And he did it again last week, but not from atop the pitcher's mound--from all the way out in left field.

It was the top of the seventh and the Bells were up 9-8 when a Monterey hitter shot a single to left. The runner on second was racing toward home with the potential game-tying run, and Garcia came up throwing. He gunned down the runner by 10 feet with catcher Eric Johnson applying the tag at the plate, and the Bells had the 9-8 victory.

It was their ninth straight victory of the 2006 season, and they'd make it 10 straight a couple of days later with a 7-1 win over St. Francis in the finals of the Brother Wally Ryan Tournament.

"We've had a really good preseason," said Bellarmine boss Gary Cunningham. "With the weather so bad, we were glad we got all these games in to get ready for our league."

And make no mistake about it--the Bells may have won the Los Gatos Lions Club Tournament, clinched the title in their own Brother Ryan tourney and strung together 10 victories, but it's the West Catholic Athletic League championship that is the prize Bellarmine guns for each year.

"Winning the WCAL is always our team's No. 1 goal," said Cunningham. The Bells won it last year, and with a veteran crop of hurlers topping a list of returning players this spring, many see them as the favorite to repeat this year.

"Since we're the defending WCAL champions, and probably because of our strong pitching, we're considered by many to be the league favorite going in," said Cunningham.

But as the veteran Cunningham knows all too well, anything can happen in the well balanced West Catholic circuit.

"Valley Christian, Mitty, St. Francis, Serra and Riordan all appear to be right in the thick of it," said Cunningham. "And St. Ignatius is not bad either."

The Bells were to jump into that league race with a trip to Mitty on March 14. They'll open at home on March 17 against Riordan, 3:30 p.m.

"We're ready to go into league," added Cunningham. "We're where we want to be, so let's bring it on."

It was important to the Bells to get a lot of games in during the preseason because of the changing of the guard on their infield.

"We have an entirely brand new infield," said Cunningham, "and we needed to get those guys some game situations."

Johnson is a junior starter at first base for the Bells with junior Grant Bauer at third. Up the middle Bellarmine features a couple of seniors, shortstop Wil Dugoni and second baseman Nick Aurelio.

Garcia and Eric Goeddel, the top two hurlers for the Bells, share time in left field when not on the mound with Shane O'Neal in center and Mark Canha in right.

O'Neal won his spot in center by coming off the bench in impressive fashion in the preseason. He hit three grand slams in the preseason and was 15 for 24 with four doubles, four homers and 20 runs-batted-in.

Bellarmine's line-up also features one of the valley's top catcher, third-year varsity player Tommy Medica. The senior, who has already signed on to play for Mark O'Brien at Santa Clara University after graduation, is hitting just under .500 this year.

"He's our lead-off hitter and he swings a good bat," said Cunningham of Medica. "He runs well, and he's excellent behind the plate."

Johnson, Kyle Felix and Joe Dickerson back up Medica at the catcher spot, giving the Bells quality depth at the position. But, then, depth is not something Cunningham has to worry about this season.

"Part of our strength, besides out pitching, is our depth," said the coach. "We have a strong starting unit, and we have equally strong back-ups at each position. That allows us to substitute more freely."

Travis Hatfield is a back-up third baseman hitting .500 this year, and Travis Adams is a reserve outfielder who homered in the win over Monterey.

But as strong as the Bells are everywhere else, it's the pitching that is the real backbone of the club.

Garcia, a senior, and Goeddel, a junior, each return for a third varsity season on the mound and head up a mound crops that also includes returners Matt Blackmore, Spencer Waterman, Dean Clark and No. 3 starter Ben Ruder.

Sophomores Andy Hennessey and Craig Broussard, who will also see playing time on the infield, and junior southpaw Max Lautmann round out the pitching staff.

Infielders Kevin Connolly and Sam Montgomery, outfielder Chris Britton and outfielder-catcher Drew Dilts will help provide a deep bench for the Bells this spring.