Ten Gauchos on All-NBL; Fillinger Coach of Year

Ten members of Casa Grande High School’s North Bay League championship team were chosen to the All North Bay League baseball team by the league coaches.

Pitcher Broc Burleson, outfielder Elijah Waltz, shortstop Joe Lampe, first baseman A.J. Miller and catcher Cameron Downing were placed on the first team.

Second baseman Dylan Moore, third baseman Cole Santander, outfielder Joey Loveless and pitchers Nik Kamages and Travis Morgan made the second team.

Chad Fillinger, who guided the Gauchos to a 20-8 record, the league championship and a North Coast Section playoff win in his first year as head coach, was named Coach of the Year.

Burleson was Casa Grande’s big-game pitcher, getting the start in somes of the Gauchos’ most important games. He had a deceptive 3-4 record with a solid 3.04 earned run average. He led the team with 53 innings pitched, striking out 30 and walking 20.

Waltz, a junior, won the battle for an outfield spot from among several candidates at the start of the season, and went on to bat .273 with clutch power, driving in 11 runs.

Lampe was not only one of the league’s premier defensive infielders, but also led the team with a .376 batting average. He had 35 hits in 27 games with 20 RBI. Counted among his hits were eight doubles, two triples and a home run.

Downing caught almost every game for the Gauchos, batted cleanup and hit .373 with 28 hits in 27 games. He knocked in 20 runs. He and Lampe are both juniors.

Miller, a senior, batted .332 with 31 hits in 28 games. Combined with a team-high 23 walks, his hit total gave him an on-base percentage of .496. He led the team in extra-base hits with 13 doubles, four triples and a home run.

Kamages, a senior, led Casa Grande with six wins (he had only two losses) with a team-best 2.41 earned run average. He struck out 48 and walked 28 in 52 innings.

Morgan, another senior, compiled a 6-1 record with a 3.29 earned run average.

Moore combined with Lampe to provide solid up-the-middle Casa Grande defense. He also provided clutch hitting with a .338 batting average that included 11 RBIs.

Sophomore Santander solidified the Casa Grande infield at third base in his varsity debut year, not only playing solid defense, but also providing power. Seven of his 19 hits were for extra bases.

Loveless, a senior, was an outstanding defensive outfielder. He was a major RBI man for the Gauchos, batting .328 with his 22 hits producing 16 RBIs. On the season he had six doubles and a home run.

Maria Carrillo senior infielder Brian Orr was chosen the NBL Player of the Year. Rancho Cotate’s Joey Kramer was named Pitcher of the Year.