- Home
- News
- Forum
- Sports
- Features
- Arts
- Business
- Obituaries
- Comics
- Gallery
- Classifieds
- Commentary
- Advertisers
- Contact Us
4,172
1,250
Seniors responsible for 47 diamond wins head separate ways
*Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series featuring athletes from an extremely prolific 2013 Davis High senior class.
Never in Davis High history had a baseball team won 47 games in two seasons.
The back-to-back Delta Valley Conference titles were a stunning Blue Devil accomplishment, given the fact that nationally ranked Elk Grove — the 2013 Sac-Joaquin Section champion — prowled the schedule.
Now, as graduation nears, DHS fans say goodbye to eight seniors — six of whom made a big impact in the Devils’ 2013 run.
“I don’t think there are many groups of seniors that can say what these guys can when looking back at their final two seasons,” Davis skipper Dan Ariola told The Enterprise. “Really amazing.”
With Chris Daunt, Bobby Young, Hayden Duer, Joe Murray, Jake Miille, Adam Inouye, Sander Richardson and Manny Guerrero as the Elite Eight, the Blue Devils went 22-8, including 14-1 in the DVC. At one point, they owned a 13-game winning streak.
On a team that was eliminated after three games in the SJS North Section tournament, DHS’ 12th-graders left a lasting impression.
Here’s a closer look at Duer, Miille, Daunt, Young, Murray and Inouye …
* Young: Versatile, Young was used primarily at first base and on the hill.
Hitting .275, the right-hander accounted for 35 runs at the plate while going 5-3 as a pitcher with a 2.42 earned run average in 11 appearances.
Ariola had strong praise for his play-anywhere departing senior, who is on his way to UC San Diego: “Steady, consistent. He made a great commitment during the season and in our off-season programs. He really stepped up as a starting pitcher this year. A quiet leader.”
Young earned the team’s John Riggins Memorial Award for most inspirational player.
* Daunt: An outfielder on whom no one wanted to run, the senior patrolled the wicked right-field sun pasture at DHS flawlessly.
At the plate, Daunt hit .286, drove in 21 runs and cracked the team’s only home run. On the base paths, he was relentless: In scoring 20 runs, Daunt was a perfect 12-for-12 in steals.
Ariola says it will be tough finding a “day-in, day-out player” who can handle the pressure the way Daunt did.
Daunt is off to Cal Poly.
* Duer: Matt Trask, the Blue Devil mound ace, said his batterymate “saved us countless runs … the way he was blocking the balls in the dirt.”
Ariola alluded to Duer’s much-improved defensive skills and said his offensive showing added key runs in big games.
“He matured as a player,” the coach explains. “He provided leadership … becoming a solid catcher for us. And always a threat at the plate.”
Duer hit .324, drove in 12 runs and scored another 13. He’ll be off to Cal State Monterey Bay (where his older brother Ron played).
* Murray: The second baseman was brilliant in the field. But his offensive prowess put new life in the top of the order.
Frequently batting leadoff, Murray hit .391, scored a team-high 28 runs and drove in 20. He had four doubles and three triples.
“Joe was another quiet leader … an outstanding player,” Ariola says. “He came to play every day and had a great commitment to the program in his four years. Just an outstanding job.”
Murray, for all his hard work, is heading to play baseball at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.
* Inouye: “He gave us quality innings as a starter and reliever,” Ariola says. “He closed out the Elk Grove league-championship game (getting the win). He was a maximum-effort player.”
Inouye finished the year 4-1 with two saves. His 1.31 earned run average was the lowest on the team and he fanned 32 in 26 2/3 innings.
He and Richardson are headed to Sonoma State, where former Blue Devil Jeff Boulware just finished his college career.
* Miille: His 15 appearances were the most among the pitching staff. Miille struck out 25 in 23 1/3 frames and went 2-1 with two saves. His ERA ended up at 2.10.
“He did a great job coming out of the pen,” his coach says. “Great intensity on the mound and provided personality to the team.”
Miille was asked to play first base from time to time and was a key ingredient as the Blue Devils won their first 13 DVC games.
Ariola said Miille is deciding between Stevens Institute (Hoboken, N.J.) or Chico State for college.
Notes: Guerrero will attend Gonzaga later this year. He was 1-0 in five appearances. … Not since the 2004-05 teams (46-18, including a section crown in ’04) had there been such an accomplished group of seniors — at least win-wise. … Richardson is joining Young, Duer, Miille and Murray in playing American Legion ball with Yolo Post 77 this summer.
— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or 530-747-8047.
Comments
Recent Posts
