PREP BASEBALL ‘94: EMPIRE LEAGUE

Esperanza

1993 RECORDS:

OVERALL: 25-5

LEAGUE: 14-1

COACH: Mike Curran

RECORD AT SCHOOL: 244-89-4

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Jason Murrietta Sr. C R-R Jason Webb Jr. 3B R-R

TOP RETURNERS YR. POS. B-T Scott Hild Sr. P R-R Joe Quezada Sr. 2B L-R Jeremy Viscusi Sr. OF R-R

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. POS. B-T Bryan Bingham Sr. OF R-R Greg Smith Jr. 1B-C R-R

OUTLOOK

Not much chance of the Aztecs equaling last season’s success. But then, there wasn’t much left to win a year ago. Esperanza advanced to its fourth section title game in seven seasons and won its second Division V-A title. The Aztecs beat Encino Crespi, then ranked No. 2 in the nation by USA Today, in the semifinals and Simi Valley, then ranked No. 1, in the final. Those are fond memories and the Aztecs might have to cling to them. Only two starters return. Murrietta has had to battle back from a knee injury suffered in football. When healthy, Murrietta is a dangerous hitter. He led the county in batting average during the regular season and hit .531 overall with 25 runs batted in. Webb hit .262 and drove in seven runs. Hild spent much of the season injured, but returned in time for the playoffs. He was 1-0 with a save and a 1.86 earned-run average. Hild will now have to become the ace. Viscusi hit .277 while splitting time in the outfield. Quezada had only 10 at-bats. The rest of the team has no varsity experience. The Aztecs will probably make the playoffs. They might even challenge for the league title. But another title will take a lot of doing. But, hey, they will always have last season. Curran has even made a highlight tape.