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Falcons move up division, and they're ready to play
By Dick Sparrer
Rick Raich did more than just lead the Saratoga baseball to league and Central Coast Section championships last spring... he also led them into a new division for the 2000 season.
The Falcons won the championship in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last spring, and with it won a trip to the De Anza Division for this season.
But you won't catch Raich and his Falcons complaining about competition in the tougher De Anza circuit. In fact, they seem to be welcoming the challenge.
The Falcons have picked up in 2000 where they left off in 1999--winning baseball games. And they've proven that they're not the least bit intimidated by life in the De Anza Division.
Saratoga opened league play with three wins in four games, tying Cupertino before beating Monta Vista, Milpitas and Fremont in three games last week.
"Following in the footsteps of [the 1999 team] hopefully will not pressure this very talented group of ballplayers to overachieve," said Raich.
The Falcons don't appear to feeling any pressure so far. Saratoga returns four all-leaguers from last year's club and, with the addition of two senior transfers, Raich figures his squad should challenge Wilcox and Monta Vista the division title.
That would also mean a return to the CCS playoffs for the Falcons, who won the Division IV title a year ago when they posted an outstanding 24-8 season record.
Mike Cable, Jason Worden and Erick Raich are back after winning all-league first-team honors a year ago, and Jim Huether returns after nailing all-league second-team honors.
Transfers Mike Cook (Los Gatos) and Paul Barnum (Valley Christian) "will offer versatility to a championship team that lost eight outstanding seniors," said Raich.
But just because the Falcons lost a number of players to graduations, don't think they lack experience.
Raich is back at first base, where he won the team's gold glove award last season, and Huether returns to his place at shortstop.
"He has very good range," said Raich of Huether.
Cable will share time at third base with Cook and veteran Adam Varteressian.
Cable will also be part of a deep pitching staff that features Worden and Brian Stirm.
Worden was named to the all-CCS second team after an outstanding junior season for the Falcons. Seniors Stirm and Varteressian will return to the mound staff after a year away from baseball, and Cable is a hurler who Raich figures will be "the hardest thrower on the staff" by the season's end.
Cook and Raich are other Falcons who could get some mound time this spring.
Returner Matt Joyce is a solid-hitting outfielder who is off to a hot start at the plate for the Falcons. He'll be joined in the outfield by Barnum and veterans Dan Morse and John Vartanian.
Junior Caleb Mosley, a back-up as a sophomore, will take over as the starting catcher for the Falcons this season, and Raich considers him to be "one of the premier catchers in CCS."
Junior Drew Bayly is recovering from elbow surgery, but is expected to contribute for the Falcons.
"He swings a productive bat," said Raich of Bayly. "He'll see action as a pinch hitter during his recovery."
Derek Carmell is another Falcon returning to baseball after a year away from the game, and he'll see time at catcher and in the outfield.
Dan Fox is a junior infielder on the Saratoga squad.
"It may take a month or two for this group to identify their roles and become accustomed to playing with each other," said Raich. "Playing will help--the rain could hinder how fast this group will progress."
But there was nothing hindering the Falcons last week. They knocked off Monta Vista 8-5, edged Milpitas 4-3 and blasted Fremont 16-6 to put three league wins together.
Varteressian homered twice and knocked in five runs to lead the Falcons to win over the Firebirds. Stirm also homered for Saratoga and picked up the mound win.
Mosley tripled and drove in two runs for the winners and Vartanian also plated a pair of runs.
Varteressian went the distance to flip a four-hitter to lead the Falcons past the Trojans. The right-hander struck out seven in the win.
Cook, Joyce and Varteressian ripped two hits each in the game.
Saratoga, 4-2-3 for the year, pulled out a clutch 8-5 win over Monta Vista to open the week.
Worden went four strong innings to get the mound win. Stirm and Joyce each singled and tripled and Raich had two hits for Saratoga. Stirm drove in three runs in the win.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
