Before Antelope High School opened three years ago, baseball coach Javy Valdivia already was busy establishing a link with the community.

He held a two-week youth baseball "academy," something the former Woodland High coach continues to do each summer.

"Some of my juniors now were in that academy before we even opened," Valdivia said. "It's helped us tremendously. When kids come into the school, they know what we do. They understood our baseball language."

In a word, it spells "success."

With the school's first senior class, the Titans have started 12-1 and lead the Capital Athletic League with a 7-0 record, one season after going 19-7 and 8-6 in the Capital Valley Conference (the Titans were realigned to the CAL this season).

In league play, the No. 15 Titans have already swept El Camino in three games, defeated defending champion Rio Americano 2-1, topped No. 18 Whitney 5-2 and held off pesky Cordova 6-5. The only loss was to Valdivia's alma mater, Woodland, in a nonleague game.

"We're excited by our start, but there still is a lot of work to do," Valdivia said. "Still, we're vastly improved and a little ahead of where we thought we'd be. We have the potential to make some noise (in the playoffs)."

Seniors Michael Gassaway, Kyle Tibbett and Cory Moore, and juniors Bryan Babcock and Wyatt Castro are catalysts, posting stellar grade-point averages and displaying strong work ethics.

Valdivia said the Titans' success in football (CAL champions) and basketball (CAL champions, Sac-Joaquin Section Division II runners-up) has put pressure on his baseball team to produce a title.

"We're a little tired of hearing that," said Valdivia, who led Woodland to the D-II section championship in 2006.

"The kids know this is about us, not about what the football or basketball teams did. But the success in sports energizes the whole school."

Monday was moving day – Three major upsets that significantly affected The Bee's rankings were registered Monday.

The highlights:

• Senior Austin Ales pitched a two-hitter, leading Oak Ridge to a 6-0 win over previously unbeaten and top-ranked (now No. 2) Pleasant Grove in the Delta River League.

• Woodcreek totaled 22 hits and scored 11 runs in the first three innings en route to an 18-8 Sierra Foothill League win over No. 4 (previous No. 2) Granite Bay. Sophomores Stephen Nogosek and Tyler Milani combined for five hits and seven RBIs.

• Junior Dalton Blaser allowed two hits in five innings as No. 9 Roseville defeated No. 10 Rocklin 2-1. Roseville was previously ranked 14th, Rocklin sixth.

Tournament time – Three major spring break tournaments are upcoming: the Gina Montes Surewest-Woodcreek Varsity Invitational begins Saturday and continues Monday, Tuesday and April 20 at six sites; the Land Park Easter Tournament runs Monday through April 21 at Land Park; and the Cordova Easter Tournament starts Monday and continues through April 21 at Hagan Park in Rancho Cordova.

The Woodcreek tournament features 16 teams, including No. 7 Yuba City, No. 8 Woodcreek, No. 9 Roseville, No. 13 Pioneer, No. 14 Oak Ridge and No. 16 Casa Roble.

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