The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
It’s going to be an emotional year for the Lakewood baseball team.
The Lancers are grieving the loss of teammate Malachi Kemp, who passed away last year of leukemia. This year they’re wearing his roster number 29 embroidered on the side of their hats, as well as bracelets with his name on them. They’re also playing in honor not just of their teammate, but of their coach, as legendary Lakewood coach Spud O’Neil has announced he’s retiring at the end of the season.
“We’re going into the season dedicating it to Malachi Kemp and coach O’Neil,” said Lancers senior shortstop Nate Gallegos. “We’re really looking forward to playing together and doing this as a team–winning the championship for them one last time.”
Gallegos said the team talks often about Kemp and that while many are still heartbroken about his loss, the team is also drawing inspiration.
“We’re going to have his banner up at Lakewood, we’re trying to do a lot for him and his family,” he said. “It’s a tragic situation, but we’re all pushing through it together.”
The Lancers feature a veteran roster that has very few underclassmen and 11 seniors. The core of the varsity squad won the Moore League freshman crown four years ago, and have high expectations to have success this year–with hopes of winning the school’s first Moore League baseball title since 2017. Coming off a 12-17 campaign that saw them finish fourth in the league, they’re hungry for improvement.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” said O’Neil. “We’ve tried a number of different combinations of things all Fall–in the last few games we’ve been playing really well. As long as we don’t get any injuries and the kids continue to buy in, we’ll be right there with the top three or four teams in our league.”
Leading the way will be the athletic and scrappy Gallegos, who is holding down the Lancers’ defense at shortstop. Senior lefty Jayden Pea is a 6-1 presence on the mound and will play first base when he’s not pitching, with junior Jason Wynia at first with Pea on the mound.
Xavier Nunez is at second with Anthony Rueda at third following a season at first.
Nick Gallegos is at catcher along with the injured Daniel Godoy, whose absence has led to Daniel Manriquez being brought up to fill in behind the dish as well.
The Lancers have some depth on the mound with Pea and fellow senior lefty Lathan Rivas, as well as Aiden Kautsky and Xavier Nunez.
“It’s a good group if we can keep them healthy and together,” said Nunez.
The team has some flexibility thanks to utility man Michael Godoy, a senior who will play anywhere in the infield except first.
The outfield has some speed and also some power, with Tanner Miramontes in center, Noah Nunez in left, and both Victor Rodriguez and the sophomore Jefferson Cowles in right; Cowles will also DH for the Lancers.
Gallegos said he’s aware that most aren’t picking the Lancers to win the league this year, and that it doesn’t bother him one bit.
“We’ve built a great team chemistry, and I’m excited to see us play together,” he said. “We’ve just got to get it done.”
O’Neil said he and his staff are trying to continue to build complete baseball players.
“We’re teaching stuff they should know, and that’s going on all over the place evidently talking to other coaches,” he said. “The last few games we’ve won because as a team we play great defense and offensively we’re scoring for various reasons.”
O’Neil said he hasn’t given much thought recently to it being his last year.
“To be honest, I’m coaching the way I did in 1970,” he said. “I’m preparing the JVs and the freshmen for next year because I don’t want to leave the cupboard empty. The enrollment has gone down but we do have enough good players that we can be good the next couple years also.”
Projected Starters
P: Jayden Pea (Sr.) / Lathan Rivas (Sr.) / Aiden Kautsky (Jr.)
C: Nick Gallegos (Jr.) / Daniel Godoy (Sr.)
1B: Jason Wynia (Jr.)
2B: Xavier Nunez (Sr.)
SS: Nate Gallegos (Sr.)
3B: Anthony Rueda (Sr.)
LF: Noah Nunez (Sr.)
CF: Tanner Miramontes (Sr.)
RF: Victor Rodriguez (Sr.) / Jefferson Cowles (So.)
UTIL: Mike Godoy (Sr.)
DH: Jefferson Cowles (So.)
