Gaels short-handed as regional opens

Bishop Gorman's American Legion baseball team advanced all the way to the World Series last summer without receiving any significant contributions from graduated players.

So the Gaels should be an experienced group as they begin play today at the Western Regional in Kearns, Utah.

Guess again.

Gorman (55-20) has lost several players in recent days and won't even be the same team that captured its second consecutive state title Saturday.

"We're down to about 14 guys," said Gaels coach Chris Sheff, whose team plays Cypress, Utah (23-5) at 6:30 p.m. PDT. "I still think there's enough depth there that we can win, but obviously it's going to be more difficult."

First baseman and No. 3 hitter Jeff Malm will miss the regional as he tries out for USA Baseball's junior national team.

Shortstop/pitcher Taylor Cole, the state co-Player of the Year during the high school season, and pitcher Ryan Przestwor have decided to get ready for college and won't join the team in Utah.

And Gorman already was without slugger Brandon Garcia, who chose to attend the Area Code Games during the state tournament, making him ineligible to continue to play for the Gaels.

Cole was a luxury in the state tournament. He hadn't played much this summer and had just retaken his job at shortstop at state.

But Malm's loss will be especially difficult.

He has been the team's centerpiece this summer. He was 7-for-14 with a home run and six RBIs in four state tournament games. He also allowed just one earned run in 11 1/3 innings at state, picking up a win and a save.

"(Losing) Cole doesn't hurt us like Malm does," Sheff said. "Malm will be tough to replace, because he's been in our three hole for a couple years now, and that's basically what our whole lineup is based around."

The loss of the three players also will hurt the team's pitching staff, which already figured to have a tougher time than at state.

Malm, Cole and Przestwor combined to throw 15 2/3 innings at state, where Gorman never had to play on back-to-back days.

At the regional, the Gaels could play every day for five days.

"The other format is set up so you could technically almost get away with two arms," Sheff said. "In this tournament, you're playing every day for five days in a row. We're looking at four or five arms for this tournament."

Stephen Manthei (12-1) and Joey Rickard (9-1), who had the best records on the team entering state, will have to play a big role on the mound this week.

Manthei didn't pitch at state, and Rickard made one appearance, giving up four earned runs in one-third of an inning.

"It's going to be a more difficult task," Sheff said. "The Rickards and the Mantheis will throw a lot, and they've thrown enough big games and thrown enough innings. Just because they didn't pitch in state doesn't mean we wouldn't have used them in the regional anyway."