The Southwestern League baseball coaches recently met with Vista Murrieta Athletic Director Carl Galloway to go over the selections for the All-League teams. Galloway’s school hosted the meeting since the Broncos took the top spot in the standings this past season. Selections come out once the playoffs are over, or once the final SWL team is either the last one standing in the CIF-SS playoffs or gets knocked out. This year, the top three teams, Vista Murrieta, Temecula Valley and Great Oak, were all ousted in the first round, each of them playing in the Division 2 brackets. Based on where a team places in the league standings, determines how many First and Second Team selections they get.
Vista Murrieta went 13-2 in league play this year, winning their eighth overall title for the school since their inception in 2003. The Broncos also won in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019. When it comes to postseason play, in 2006 the Broncos were a CIF Southern Section finals runner up, they won a 2007 CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship and in 2013 they were a CIF Southern Section semi-finalist.
Temecula Valley, with their second-place finish in the standings, housed the MVP of the Southwestern League this year, junior Zach Anderson, a USC verbal commit. This year, due to two of the league’s more competitive pitchers having somewhat similar stat lines, two players were named Most Outstanding: junior Lukas Pirko (Vista Murrieta) and senior Shea Lake (Great Oak).
Anderson hit .522 with 24 hits, 5 home runs and knocked in 22 RBIs over the course of the 15 games played during league action. Vista Murrieta’s Luke Matthews, a First Team selection for the Broncos, hit a league leading .615 with the same amount of hits in fewer at bats, but also had less RBIs and only 4 extra base hits on the season. Either way, both players put up notable stat lines, plus Anderson being a year younger, returns next season to continue his legacy.
On the pitching side of things, Pirko went 5-1 during league with a 3.07 ERA, Lake was 6-1 with a 1.07 ERA on his side. Of course, with 38 strikeouts under Pirko’s belt during league play to Lake’s 27 Ks, it makes sense as to why both were given the accolade. Lake also contributed with his bat (.421 BA with 16 hits) and in the field defensively for Great Oak.
Three catchers, one lone pitcher, four infielders (one who also pitched) and four outfielders (two who also pitched), make up the First Team selections. For the Second Team, a slew of outfield talent makes up more than half the selections while two infielders and a couple of pitchers and catchers make up the final selections. The Broncos, Golden Bears and Wolfpack were all granted three First Team selections and two Second Team picks, Murrieta Valley, fourth place in league, had two First Team selections and two Second Team nods, Murrieta Mesa had one First Team selection and two selections for Second Team, while Chaparral was only given two Second Team selections, despite being tied for last place with the Rams.
Overall, including the MVPs and Outstanding Pitchers, 19 seniors, 5 juniors and 3 sophomores make up the grade levels for the 27 selections. This season, more than others in the past, some teams have also noted Honorable Mentions for players via their social media accounts. Program coaches distribute these awards, usually for banquet purposes, and unlike the First and Second team lists, are not voted on by other coaches in the league. Thus, the reason why Honorable Mentions are not listed here.
2022 All Southwestern League Baseball Team
Most Valuable Player
Zach Anderson – C – Temecula Valley (11)
Most Outstanding Pitchers
Lukas Pirko – P – Vista Murrieta (11)
Shea lake – IF, P – Great Oak (12)
FIRST TEAM
Joe Guetterman (12) – C – Vista Murrieta
Luke Matthews (12) – OF – Vista Murrieta
Nate Lee (12) – P – Vista Murrieta
Christopher Paciolla (12) – IF – Temecula Valley
Grant Yzermans (11) – OF – Temecula Valley
Cody Liscio (10) – P, OF – Temecula Valley
Michael Rodda (12) – P, IF – Great Oak
Brendan Shanahan (11) – IF – Great Oak
Dylan Fien (10) – C – Great Oak
Jake Adams (12) – C – Murrieta Valley
Ayden Tauscher (12) – OF, P – Murrieta Valley
Carter Garate (12) – IF – Murrieta Mesa
SECOND TEAM
Jerrad Gonzalez (12) – IF – Vista Murrieta
Joe Castillo (11) – OF – Vista Murrieta
Charlie Combs (12) – P – Temecula Valley
Darin Chapman (12) – IF – Temecula Valley
Tyler Allinson (12) – OF – Great Oak
Christian Smith (12) – OF – Great Oak
Charlie McBride (12) – P – Murrieta Valley
Aidan Lambert (12) – P, OF – Murrieta Valley
Derek Hurtado (12) – OF – Murrieta Mesa
Cole Warner (12) – P – Murrieta Mesa
Jesse Magana (12) – OF, P – Chaparral
Braylon Doughty (10) – P, C, OF – Chaparral
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