67 win over Beverly Hills Friday night. The Bulldogs will face Arroyo Grande at Anaheim Convention Center this week in the CIF Division 3AAA Finals.

Blake Hamilton, who many consider a D1 prospect, scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the victory. Check out the Bulldogs this week. It’s your last chance to see some high school basketball before you hear those inevitable two words for the next four months.

Play Ball!

That’s my principle.

Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com

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