The Sunnyvale Sun

Sports

Marshall tosses a no-hitter for Homestead

By Mike Barnhart

A television film crew showed up at a Homestead baseball game last week, looking for highlights for a high school sports show. And, with cameras rolling under the lights at Santa Clara's Washington Park, talented junior pitcher Evan Marshall delivered.

The 6-foot-2 junior right-hander fired a no-hitter, perhaps the first in school history, according to coach Chuck Camuso, who is in his 22nd season at the Homestead helm. Marshall struck out nine batters and received strong defensive support from senior shortstop Alex Jones as the Mustangs scored a 3-0 triumph over Santa Clara on March 20.

Only three batters reached base against Marshall in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division game, two on walks and another on a Homestead error.

"I can't remember any other no-hitter over the years," said Camuso, 72, whose coaching stint at Homestead began in 1984 after 18 years at Sunnyvale High and another season as an assistant at De Anza College. "I could dig through some old scorebooks and look up the stats to make sure, but this is the first one I recall--ever. Not even Erickson had one."

The reference was to 1986 Homestead graduate Scott Erickson, who went on to pitch for 15 seasons in the Major Leagues. Erickson, who did throw a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins in 1994, played a lot of third base for Camuso in high school, before establishing himself as a pitcher at San Jose City College and the University of Arizona.

Just an 11th-grader, Marshall already has established himself on the lists of college recruiters and professional scouts.

"Although he is a good hitter and can play infield, his forte at the next level will be pitching," Camuso predicted. "A lot of schools continue to ask me about him. He's a good prospect."

A varsity starter as a freshman and sophomore, Marshall was a first team all-El Camino selection and Homestead's Most Valuable Player both seasons.

"And he keeps getting better," Camuso observed. "He throws real hard--over 90 (miles per hour) in the no-hitter--and has a good curve. He's starting to spot his pitches."

For Marshall, who pitched a pair of 1-hitters and a 2-hitter in 2006, the no-hit performance ran his overall record this year to 4-2 and a save. The gem marked his fifth consecutive complete game.

One of those complete games was a 3-1, non-league win over De Anza Division power Wilcox on March 7. Marshall fanned 11 Chargers and gave up just four hits. Six-foot-5 designated hitter A.J. Puziol, the Mustangs' only sophomore and lone left-handed batter, had two hits in the win.

Heading into a scheduled start against Lynbrook on March 27, Marshall had posted 57 strikeouts in 38 innings. He had allowed just 16 hits and 16 walks.

The starting pitching of Marshall and Kevin Labadie (3-1 overall) is the biggest reason the Mustangs have won their first five games in El Camino play and are 8-4 overall.

Senior center fielder Eric Taubman, a first team all-leaguer last season, anchors Homestead's all-senior outfield. Ben Lewis usually plays left and leadoff hitter Brian Labadie--Kevin's twin--covers right.

The Mustangs infield features either Jones or Marshall at short. Returning senior Anthony Pardo plays first, K. Labadie and senior Mike Barton share time at second base and junior Anthony O'Malley or Jones handle the hot corner at third. Junior Rex Blodgett is in his first season as the varsity catcher.

Jones was the top hitter in both of Homestead's wins last week. After getting two of the team's three hits and driving in two runs against Santa Clara, he slugged a home run and two doubles at Monta Vista.

Marshall's three-run homer in the fourth inning was part of a six-run eruption that put the Mustangs ahead 7-0. The Matadors rallied for four runs in the sixth, before lanky, junior left-hander Brett Hardy arrived on the scene for Homestead and posted his second save of the season.

Fremont, TKA win

Junior catcher Tom Lopez helped Fremont win a pair of El Camino games last week. First, he had the decisive hit in a 5-4 win over Lynbrook. The next day he came out from behind the plate to pitch the seventh inning and earn a save in an 8-4 triumph over Santa Clara.

Fremont, which finished the week 3-2 in division play and 5-8 overall, jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Lynbrook in the first inning. After the Vikings rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, Fremont came back with two runs to win. Lopez's second hit and second RBI of the game prevented Lynbrook from getting its first win of the season.

Two other juniors, pitcher Rob Ramer and outfielder Kenney Pope, were factors in the Santa Clara win. Pope banged out three of Fremont's 10 hits, while Ramer (5-2) earned the mound decision for the second straight day.

The King's Academy used outstanding pitching efforts from senior Corbett Clarke and junior Chris Gustafson to win twice on the road and remain unbeaten in league play. The wins improved the Knights' overall slate to 7-2-1, including 3-0 in the Private Schools Athletic League.

Clarke struck out 14 batters and pitched the distance in a 4-3 triumph over Redwood Christian in Castro Valley. Gustafson fired a 3-hit shutout for a 4-0 win over Valley Christian of Dublin.

Evan Chaney had two of the Knights' six hits against Redwood, including a run-producing triple. Gustafson also had two hits, Daniel Clarke added an RBI hit, and Daniel DeTrinidad singled and scored a run. John Mack drove in a run and scored another, and Brent Bethel scored a run.

Soccer all-leaguers

Homestead soccer players Michelle Grabau, Melanie Jones and Megan Foertsch recently were recognized for an outstanding season by the SCVAL De Anza Division coaches. The three seniors, key players in the Mustangs' fine 9-5-6 season and strong showing in the CCS Division I playoffs, were selected to the all-De Anza first team. Sophomore teammates Diana Charrier and Kristine Roome were picked to the second team.

Fremont's Kerri Robinson was tabbed Sophomore of the Year in the El Camino Division. All-El Camino first team choices included senior Kaitlin Rogers and sophomore Alexis Tershay of Fremont and senior Robyn Ridpath of Wilcox. Fremont junior Jenny Martinez and Wilcox senior Keri Nelson were picked to the second team.

Three Homestead senior boys also earned all-De Anza laurels. Justin Pegueros and Brian Labadie were picked to the first team and Scott Waiblinger was named to the second team.