Pali High Baseball Wins Seven Straight

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Losing its first two Western League games seemed to create a sense of urgency  for the Palisades High varsity baseball team. The Dolphins know they must win out to have a chance at first place and they were in full-on playoff mode last week, extending their winning streak to seven games with back-to-back blowouts of Fairfax and a 7-2 Redondo Tournament triumph over Playa del Rey St. Bernard.    

“The kids have responded since that rough start,” Coach Mike Voelkel said. “Sure, some of that is the teams we’re playing but we’re definitely hitting the ball better and limiting our errors.”

Senior lefty Justin Hirschberg enjoyed one of his most effective outings of the season, crafting a three-hit masterpiece with eight strikeouts and no walks in a 10-0 five-inning victory over the Lions at George Robert Field.

“It was definitely one of my healthier starts—I had everything working that game,” Hirschberg said. “I wanted to throw strikes and if I give up a few singles it’s okay because I got plenty of run support, which always helps.”

Gabe Stewart had two base hits and one RBI, Leo Bucksbaum had a single and an RBI triple, Henry Coquillard and Augie Sylk both had RBI doubles and Alex Weiner hit an RBI triple.

Two days later, Leo Bucksbaum took the hill and allowed five hits with six strikeouts and closer Johnny Dietsch struck out the side in the seventh in a 10-3  victory at Fairfax, the Dolphins’ sixth league win in a row.

The win came at a price, though, as Coquillard broke his left wrist while making a catch at first base in the first inning. He was taken to the hospital for x-rays and will likely be out for the season.

“I stretched out and reached for the ball and he ran right into my arm,” said Coquillard, who has signed with Tufts University in Massachusetts and is one of the Dolphins’ best hitters. “He caught me in just the right spot and it went numb right away.”

Remy Meteigner had a single, a double and scored four runs, Stewart had two hits and  two RBIs, Will Smith singled, doubled and drove in two runs and Coquillard belted a two-run double in the top of the first inning.

“We were all a little nervous when Henry got hurt, but we knew we had to  pick up the  slack,” Hirschberg said. “We’re going to miss him.”

One player’s misfortune is  another’s opportunity and eager to fill his older brother’s shoes Saturday was Will Coquillard. With Henry watching from the scorer’s booth, he singled down the first base line to drive in two runs in his first varsity at-bat.

“I’ve been watching [Henry] for a couple years and I’m just trying to do what he does,” Will Coquillard said. “Of course I’m disappointed for him but he’s given me a lot of advice and I’ve always played first base too so I’m used to it.”

“My brother is a really good hitter, I trust him to do the job,” Henry added.   

Will certainly did the job against the Vikings, getting two hits and two RBIs and making two key defensive plays. Benji Taylor had two hits and two RBIs and Will Bucksbaum struck out four batters in five innings. Dietsch once again slammed the door, snaring a hard line drive back to the mound for the final out.

“I was  rushing a little and missing my spots, which happens,”  said Dietsch, a sidearmer who has been lights out all season.   “I had to bear down and I’m glad I was able to get out of it.”

The victory was the team’s seventh straight since its March 18 tournament loss at West Torrance. In those seven games, the Dolphins posted five shutouts and outscored the opposition 69-5.

Palisades’ streak finally ended Monday in a 9-4 defeat to El Cajon Christian in the Premier Division of the San Diego Lions Tournament. Leo Bucksbaum clouted his first high school homer to the opposite field, brother Will and Jacob Kalt had RBI singles and JV call-up Kent Johnson got his first varsity hit.    

“There’s a reason they’re 13-2,” Voelkel said of Christian. “They were big. Three kids 6-foot-6 and five others 6-2 or taller. We didn’t make a few plays, they got a home run and  that kind of set the stage.”

Palisades resumes league action April 25 at Westchester.