Carmel baseball

 Missing the postseason for the first time in 38 years didn't sit well for those that are back this spring for the Padres.
 While outscoring six Mission Trail Athletic League opponent 86-4 might be somewhat misleading, the 6-0 start for the only undefeated team left in league is not.
 Since an 0-2 non-league start, Carmel is 9-1 overall, with three of those wins coming against teams that went to the postseason last year.
 The seniors that are back have responded on the field this year, particularly at the plate where Kevin Cook and Christian Stapleton have sprayed the ball all over the field.
 Dylan Houpt has been an ace on the mound for Carmel, pitching a gem in a non-league win recently over Salinas.
 While the teeth of the Padres league schedule is still two weeks off, the confidence is back in a lot of areas.
 For all the runs Carmel has produced (112) in its last 10 games, the depth in its pitching staff might be the strength in the program.
 That staff will be tested this week with three games in three days, starting Tuesday at Stevenson. The pitching staff has not allowed an earned run in their last three league games.