By Neil Farrell
SLO Storm G97 player and captain, Emma Hotaling, has been announced as one of the player selections of the Cal South Pro + Program for the 2015 Olympic Development Program — 1999 Summer Pool. The group of talented girls chosen for this pool reported to training camp May 31.
Learn more about the ODP program by visiting their website: www.calsouth.com/en/proplus. Continue reading SLO Girl Picked for Olympic Development Camp
By Michael Elliott
3P:Yes- The newest edition of “Star Wars” hits the silver screen soon. While the San Francisco Giants do not employ a robotic 3PS they do have three “P’s” batting in a row who have helped vault the defending World Series Champions right back into the pennant race. Having recently won eight out of ten (and swept the Dodgers!) the Giants have crept to within two games of the West Division lead due to the recent play of the heart of their batting order.
Two-hole hitter Joe Panik, number three hitter Angel Pagan and cleanup slugger Buster Posey have all been on a tear as San Francisco is beginning to thumb their collective noses at all of the naysayers who buried them early on because of suspect pitching (granted) and because the Giants only win World Series trophies on even-numbered years (’10, ’12 and ’14). Panik has provided a stable presence at second base and helps to set the table for the big hitters as he is flirting with a .300 average. Pagan (.323) has shaken off the constant injury bug which afflicted his play last year and is a solid presence as the outfield general playing centerfield. And Buster Posey is, well, Buster Posey! The heart and soul of the franchise is hitting .311 and clutching up on ribbies and home runs as usual. Continue reading Sports Shorts
Taylor Chris
Pitcher, 6-0, 190, Senior, Gilroy, Calif.
Providing strong middle relief for Cal Poly his season … through April 12 has appeared on the mound 11 times with no record and no saves so far.
2014: Earned first-team All-Big West honors after securing five saves and compiling 4-1 record and 1.61 ERA … struck out 53 batters in 56 innings, making 24 appearances on the mound, all in relief … combined on three shutouts and limited opposing batters to a .193 average … did not allow an earned run in 16 consecutive appearances (36 innings) from March 15 through May 13 … three scoreless innings in middle relief against Cal State Fullerton, three scoreless frames against Long Beach State and 3 1/3 scoreless innings against UC? Riverside … did not allow an earned run in first 26 conference innings, finishing with 0.33 ERA … pitched 3 1/3 innings for win against Northern Illinois, striking out five … tossed five scoreless hitless innings with four strikeouts for win against UC?Davis … struck out only two batters he faced for win vs. Continue reading Cal Poly Baseball Player Profile
By RAPhotos.com
It was a middle school track and field showdown when Paulding, St. Pat’s and Mesa students battled it out at St. Patrick’s campus.
By Michael Elliott
Casey Connection- How wonderful it is to see Cal Poly’s baseball team gaining a little traction as the season winds down. At press time the Mustangs had forged their Big West Conference record into a respectable 10-6 won-loss tally and were sitting just one game out of second place. Cal Poly had languished out of the gate at the start of the season but the Mustangs are hopefully hitting their stride just at the right juncture of the season. It ain’t how you start, but how you finish! Continue reading Sports Shorts
Kyle Smith
Smith has been the Saturday starter since the second week of the season, compiling a 3-5 record and 3.51 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .249 against the left-hander and he has struck out 38 batters over 48 innings.
High School – Smith posted an outstanding senior season under head coach Ollie Turner at Torrance High School in 2014, compiling a 13-1 record and 0.47 ERA en route to CIF-Southern Section Division IV most valuable player accolades … made 15 appearances on the mound and notched 10 complete games, striking out 115 batters and walking just 16 in 89 2/3 innings … struck out 12 in CIF-Southern Section Division IV championship playoff game against Pioneer League rival South Torrance, earning 11-0 victory with two-hit shutout … also struck out 11 in two other games and 10 in another … earned a pair of one-hitters and a pair of two-hitters … threw 24 shutout innings in the playoffs and recorded four wins — three as a starter and one in relief … also played in first base and in the outfield, hitting .345 with three doubles, 13 RBI and six steals … earned first-team All-Pioneer League (co-MVP) and All-CIF-Southern Section Division IV honors and second-team Cal-Hi Sports all-state accolades … Torrance was 27-8 in 2014, shared first place with South Torrance in the Pioneer League and claimed the CIF-SS Division IV title … as a junior in 2013, Smith posted a 4-2 record and 3.87 ERA in 11 appearances on the mound … struck out 30 batters in 34 1/3 innings and earned the team’s Cy Young Award … Torrance was 15-13 in 2013, finishing in a tie for first place in the Pioneer League with a 7-3 record and qualifying for the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs, winning a wild-card game before falling in the first round … also played football as a quarterback in his freshman year … played summer ball for the North County Indians, posting a 1-0 record and 0.00 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings … chose Cal Poly over UC Irvine because of its “great coaches and team.”
