Gabilan Division baseball

Gabilan Division
 Anytime your ace has a scholarship to a Division I program, and he's just a junior, you have to feel good about your chances every other start.
 Cal bound hurler Sam Stoutenborough, who opened the season with a four-hit shutout for defending champion Palma, was 5-1 last year as a sophomore with an earned run average under 2.00.
 You could make the argument that the Chieftains have three aces in their rotation with Eziah Cortez and Jackson Meuter having both tossed shutouts to open the non-league season.
 In fact, Palma will go into its Gabilan Division opener at Christopher on Friday having not allowed a run in non-league play.
 Pitching is just part of the reason the Chieftains will be the favorites to repeat as league champions. The lineup return seven starters, including Danny Carnazzo, a member of The Herald's All-County baseball team last year.
 Dominic Scattini has sprayed the ball all over the field while Stoutenborough has shown that his bat has big play potential along with Zachary Davis.
 The biggest threat to Palma is perennial power San Benito, who has won nine of the last 11 league titles.
 All-leaguers Diego Fisher and Josh Harris are back to solidify the lineup as is pitcher Tyler Triano, last year's co-Gabilan Division Pitcher of the Year.
 Five teams are capable of challenging for the league title, including Salinas, who opened some eyes with a win over WCAL power St. Francis.
Nathan Martorella led the team in nearly every offensive category last year as a freshmen for Salinas, while Cooper Smith and Ivan Perez were among the team leaders in hits last season.
 Pitching has been a strength in the preseason for the Cowboys as returning hurlers Hunter Mason and Jordan Lanini have been sharp.
 Monterey, who has not missed the postseason in over 25 years, could be the wild card in the Gabilan Division.
 No one is talking about them. Jack Bailey has looked like an ace on the mound while leadoff hitter Marcus Dorn was sharp in his first start on the mound against Homestead.
 Dorn is also a catalyst at the top of the order, as he finds ways to reach base. The senior has reached base five times either by drawing a walk or getting hit by a pitch.
 On the bases, Dorn has four steals and has scored five runs. Paul Mascorro has had a hit in three straight games while sophomore Michael Carnazzo is another potent bat.
 Monte Vista is undefeated in the preseason behind slugger Dylan McPhillips. It also has 14 players backs from last year's playoff team.