Baseball fundamentals camp draws area youth

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Current Glendale Apollo head coach Jerod Aker address participants to start a 3-day fundamentals baseball camp. Aker-coached teams have won two out of every three games played during 28 seasons. The Morenci Recreation Center event drew 62 participants in June, all hoping to improve in the sport.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Current Glendale Apollo head coach Jerod Aker addresses participants to start a three-day baseball fundamentals camp. Aker-coached teams have won two out of every three games played during 28 seasons. The Morenci Recreation Center event drew 62 participants in June, all hoping to improve in the sport.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

MORENCI – A three-day fundamentals baseball camp was attended by 62 area young residents last month. The participants numbered 18 in the 5-7 age group and 44 in the 8-18 group. The Morenci Recreation Center sponsored the Francis Waldorf Stadium-held camp. A great deal of the information presented was not entirely new to some of the campers, merely coming from a different voice or presented differently. It rests with the participants on how they use the information.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Brett Aker signals a slide for the camper approaching third base during a 3-day baseball fundamentals camp.

The camp was directed by Class of 1989 Morenci grad and current Glendale Apollo head coach Jerod Aker, who has returned to Morenci every year since leaving following the 2005 season. It is his way of giving back to a community supporting him as a standout MHS student-athlete and as a head coach of 10 years. The Wildcats posted a 180-80 (.692) overall record during his tenure from 1996-2005.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Hall of Fame member Ray Alonzo gives an example of what can be accomplished if one is willing to work hard at improving oneself in the sport.

This past season, the Glendale school finished 20-12 overall, 9-9 seeding, 3.3229 rating, and 8-4 in the 5A Northwest Region for third. It is the 11th season of earning 20 or more wins and the Hawks are 343-181 (.655) following 18 seasons (2007-24) under Aker. The Aker-coached teams reached 500 wins, 12-1 (6 inn) over Willow Canyon on April 3, 2023, and are currently 523-261 (.667), or two wins for every three games played.

Aker brought five of his assistants who played under him from 2013-20, Peoria Liberty assistant coach Rob Kiepke, former Apollo head coach, and Hall of Fame member Ray Alonzo. Also lending a hand were MHS head coach Christopher Aguallo and middle school coach Paul Trujillo.

The Apollo assistant coaches were Patrick Valenzuela (2013), Brett Aker (2013-16), Fernando Leal (2015-18), Noah Obtea (2016-19), and Danny Bautista (2018-20).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Rob Kiepke observes the swing of Jacob Pollock as he drills the ball into the Bownet.

Valenzuela had averages of .667 (2-3) batting and 1.000 (3-0-0) fielding when given a chance to show what he could do as a junior.

Brett Aker compiled averages of .320 (82-256) batting and .913 (72-106-17) fielding during 102 games played. As a pitcher, he allowed a .204 (87-426) batting average in striking out 86, walked 32, and grazed 11 while facing 454 batters during 116 innings on the mound. As a senior, his averages were .392 (40-102) batting and .900 (31-41-8) fielding during 34 games. He posted a 1.41 earned run average with an 8-0 won-loss record, yielded a .183 (40-218) batting average in striking out 47, walking 23, and grazing five while facing 246 batters during 60 innings on the mound. Aker landed on the Division II – Section II all-section first team as well as the section player of the year in 2016.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Christopher Lopez is positioned for a pitch by former collegiate player Brett Aker.

Aker played two seasons (2017-18) at Adams State University in Colorado and three (2019-21) at Arizona Christian University, primarily as a pitcher. At Adams State, his fielding average was .857 (1-5-1) and an earned run average of 9.14 with a 0-2 won-loss record, 18 strikeouts, 29 walks, eight grazed batters, and allowed a .336 (76-226) batting average while facing 269 batters during 50 2/3 innings. While at ACU, his fielding average was .881 (13-39-7) and an earned run average of 4.74 with a 23-5 won-loss record, 149 strikeouts, 62 walks, 29 grazed batters, and allowed a .290 (248-855) batting average while facing 955 batters during 207 innings.