Personal – Son of Jon and Tina Smith … one brother, Konnor, and one sister, Kaitlyn … sister Kaitlyn and cousins Kyle Smith and Ryan Smith played sports in college … born November 11, 1995, in Torrance, Calif. … majors in kinesiology.
By Michael Elliott
Sports Bouquet- Ah, spring is in the air and the sports world has blossomed. NBA basketball playoffs, NHL hockey playoffs, a plethora of professional golf playoffs, Major League Baseball starting up—sports in general. What say we tap into the aromas of a few of those varietals? Don’t forget your Claritin!
Hock It Up- I’m going to spew forth a personal belief of mine: Playoff hockey is the bomb! There is quite possibly no better playoff scenario around than a seventh game on ice where it’s all on the line. The drama is quite gripping throughout as bodies fly and sticks are high. Those hockey dudes are pound for pound the toughest men alive on the planet. Check some of this compelling action out if you dare, eh? Continue reading Sports Shorts
The Morro Bay High Boys’ and Girls’ Track Teams had great outings at the recent SLO County Track Championships on Saturday, April 4, at Cuesta College and again at the 96th Annual Russell Cup Track & Field Invitational on Saturday, April 18.
The coaching staff has been re-building the track program over the past two years, and have a strong group of dedicated kids taking it to the next level this year, and for years to 
come.
Many of the kids had a personal records at Championships including: Madeline Ogle, Hannah Buechner, Sam Duston, Alexis, Lewis, Eliza Lewis, Evelyn Atchisonn, Brandon Amato, Austin Lay, Hank Ogle, and Dylan Williams.
Medalists (Top 3 finishers) at the County Championships were: Girls’ varsity: the 4 by 100 meter relay team was third in 52.02 seconds; Sierra Emrick was first in the high jump at 5-feet 1-inch and Roxanne Nolan was 3rd at 4’10”. Varsity pole vaulter Emrick was first at 12’; varsity triple jumper Chloe Lindsey was third at 31’2”. For the Boys’ team Brandon Amato was first in the 800M in 1:59.92.
Girls frosh-soph saw Alexa Lewis take first in the 800M in 2:28.73, and twin sister Eliza Lewis was second in the 1600M in 5:21.88. Hannah Wiese was second in the 100M in 13.29.
Pirates who medaled at the Russell Cup (Top 4 finishers) were: Girls — Shannon McClish second in the varsity 3200M in 11:43.16, third was Medeline Ogle in 11:43.41. In the high jump, Nolan was fourth at 4’09”, Emrick won the pole vault at 11’09”, with Natalie Marquardt third at 9’09”.
Boys’ team had Brandon Amato take second in the varsity 800M clocking 1:58.55, Austin Lay was fourth in 1:59.15, and Andrew Stafford was third in the varsity 1600M at 4:22.09. Submitted photos.
Casey Bloomquist
Pitcher, 6-3, 185, Junior. Eighteen wins in his first two seasons at Cal Poly and three more this year during a three-game stretch in which he beat pac-12 powers Oregon State and USC along with perennial Big West champion Cal State Fullerton. He is Cal Poly’s Friday night starter after a sophomore season as the Sunday starter. Was named preseason first-team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and second-team Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American prior to the 2015 season. Continue reading Cal Poly Baseball Player Profile
By RAPhotos.com
The Arroyo Grande Eagles softball team is holding on to first place in the PAC 8 standings. The Eagles are 3-0 in league play.
