Experience should help Mustangs

All-league returners Mullins, Kidd lead Homestead's attack

By Dick Sparrer

It's great when a high school baseball team can start a season with experience on its side.

And Chuck Camuso and his Homestead baseball team have plenty of it this spring.

The veteran coach welcomes back eight returning varsity players this season, including comeback senior all-leaguers Gary Mullins and Chris Kidd, as the Mustangs chase a pennant in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Mullins is back at catcher after winning all-league first-team honors last season, and Kidd returns to his post in left field after picking up a second-team all-league spot a year ago.

Joining the two as Homestead returners are infielders Matt Whiteman at first, Bryan Silverman at second and Robbie Hoffman at third, center fielder Brandon Dougherty and pitchers Israel Trujillo and Anthony Torres. Silverman and Dougherty are juniors, and the others are seniors.

Juniors Brian Maihack and Bryan Beres and sophomores Tim Strombel and Brian McGee are all new to the varsity and expected to play key roles. Maihack is the starting shortstop with Beres starting in right. Maihack, Strombel and McGee will join Trujillo and Torres on the pitching staff.

The Mustangs, who last won a league crown in 1996, are coming off a 14-13 season and have won two of six games to open the 2001 season. They are 2-1 in division play.

Strombel tossed the Mustangs to a 5-3 win over Lynbrook in El Camino action last week.

Dougherty singled and doubled to lead an eight-hit Homestead attack. Beres tripled home a couple of runs for the Mustangs.

The Vikings scored a run in the first and two in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. But the Mustangs tied it with three in the third, then pulled in front 5-3 with two more runs in the sixth.

The Mustangs had opened the week by dropping a 2-0 decision to Santa Clara. Torres was tagged with the tough loss despite giving up just two runs on four hits. The Bruins scored singles runs in the second and sixth to clinch the win.

Homestead opened the league season with a tight 3-2 win over Los Altos in eight innings. Trujillo picked up the mound win for the Mustangs.

Hoffman sparked a 10-hit assault with three hits for Homestead. Dougherty and Mullins ripped two hits apiece and Kidd clubbed a triple.

Earlier that week, Homestead lost 12-5 to Gunn in the Blossom Hill Tournament. Beres had two hits for the Mustangs and Trujillo doubled.

Homestead will visit Mountain View for a 3:30 p.m. game on March 13 before facing a Thursday bye. The Mustangs will be back in action at Fremont on March 20, 3:30 p.m.

Fremont, meanwhile, punched its record to 2-0 in El Camino play with a 6-2 win over Santa Clara last week.

Troy Tulowitzski, fresh off an outstanding basketball season for the Firebirds, tossed a two-hitter for the win.

Brandon Klein had two hits to knock in two runs for the 'Birds and Javier Eredia and Kyle Severns each doubled.

Fremont jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. Santa Clara got two runs back in the top of the third, but the Firebirds answered with three in the bottom of the frame, then cruised to the victory.

Fremont had lost a 9-3 nonleague decision to Mitty earlier in the week. Scott Burgess singled and doubled in the loss and Eredia ripped a double.

The Firebirds had opened the league season a few days earlier with a tight 1-0 win over Palo Alto. Vince Klumper fired a five-hit shutout for the win, and Burgess led the Fremont bat attack with a double.

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