Leal notched averages of .301 (72-239) batting and .948 (219-38-14) fielding while playing in 99 games. His senior year averages were .329 (23-70) batting and .931 (59-8-5) fielding during 23 games played. He struck out 68, walked 24, grazed 15, and allowed a .267 (84-315) batting average while facing 354 batters during 90 innings in two seasons on the mound, finishing with a 9-4 won-loss record. Leal earned all-region honors twice, 5A Metro Region second team in 2018, and first team in 2017.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Danny Bautista warms up first session camper Luke Mendivil by playing catch.

Obtea posted averages of .323 (72-223) batting and .963 (171-11-7) fielding while playing in 93 games. His senior year averages were .381 (24-63) batting and .981 (100-3-2) fielding during 24 games played. Obtea was selected all-region twice, 5A Metro Region Honorable Mention in 2017, and 5A Northwest Region Second Team in 2019.

Bautista chalked up averages of .269 (21-78) batting and .864 (58-50-17) fielding. His junior year averages were .327 (16-49) batting and .916 (41-35-7) fielding during 28 games played.

The younger camp participants were Marshall Barrow, Cooper Beck, Urijah Bernal, Gavin Brinkley, Titan Brown, Fabian Favela, Tucker Horn, William Jeffords, Tuff Judd, Jett Lacey, Samuel Linford, Coy Maldonado, Luke Mendivil, Stetson Morales, Jacob Pollock, Robert Rodriguez, Brayden Silva, and Micah Sterna.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The proper way of throwing a baseball is shown by Patrick Valenzuela to a first-session camper.

Campers in the older age grow included Matthew-Jai Aguilar, Dallas Aker, Winston Barrow, Justice Brinkley, Kyson Brinkley, Brennen Burkhead, Brody Burkhead, Christopher Carbajal Jr., Efrem Ferrell, Bryant Figueroa, Miles Garvin, Rodney Gash Jr., Zachariah Gash, Jaymz Guzzo, Nolan Horn, Freddie Horrocks, Kooper Hough, Troy King, Christopher Lopez, Caleb Lucero-Saiz, Cejay Madrid, Arick Martinez, Luis Mendivil, Estevan Mesa Jr., Charlie Mettry, Josiah Mettry, Maximus Ornelas, Mikey Rivera, Ezekiel Rodriguez, Gage Rodriguez, Brody Rogers, Hunter Rogers, Ruel Rogers IV, Adrian Roybal, Shane Seballos, Ezekiel Skinner, Ethan R. Thompson, Kayden Tracy, Jayce Urcadez, Mason Wade, Ryan Waldon, Treven Ward, Kade Wright, and Rhody Wyatt.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Brennen Burkhead delivers a pitch after receiving advice on how to do so.

Area opportunities for the campers to show what they can do include trying out and making little league, middle school, and high school teams.

Morenci High School has qualified as a state finalist five times in its program history, emerging as state champions twice, in 1973 (17-5 overall) under Vern Freidli with a 6-0 win over the Garye LaFevers-coached Buckeye Hawks (15-4), and under Aaron Isaacs in 1986 (17-5) with a 4-3 win over the Russell Bethel-coached Willcox Cowboys (15-7).

The three runners-up have been under Clifford Martin III in 1974 (17-5) falling 1-3 to the Jerry Heck-coached Phoenix Gerard Redcoats (19-1), under Bruce Kinneberg in 1981 (16-6) falling 5-7 to the Raul Reynolds-coached Snowflake Lobos (20-6), and under Joseph Morse in 2019 (19-10) falling 2-3 to the Tim Salmon-coached Scottsdale Christian Eagles (25-1-1).

The Wildcats have posted records of above .500 during seven of the previous 10 seasons (2015-24), going 124-108-2 overall, 87-61 seeding, 9-9 section, 43-38 region, 4-0 play-in, and 7-7 state playoffs. Morenci ended 67-64-1 overall, 43-44 seeding, 9-9 section, 17-19 region, 1-0 play-in, and 4-3 state playoffs under Morse (2015-19) as well as 57-44-1 overall, 44-27 seeding, 26-19 region, 3-0 play-in, and 3-4 state playoffs under Aguallo (2020-24).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Matthew-Jai Aguilar has his eyes glued on the catcher’s mitt while delivering a pitch.

All-Region: 48

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Tucker Horn swings at a pitch during his turn at the plate.
Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Patrick Valenzuela uses facial expressions to go along with a pitch demonstration.

