Baseball is a game of numbers, and right now all the numbers favor Ramona High.
As in an 18-7 record that includes a season-best winning streak of seven straight heading into the final week of the regular season.
Or a 10-2 record in the Valley League, good enough to win that title for the first time since 2019.
The Bulldogs have a .340 team batting average and an even better .372 average in league with sophomore Derek Tayor leading the way at .500.
How about these numbers — nine players who have played at least 15 games and have a batting average of at least .324. None of the nine is a senior.
Pitching?
An overall 2.48 team earned run average led by junior Justin Jarrett who in 52.2 innings has compiled a 9-1 record with the opponents hitting a paltry .219 with 58 strikeouts against 23 walks.
Jakob Coxen and Alex Wilson are also starting pitchers with the senior lefty Coxen weaving a 2.29 ERA and 3-1 record to balance righty Wilson’s 2.03 ERA and 4-1 record. Oh yes, the Bulldogs have the luxury of a premier relief pitcher in senior Seth Gaines who sports a 1.11 ERA with a pair of saves and 2-0 record.
The numbers are even more impressive in league play as Ramona, after starting the season 4-5, has gone 14-2 with both losses coming to Escondido.
All with a first-year head coach, Chris Bertolero, who is anything but a rookie, having spent the past 20 years as the head junior varsity and varsity assistant coach.
“I knew before the season started that we’d win some and lose some, finish something like second or third in league,” said Bertolero, who was hired in October. “We just got better and better.
“I can pinpoint the turning point of the season. We were playing Clark of Las Vegas in the Lions Tournament and they hit a grand slam home run. So, we came back and we hit a grand slam, going on to win 15-6 against a really good team.
“Right then I knew we had a team that never gives up. We’ve been down by three runs as late as the fifth inning and there was always the confidence we could come back and win.”
They’ve done just that and Bertolero is anxious to begin the Division 4 playoffs next week where the Bulldogs would seem to have the No. 2 seed clinched with an outside chance of edging past No. 1 Otay Ranch down the stretch.
Bertolero thinks the Bulldogs have perhaps the balance of quality pitching and clutch hitting in the division.
Jarrett, who is not only 9-1 pitching but batting .357 overall and .442 in Valley League play, agrees.
“Our lineup 1 through 9 is batting over .300, which means there are no easy outs,” said the very young 16-year-old junior. “We have depth in pitching. It took us a while to develop our positions but I think playing against section powers like La Costa Canyon and St. Augustine in winter ball and a strong pre-league schedule, we were ready once league started.
“Coach Bert is different than Coach Dean but I think he’s right for this team. We’re kids and sometimes we act up and I think he knows when to get serious, and so do we. I think everyone in the lineup has had a three-hit game and we all rally behind whoever is hot.
“We all grew up playing together and five of us where on team that played in the Pony League World Series in Modesto. In the semifinals we lost to a team from Texas whose players were huge, and they ended up winning it all, but it was a great experience.
“It’s one of the advantages of being in a small town. We all know each other and what to expect. This is the most talented team I’ve been on.”
And what about the playoffs? The Bulldogs will find out Sunday who they host in the first round.
“We have a real good shot to go far,” Bertolero said. “We’d love to play Otay Ranch because that would mean we were in the championship. After losing those two games to Escondido, the team bounced back to beat them, 19-4.
“We outscored Canyon Crest 32-7 and San Dieguito 20-3 in three games, so we’re on a roll. After getting beaten in the first round of the playoffs last year (13-1 by Brawley), we know what we need to do.”
