The Ayala baseball team had lofty expectations this year and the Bulldogs are off to a good start at 9-4 overall and 4-1 in Palomares League play.
The Bulldogs will find out exactly where they stand as they participate in the National Classic hosted by Esperanza High School this week.
Ayala opens the event on Tuesday against Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.) which is ranked 12th nationally by MaxPreps.
The event got underway Saturday with a barbecue and a Homerun Derby which provided the players a change to get to know each other.
Junior left-handerMatthew Acosta (3-0), who has committed to USC, will be on the mound for the opener.
“We got off to a little bit of a slow start but we have been playing well lately,” says coach Chris Vogt. “This tournament will be a great test for us.”
The Bulldogs boast a good mix of senior and underclassmen this year with most of the veterans on the pitching staff. Among the team’s other top hurlers is Erik Cha (2-2, 1.06), who has signed with Cal State Fullerton.
There have been plenty of pleasant surprises including sophomore outfielder Josh Bozoian (.467, 11 RBI.) There are also two freshmen in the starting lineup – third baseman Daniel Mendez (.300) and third baseman Kyle Velasquez (.333).
“We committed to this tournament over a year ago,” Vogt said. “It’s a great chance to play some other teams and we’re looking forward to it.”
