Athletes net All-League honors

Hollister’s Karson Klauer and Breyon Canez named Co-MVPs in the
TCAL
The last Major League player to win baseball’s triple crown was
Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
The last player to lead the Tri County Athletic League in all
three triple crown categories
– batting average, RBI’s and homeruns – was Karson Klauer, who
accomplished the impressive feat this season as he helped lead the
San Benito High baseball team to a league title.
Hollister’s Karson Klauer and Breyon Canez named Co-MVPs in the TCAL

The last Major League player to win baseball’s triple crown was Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

The last player to lead the Tri County Athletic League in all three triple crown categories – batting average, RBI’s and homeruns – was Karson Klauer, who accomplished the impressive feat this season as he helped lead the San Benito High baseball team to a league title.

Klauer’s explosive bat, combined with the talents of Baler’s pitching ace, Breyon Canez, were good enough to earn the two San Benito High standouts the title of Co-MVP when the All-League baseball awards were announced this week.

In all, the league champion Balers, which posted a record of 24-5 overall and 16-2 in league, had six players make the prestigious First Team List.

Gilroy High, which finished in third place in league behind Palma had four of its athletes make First Team honors. Last year’s league champion Acorns of Live Oak had three players make the list. The only local school that didn’t have a single player named to the All-League squad was Sobrato High.

One look at the stat sheet makes it clear why Klauer and Canez were the top vote getters for the most prestigious award in 2006.

After shifting from the third base to second before the start of the season, Klauer thrived both at the plate and in the field. By the time the final out had been made in the CCS playoffs, the senior leader had racked up an impressive .508 batting average while driving in 30 runs in the process and belting five homeruns.

On the hill, the left-handed Canez was unstoppable this season, compiling a 7-0 record and posting a nearly unhittable ERA of 1.80. At the plate, he also put up a .406 batting average.

“He was the ace of our staff,” said Baler coach Mike Luna. “Any time he was on the bump (pitcher’s mound) we expected to win. When we brought him out, it gave us extra confidence. He wanted the ball every time too.”

The other players to be named to the First Team squad from San Benito High were also seniors.

Ryan McFall made it for his pitching skills. Like Canez, McFall was also undefeated in league, posting a 4-0 mark. His ERA was also below the 2.00 mark at 1.91.

Josh Torrise, the team’s righfielder, not only had solid defensive skills but a hot bat as well. This year Torrise batted .350 and had an on-base percentage of .527.

Catcher Travis Ross also knew how to handle the bat and wound up the season with an impressive .361 average and an on-base average of .565.

In addition to turning the double play, Baler shortstop Sky Valenzuela was the last player from Hollister to earn First Team honors. He finished the season with a .416 batting average and drove in 16 runs.

While the Balers got most of the attention because of their outstanding record, Gilroy High also won a number of ball games this year – going 16-11 overall and 12-6 in league. The Mustangs also made the playoffs before losing 8-6 in the opening round to Archbishop Mitty.

Although they were eliminated early, Gilroy High would have never made the playoffs had it not been for the everyday contributions of the four Mustang ball players to make the First Team list.

One of them was Gilroy senior Josh Sterling, who had enough range in centerfield to be a defensive threat as well as being an outstanding hitter.

This season Sterling batted .368 and was third on the team in hits.

“He did a lot for us in the three years that he was our leadoff and No. 2 hitter,” said Gilroy coach Clint Wheeler. “He batted .350 plus every year that he was here and is now in the top five in school history in at-bats and hits – a very solid career.”

While Sterling earned First Team honors for his stellar play in centerfield Michael Stevens made the league’s “dream team” as a result of his play at third base and shortstop, not to mention the fact that he batted .356 this year.

“He hit around .400 all year and led the team in on-base percentage (.570) and extra base hits,” Wheeler said. “He also led the team in doubles. During one stretch he hit about 10 in two weeks.”

Like Stevens, Gilroy’s Drew Andersen played two positions. In his case it was shortstop and pitcher. As a pitcher this year, Andersen went 4-0 on the hill and picked up a pair of saves. His ERA was 2.91. In the batter’s box he hit for an average of .315.

“He’s another solid, solid three-year guy,” Wheeler said. “He’s one of the best all-around guys we’ve had in a long time.”

According to Wheeler, Andersen has the skills to pitch at the next level but has indicated that he’d rather play a fielding position.

Had Ryan Evanger not transferred from Sobrato High to Gilroy at the start of the school year the Bulldogs would have had at least one All-League player. Instead, the Mustangs were the beneficiaries of Evanger’s move to Gilroy.

During the season, the junior utility player batted .434 hitting in the No. 4 and 5 spot.

“He was a pleasant surprise for us all year long,” Wheeler said. “He really solidified the middle of the order.”

With Live Oak and Sobrato leaving the league next year and Palma losing a number of senior players to graduation, Gilroy High could be a team to reckon with next season.

“Of the eight All-League players that made the first and second team this year six are coming back,” Wheeler said. “But San Benito had 40 kids in their JV and freshman program. They’ll be good too. Mike Luna (the league’s Coach of the Year) does a great job with them.”

The three players to make the First Team squad from Live Oak High School were senior Kyle Mosbrucker, sophomore Matthew Cummins and senior Brendon Flaherty.

Mosbrucker, the team’s pitching ace a year ago, was Live Oak major player this season on offense. He batted .382, had six doubles and drove in 15 runs.

“He played a great defensive centerfield and had lots of key hits for RBIs,” said Live Oak coach Mark Cummins.

Cummins’ son Matthew proved his prowess this season both on the pitcher’s mound and at shortstop. By the end of the year Cummins had a batting average of .423. He also had 22 hits and drove in 15 RBIs.  As a pitcher, Cummins posted a record of 2-1 and had a 2.77 era.

Defensively, he was as solid as anyone in the league, making just one error the whole year.

“He had lots of big hits in clutch situations, including a homerun against Salinas and also picked up the win pitching in same extra inning game,” the elder Cummins said.

Flaherty, the team’s second baseman, made the prestigious list for his solid play on both sides of the ball. On offense, he posted a .360 batting average and led the league in doubles with 11, and also scored 21 runs.

“He improved dramatically throughout season,” Cummins said. “He was our leadoff hitter and got things going by getting on base a lot.”