The Bee’s 2024 baseball playoff preview: Sizing up championship favorites and contenders
The Sierra Foothill League is a collection of high school sports teams dotted throughout Placer County, stretching into Folsom and El Dorado Hills.
It stands as the top conference in the greater Sacramento area in football, basketball and now baseball. The success is rooted in kids who grew up playing sports, often together, and then coming together on the prep circuit under the direction of top-tier coaches who are nurturing top-tier programs. The teams are seasoned from having faced each other in three-game series this spring.
As the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section baseball playoffs start Tuesday, the SFL figures to flex its considerable muscle with SFL champion Rocklin earning the No. 3 seed in Division I and Oak Ridge the No. 4 seed. Whitney, the 2022 Division I section champion and a finalist in that division in 2023, is the top seed in Division II with defending D-II section champion Granite Bay the No. 3 seed and Del Oro the 10th seed.
Whitney, Granite Bay and Rocklin have all spent time as The Bee’s top-ranked team.
A closer look at the divisions:
Division I
▪ Franklin (23-5) of the Elk Grove Unified School District is the defending champion and the No. 2 seed opposite of top-seeded St. Mary’s of Stockton. The Wildcats host No. 15 Mountain House in an opener and boast one of the top pitchers in the state in the 6-foot-5 University of Tennessee-bound Nic Abraham, who is 8-0 and has a 0.98 ERA with just seven earned runs allowed in 50 innings and none in Delta League play.
Franklin is also bolstered by Cal-bound centerfielder Jordy Lopez (7-1 on the mound, 0.37 ERA, .462 batting average) and a lineup of good hitters who play good defense under longtime coach Bryan Kilby.
▪ Rocklin (20-8) hosts No. 14-seeded Downey of Modesto. The Thunder is led offensively by Cash Brennan (.395), Joey Lorenzini (.379), Dylan Nusz (.375), team captain Grant Munoz (.370), Troy Ueltzen (.307) and a host of others.
▪ Oak Ridge (14-14) is a threat with hitters Andrew Del Pizzo (.344), Ryan Hubbard (.318), Luke Haney (.318) and Dylan Westbrook (15 RBI) and pitchers Ethan Lamb (1.83 ERA) and Brady Rea (3.15).
Division II
▪ Whitney (18-10) is fueled by Oregon-bound infielder Jax Gimenez, the SFL MVP this season, who is batting .440. Other leaders include Trajan Rogowski (.429) and Luke Oyler (.374). The pitching staff is anchored by Texas-bound ace Corden Pettey (1.82 ERA), Brady Estes (1.92) and Noah Warner (2.67).
▪ Granite Bay (19-9) has been coached by Pat Esposito since the school opened in 1996, and he has not lost the joy of leading teams. He has another fine outfit here that opens against No. 14 Rio Americano. Granite Bay is led offensively by Jimmy Radler (.364), Chase Bentley (.337), Peter Caldera (.333), Tim Reed (.427 on-base percentage) and Jace Bystrowski (18 RBI). The pitching staff is headed by Bentley (2.17 ERA), Caldera (.271) and Jack Stannard (2.82).
▪ Woodcreek (19-9) is the No. 2 seed after winning the Capital Valley Conference. The Timberwolves are led by Austin Nye (.422), Ty Hennessy (.407), Aaron Palmer (.365), Conner Barth (four home runs) and Dylan Green (25 runs scored). The pitching staff is led by Bryson Ruiz (1.76 ERA), Daniel Lang (3.20) and Mason Ferries (3.87). Whitney opens against No. 16 Cordova.
▪ Elk Grove (17-11) of the Delta League is the No. 4 seed and opens against No. 13 Rodriguez of Fairfield. The Thundering Herd has two anchor arms in Ned Frutchey (7-1, 0.72 ERA) and Russell Pettis (6-2, 1.50 ERA). Offensively, Elk Grove is led by Ethan Groves (.374), Devin Mitchell (.346), Troy Taylor (.314), Evan Gentil (three homers, 19 runs), Antonio Cuevas (14 RBI) and Hudson Hall (13 RBI).
▪ Vacaville (20-7) won the Monticello Empire League and D-I section title in 2018 and 2019 under spirited coach Stu Clary. The Bulldogs, the No. 5 seed in D-II, open at home against No. 12 Patterson. Vacaville is led by Dom Yacovetti (.368), Seth Tjaden (.353), Caden Whitten (.350), Rome Griego (.489 on-base percentage), Landon Flaxmayer (.484 on-base percentage) and Austin Clarke (16 RBI). Tyler Chalk has a 0.22 ERA, Jaiden Oldwin a 1.24 ERA and Nik Rostak a 1.94 ERA.
▪ Jesuit (17-10-1) is the No. 6 seed and has been a threat for the 30 years with coach Joe Potulny in charge at his alma mater. The Marauders finished their final season in the Delta League and will join the SFL next academic year. The team is led offensively by Eric Erdmann (.459), Max Wiesner (.395), Sammy Kane (.361), Aiden McKinnon (.500 on-base percentage) and Jordan Walczykowski (22 runs scored) and football star Cooper Babb (14 RBI).
The pitchers include Cade Colombara (2.04 ERA), Wiesner (2.29) and Garrett Valdez (2.49).
