At the midway point of the high school baseball season, senior Jackson Eisenhauer of Crespi has been close to perfect. He has pitched 36 innings without giving up any earned runs. His scoreless streak reached 33-2/3 innings until two errors helped two runs score to end the streak last week.
“It’s an amazing thing to see,” coach Mike Glendenning said.
Eisenhauer has come out of nowhere, having pitched just 11 innings last season. He spent the summer becoming stronger under Woody Cliffords, a private trainer who has worked with Ryan Braun, Trevor Plouffe and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
What he’s accomplishing is no fluke.
“It’s a tribute to how hard he’s worked in the offseason to get himself to this point,” Glendenning said. “He’s hungry and determined.”
Said Loyola coach Keith Ramsey: “He’s got a nice pitch mix with an 88-to-92-mph fastball. When he needs to make a pitch with runners on base, he gets tough. Whatever he did this offseason, every high school pitcher should do.”
Said Sierra Canyon coach Tom Meusborn: “He was throwing three pitches for strikes.”
Eisenhauer has what he calls a sweeper — a combination slider/curveball — that makes his fastball even better. He’s 5-0 and has helped Crespi go 14-1.
“I spent a lot of time in the weight room,” he said. “Putting on strength has been a big part of it.”
He’s a surfer, too, so there’s a fearless streak in him.
Another pitcher on the rise has been 15-year-old freshman Carlos Acuna of Birmingham. He has thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings. He’s 4-0 with an 0.57 earned-run average and 51 strikeouts in 36-2/3 innings.
Gavin Lauridsen of Foothill has been one of the best two-way players. He’s batting .426 with 20 hits and 18 RBIs. On the mound he’s 5-0 with an 0.71 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 39-1/3 innings.
Unbeaten Corona (14-0) has many players living up to expectations. The pitching staff has delivered 12 shutouts in 14 games. The hitters have combined for 26 home runs.
Seth Hernandez (4-0) has pitched 22-1/3 scoreless innings while striking out 47 with two walks. He also has hit four home runs and is batting .383. Anthony Murphy has six home runs. The team has made just seven errors.
Hunter Manning of West Ranch is coming off a 16-strikeout performance against Valencia. He is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA. Sophomore Otto Graham of JSerra started the season with 24 1/3 scoreless innings. Brandon Thomas of Mater Dei has given up one run in 27 innings.
Junior pitcher Garrett Jacobs of Mira Costa has helped his team win 12 consecutive games. He had 11 strikeouts against Redondo Union, 14 against Palos Verdes and has given up just 27 hits in 40 innings while striking out 61.
Jake Nobles of Villa Park has given up one unearned run and 12 hits in 26-2/3 innings.
Quentin Young of Oaks Christian continues to prove he’s the best power hitter with nine home runs.
Gavin Kramer of Vista Murrieta is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA and also has 15 hits.
Catcher Trent Grindlinger of Huntington Beach is performing well behind the plate and in the batter’s box with three home runs.
Joshua Pearlstein of Clevleand has become one of the top hitters in the City Section with a .445 average. The junior had a week in which he went seven for eight against Granada Hills.
Sophomore Jake Kim has hit five home runs for Harvard-Westlake.
Among teams, Aquinas is 12-1 and won the National Classic last week after winning the Boras Classic South consolation title.
Pitcher Jackson Eisenhauer of Crespi.
(Craig Weston)
Crespi has started the Mission League with a 9-1 record.
La Mirada (13-2) has lost only to Corona.
Huntington Beach is 12-1 and hoping to meet Corona in the National High School Invitational this week in Cary, N.C.
Venice is 13-1 and running away with the Western League championship.
