Chris Kohler (.405 BA, 5 RBI, 8R, 8K, 4BB) is doing it at the plate and on the mound for the first place Grizzlies. Kevin Riley and Ryan Day are both having solid offensive seasons, as is each hitting over .350. Los Osos' lone league loss (4-1 Alta Loma) came in a game where they committed four errors and both teams combined for 30 hits. Kohler leads the pitching staff in strikeouts with 46 and innings pitched with 29. Sophomore Kyle Reniol has been a pleasant surprise on the mound with a .48 ERA in close to 15 innings. The Grizzlies control their own destiny at this point in the season and appear to have the depth at the plate and the mound to make a run in the postseason.
Glendora has won four straight before their most recent loss and that significant. The Tartans hadn't won more than three straight since early in the season. Scott Burke rightfully gets a lot of attention carrying a 4-2 record with a 2.68 ERA. Martin Gallegos and Eric Flores are each hitting over .440 on the season. The two combined are unquestionably the team leaders in every offensive category. The Tartans lost games to Los Osos and Upland meaning they have some work to do, but it's not insurmountable as they may be hitting their stride heading into the second half.
Etiwanda has losses to both of the top two teams. The Eagles are led at the plate by sophomore Christian Gonzales (.353 BA, 2 RBI, R, 6K) and have a lot of work to do. Their overall record isn't as strong as other teams in the league (Upland) and many believe things will sort themselves out in the second half of the season. We'll see. Good teams tend to continue to get better. The jury is still out.
The bottom line feeling here is that this one is going to come down to Los Osos v Glendora. Mark May 8th (Glendora) and May 10th (Los Osos) on you calendar as that's when these two will meet to close out the regular season. The May 8th game should feature a rematch of Kohler v Burke. That game is sure to draw scouts aplenty and could very well decide the league title.
Notes: Upland is a team some feel could get hot. Despite dropping two of the last six, the Highlanders are beginning to get consistent performances from several key players. Alta Loma might have depth issues to make a run because games tend to slow down and their is higher premium on good pitches in the second half of the season. Rancho Cucamonga needs to 9-1 at worst and hope for a lot of upsets.