During that same decade, a total of 32 Wildcats were listed on 48 All-Region slots, 14 on the first team, 16 on the second team, and 18 on honorable mention; Isaiah “Happy” Aguinaga (1st – 2017), Frankie Araiza (2nd – 2021), Anthony Ballesteros (1st – 2023/2024, 2nd – 2022), Brandon Blair Jr. (HM – 2019), Christopher Carbajal (2nd – 2024), Patrick Chavez (HM – 2022/2023), David Corona (2nd – 2018), Bryant Figueroa (HM – 2024), Antonio Gallegos (2nd – 2018, HM – 2019), Matthew Garcia (HM – 2019), Caiden Harper (2nd – 2017), Gabriel Hernandez (1st – 2023, HM – 2021/2022), Daylen Johnson (1st – 2021/2022/2023), Preston Johnson (HM – 2021), Christopher Lopez (HM – 2024), Maddux Martinez (2nd – 2019), Lance Tyler “LT” Morey (1st – 2021), Jacob Munoz (HM – 2018), Austyn Nelson (1st – 2024, 2nd – 2023), Daniel “Dre” Nofchissey (2nd – 2017), John Olmsted (HM – 2017), Michael Ortiz (2nd – 2018), Jorden Reyes (2nd – 2021), Christopher Roybal (2nd – 2019, HM – 2018), Emilio Roybal (1st – 2024 , 2nd – 2023, HM – 2022), Tony Roybal (1st – 2021/2022), Derrick Saenz (2nd – 2021, HM – 2023), Desmond Sandoval (1st – 2018/2019), Shane Seballos (HM – 2024), Trey Trujillo (HM – 2019), Esai Vanegas (2nd – 2017), Derek Waltrip (1st – 2018, HM – 2017).

All-Section: 10

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Danny Bautista delivers the ball in the batting cage to a first session camper.

Seven of 10 Wildcats earned All-Section honors, two on the first team, four on the second team, and four on honorable mention including Miguel Ruiz (1st – 2015/2016), Daniel “Dre” Nofchissey (2nd – 2015/2016), Sergio Garcia (2nd – 2015, HM – 2016), Isaiah “Happy” Aguinaga (2nd – 2016), Caiden Harper (HM – 2016), Ty Manuz (HM – 2016), and Josh Ruedas (HM – 2016).

All-Division: 1

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Noah Obtea takes the pitcher’s mound to demonstrate a deliver.

Morenci had one named All-Division (All-State) in pitcher Miguel Ruiz (1st – 2016).

All-Conference: 10

 Eight Wildcats landed 10 slots on All-Conference (All-State), three on the first team, five on the second team, and two on honorable mention with catcher Isaiah ’Happy’ Aguinaga (2nd – 2017), outfielder Anthony Ballesteros (2nd – 2024), infielder Gabriel Hernandez (2nd – 2023), pitcher Daylen Johnson (1st – 2023, HM – 2021), outfielder Lance Tyler “LT” Morey (HM – 2021), pitcher Desmond Sandoval (1st – 2019), infielder Tony Roybal (1st – 2022, 2nd – 2021), and outfielder Derek Waltrip (2nd – 2018).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: A Morenci Recreation Center-sponsored June baseball camp included a coaching staff of, from left, Ray Alonzo, Christopher Aguallo, Patrick Valenzuela, Rob Kiepke, Brett Aker, Noah Obtea, Paul Trujillo, Jerod Aker, Danny Bautista, and Fernando Leal. Not Pictured: Also helping out was Morenci’s assistant baseball coach Mick Ruiz.

In the previous decade (2005-14), the Wildcats advanced to the semifinal round twice before bowing out of the state playoffs, falling 4-7 to the Bill Swift-coached Scottsdale Christian Eagles in 2006 and 7-11 to the Mike Frosco-coached Bisbee Pumas in 2008. The Tom Kandler-coached Yuma Catholic Shamrocks (27-4) outlasted the Eagles (25-5) 14-9 (8 inn) while the Pumas (27-4) edged the Greg Hemke-coached Phoenix Bourgade Catholic Golden Eagles 9-8 for the titles. Morenci was coached by Frank Ogas (15-11) in 2006 and Benjii Morales (20-9) in 2008.