Every year, the San Benito High baseball team faces a couple of powerhouse programs in the Central Coast Section playoffs—usually from the vaunted West Catholic League—and so far, the Haybalers have been denied that elusive section championship.
Even though the Balers haven’t won a CCS title, it consistently fields one of the best squads in the section—bar none. Conventional wisdom says it’s only a matter of time before San Benito breaks through, and everyone around the program hopes 2015 will be the season.
“Every year I expect us to be there at the end competing for a CCS title,” said Billy Aviles, who is entering his fifth year as the San Benito coach. “Pitching and defense is always the key, and this year is no different. I like the kids we have, and I’m confident in the pitching staff.”
Despite graduating two starters who are now playing at four-year schools—Greg Steinbeck is at Cal State Monterey Bay and Hunter Haworth is at Chico State—the Balers have plenty of talent returning, along with some key newcomers.
Seniors Tommy Hernandez and David Werolin both showed promise a year ago. Werolin pitched 15 innings and had a 1.93 ERA, and Hernandez, after a so-so regular season, tossed four innings of one-run ball in relief in a 4-3 loss to Mitty in a CCS playoff quarterfinal.
Senior George Acosta and junior Kyle Stevenson have looked solid in practice, and sophomore Diego Fisher—the only left-hander of the five—has come on strong in the early going as well.
“We don’t have the big-time power guy with the low 90s fastball,” Aviles said. “All of our guys are throwing mid-80s, and they throw strikes.”
Aviles is also excited to have a number of standout returning position players, including catcher Zak Moeller, utility Caleb Menez, center fielder and UC-Davis signee Garret Kelly, first baseman Connor Fabing and third baseman Junior Rodriguez.
Moeller, who has signed to play at the University of Utah, can simply do it all. In addition to being a strong presence behind the plate, Moeller can gun down even the fastest of baserunners, and as a hitter, he continues to develop a powerful swing.
Kelly hit leadoff last year and patrolled the outfield like a gazelle, often tracking down balls that most players wouldn’t get to. Fabing, Menez and Rodriguez will be counted upon to be productive both offensively and defensively.
Aviles also expects solid production from two players—utility Andrew Sotelo and infielder Matt Hill—who didn’t receive much playing time a year ago.
“Andrew can play anywhere,” Aviles said. “Second base, shortstop, outfield, you name it. He’s athletic, fast and he can swing it. You put him anywhere on the field, and he’s going to do the job.”
San Benito, which went 22-7 overall and an incredible 17-1 in Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division play a year ago, will continue to do the things that have defined the program: grind, work hard and develop as the season goes along.
Reading between the lines, the Balers have an extra motivating factor this season—simply more fuel for a program that seemingly always play at a level few teams can match.
“You listen to everyone talk about this being a rebuilding year for us because the amount of kids that got signed to play at four-year schools,” Aviles said. “They can look at it as a rebuilding year, but I never look at it as a rebuilding year. If we do our job as coaches in terms of developing players from the lower levels on up, then we expect to be there competing for championships every year.”
