WARNING: PITCHERS BEWARE

Barry Faulkner

Official scorers might want to sharpen more than one pencil for

today’s CIF Southern Section Division IV second-round baseball

playoff game between visiting Corona del Mar and Temple City.

If recent history is any indicator, there figures to be plenty of

runs scored in the 3:15 p.m. contest.

CdM (18-8) posted its best scoring output of the season in

Friday’s 19-3 win over visiting Hesperia. The Pacific Coast League

champions have outscored their last three opponents, 41-7, and have

averaged 7.3 runs per game this season.

The Sea Kings, whose 19 runs are the most in the 89 playoffs games

between teams in Divisions I through IV this spring, have also won

four in a row and seven of their last eight.

Temple City (17-6-1), however, has outscored its last five

opponents, 61-0, including a 13-0 first-round win Friday over

Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary. In their current seven-game winning

streak, the Rams own an 89-4 scoring edge over their victims. They

have averaged 8.5 runs this season.

Coach Barry Bacon’s Rams won the school’s first Rio Hondo League

title in 13 seasons and, like CdM, list team chemistry among the

leading reasons for their success.

CdM Coach John Emme said his players have been self-motivated

after a 1-2 start in the PCL.

“This team has jelled like no other,” Emme said. “I don’t need to

do a lot of coaching with these guys. They know what to do, they’re

serious about their baseball and they want to get it done.”

Junior Josh Bradbury (.446, nine home runs and 27 RBIs) is among

those getting it done at the plate for the Sea Kings. Senior Keith

Long (.386 with 19 RBIs), senior Nick Karpe (.375, five homers and 22

RBIs), junior Todd Macklin (.314, four homers and 21 RBIs) and junior

Danny Marin-Finn (.444 with 12 RBIs) are additional offensive

stalwarts.

Macklin earned the pitching victory Friday, improving to 6-2 and

lowering his ERA to 1.71 in 45 innings. Senior Nick Rhodes (3-0 with

a 1.91 ERA) also shines on the mound for CdM.

Temple City’s starting pitcher could be sophomore Ryan Tucker (9-1

with a 1.65 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 68 innings) or senior Derrick

Cullen (6-1 with a .242 ERA).

The Rams’ leading hitters are senior Scott Smith (.421, four

homers, 32 RBIs), junior Tommy Bullock (.492, 15 RBIs) and senior

Mark Payne (.377, 26 RBIs).

Today’s winner advances to Friday’s quarterfinals against either

top-seeded La Quinta (26-2) or Malibu (13-9-1).