Joaquim, Gago, Torkelson, Berry all-league picks

Three pitchers from Casa Grande High School have been named to the All-North Bay League baseball team. Chris Joaquim, Quinton Gago and Spencer Torkelson were all chosen to the first team. Only Joaquim was chosen by the league coaches as a pitcher, but all three took a turn on the mound at some point during the season. Torkelson was chosen as an infielder and Gago an outfielder. Also picked to the first team from the Gauchos was outfielder Blake Berry.

Joaquim was Casa Grande’s mound mainstay, leading the team in innings pitched (48). Going into the North Coast Section playoffs, he had a 4-2 record with a 2.33 earned run average. He struck out 49 batters and walked 25. He was also one of the Gauchos’ leading batters, Although his batting average was .250, he drove in 19 runs, slugging six doubles and a home run.

Gago, who played the outfield and was a designated hitter, batted .386, with 22 hits in 22 games. He scored 12 runs and knocked in 19. He also pitched 13? innings, winning two games without a loss with a 2.56 ERA. He struck out 11 and walked five.

Torkelson, like Gago a junior, led the Gaucho regulars with a .444 batting average, ripping 32 hits in 25 games. He had a .576 on-base percentage. Included in his hits were eight doubles and two home runs. He drove in 24 runs, an average of almost one per game. Torkelson took his turn on the mound, pitching 9? innings, while allowing just one earned run for a 0.72 ERA. In his nine-plus innings, he struck out 14 and didn’t walk a batter.

Berry made a successful transition to the outfield in his senior season, batting .352 with 32 hits in 25 games, including eight doubles, a triple and a home run. He drove in 19 runs. He also helped provide Casa Grande with a solid defense in the outfield as he expertly handled Casa Grande’s difficult and often wind-blown left field.

Casa Grande senior center fielder Stephen Proctor was placed on the second team. Proctor, an outstanding defensive outfielder, batted .319 with 16 runs scored and nine RBIs.

A pair of Gaucho pitchers, sophomore Aaron Van Tighem and senior Jason Wutsch, received honorable mention notice. Van Tighem was Casa’s winning leader with a 5-2 record. He struck out 22 and walked 19 in 38 innings. Side-armer Wutsch developed into one of the league’s top relievers, starting just one game as he compiled a 4-1 record with two saves and a 2.21 ERA. He struck out 27 in 31? innings and walked just eight.