Division III
▪ Oakmont (22-6) won the D-IV title last season and is the top seed in this division after winning the Foothill Valley League. The Vikings of Roseville are riding an eight-game winning streak. They have nonleague wins over Whitney, Del Oro and Woodcreek with a one-run loss to Granite Bay. The Vikings open against upstart Florin and will be led by Wyatt Pennman (.421), Arizona-bound Tony Lira (.397), Ayden Dringenberg (.387), Beau Ogles (six stolen bases, 28 runs scored), Trevor Wilson (.457 on-base percentage) and Cooper Kunis (16 RBI).
Wilson has a 1.00 ERA, Dringenberg a 1.11 ERA and Brady Fearn a 1.88 ERA.
▪ Lincoln (20-6-1) is the No. 4 seed, battle tested from the Foothill Valley League, and opens against No. 13 Rio Linda. The Zebras are led by Kenny Winters (.385), Jackson Cook (.372), Kade Spomer (.347), Eli Duff (.418 on-base percentage), Jake Redding (seven home runs) and Landyn Plaut (19 RBI). Spomer has a 1.24 ERA, Cook a 1.49 ERA and Plaut a 2.69 ERA.
▪ Vista del Lago of Folsom (22-5-1) is the No. 7 seed after winning the Capital Athletic League. The Eagles open against No. 10 Los Banos. Vista is led by CAL MVP Tyler Bolyard (.525, 33 RBI), Trevor Kaestner (.432, 29 RBI), Brian Kucserka (.429), Shane Hargraves (23 RBI), Russell Snyder (25 runs scored) and Ethan Rhee (27 hits). The leading arms include Jacoby Jones (1.08 ERA), Kucserka (1.55 ERA) and Dominic Bruciati (2.18 ERA).
Division IV
▪ Casa Roble (20-8) finished second in the Golden Empire League and is the top seed here. All-Metro quarterback Connor Campbell leads the offense with a .422 average, followed by Benjamin Tercero (.377), Tayven Pope (.364), Jacob Schreiber (.515 on-base percentage), All-Metro lineman Joseph Dexter (.511 on-base percentage), Connor Anderson (25 runs), Ian Peatross (23 runs), Tyrus Vogt (21 runs) and Carter Gustafson (21 RBI).
Schreiber leads the pitching staff with a 1.33 ERA along with Thomas McClusky (1.75) and Brayden Saucedo (2.05).
▪ Twelve Bridges of Lincoln (15-10) is the No. 3 seed and led on offense by Matthew Thomas (.386), Logan Sanders (.323), James Romanov (.323), Jackson Whitesides (.452 on-base percentage) and Jameson Barnes (18 RBI and 17 runs). Dom Perone leads the pitching staff with a 1.34 ERA, followed by Matt Henry (1.37) and Diego Castro (2.21).
Division V
▪ Bradshaw Christian (25-1) of Sacramento is the top seed. The Pride has a nine-game winning streak and has been a powerhouse over the years. Bradshaw Christian is led by Landon Carter (.486), Ethan Quach (.474), Micah Nicholson (.474, 30 RBI), Gabe Viegas (.585 on-base percentage), Alex Crosno (29 runs) and David Wiser (27 runs).
The leading pitchers are Quach, just a freshman, with a 3-0 record and a 0.69 ERA, followed by Wiser (6-0, 0.88), Ethan Rickert (2-0, 0.97) and Crosno (5-0, 1.56).
▪ Sutter (21-6-1) is the No. 3 seed and the defending champion a year after topping Bradshaw Christian in a thriller of a finale at overflow Sacramento City College in extra innings. The offensive leaders are Carson Bishop (.427), Rylan Giovannoni (.394), Ezra Hilleary (.328) and Logan Yacavace (.477 on-base percentage).
The top arms are Jagger Beck (6-1, 0.40 ERA), Kasey Combo (6-2, 1.01 ERA) and Giovannoni (5-0, 1.14 ERA).
Division VI
▪ Bear River (18-5) is the top seed and has a top arm in sophomore Kaden Nichols, who is 10-0 with a 0.10 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 68 innings. The team’s leading hitters are Ben Barley (.464), Keisen Hayden (.391) and Kaden Cavolt (.368).
▪ Leroy Greene Academy of Sacramento (19-4) is the No. 2 seed and the defending champion, led by returning All-Metro sluggers Korey Ramson (.587, 24 RBI) and Drew Perry (.514, 36 RBI). Those two have combined for seven home runs. Eddie Ames has 40 runs, Perry 40 and Lamont Bufford Jr. 30.
JJ Salazar has a 0.50 ERA, Andrew Moralez a 1.11 ERA and Ramson a 1.29 ERA.
Division VII
▪ Woodland Christian (19-4) is the top seed, led by Parker Howald (.542), Alejandro Torres (.480), Gary Mann (.459), Owen Tessier (24 hits, 27 runs) and Jeffrey Nannini (22 hits, 26 runs).
▪ Delta (12-5) of Clarksburg is the No. 2 seed, sparked by Spencer Buckley (.468), Finn Danila (.442) and Izaya Rubio (.411, 21 RBI) and pitchers Kaden Clive (2.32 ERA) and Gavin McAllister (2.52). Clive is a four-year varsity starter and one of the best pitchers in program history.
▪ Valley Christian (12-9) of Roseville has been a championship program for years under fiery and fun coach Brad Gunter Jr. and is led by Nathan Erickson (.560, 31 RBI, 1.020 slugging percentage), Josh Yuen (.429), Nick Befort (.389, .533 on-base percentage). Erickson can also pitch.
▪ For full section baseball playoff brackets, scores and schedules, visit the Sac-Joaquin Section website.