Coast Union High names baseball team award winners for 2018 season

Coast Union High School senior Chase Volz, a steady, talented and reliable pitcher all four years of his high school career, has received MVP honors for the Coast Valley League – he was also named team by his coaches, as well.

Head coach Brian Machado and his assistant coach Gary Stephenson gave the “Coach’s Award” to senior Riley Kennedy and the “Mr. Baseball” award went to freshman catcher Zach Stephenson.

Kennedy, a three-sport star at Coast Union who was also named school athlete of the year, played shortstop in 2018 and also gave Machado key innings on the mound. Indeed, Kennedy pitched a perfect game at Shandon on April 13, a rare accomplishment even against a team that Coast usually defeats.

Kennedy made the Coast Valley League (CVL) First Team, as did Kennedy’s senior brother, infielder Will Stephenson, and sophomore standout Emany Plasencia.

Broncos who were named to the CVL Second Team include: senior Edgar Nunez (tough at the plate and a solid defensive player) and Zach Stephenson (who handled the catching duties). Freshman Cristian Castillo received Honorable Mention from the CVL, and Machado commented in an email that Castillo “shows great potential at first base and at the plate — a great kid.”

The coach briefly alluded to the 3-0 CIF-Southern Section playoff loss to Azusa on May 17: “One and done is not the way we like to end the season. Our pitcher (Volz) pitched good enough to win, but the ball just didn’t bounce our way.”

Machado said that this coming baseball season will be a “reload” because the team is losing five seniors to graduation. Still, he will have a “solid” outfield in 2019, with sophomores David Amodei (center) and Nate Markham (right), plus juniors David May and Cameron Castle are also returning.

It’s not just talent that a player needs to bring to the field, Machado explained: “I believe all the athletes need to have what they call ‘fire in the belly’… They may have the skill, but do they have the will?”

The coach’s goal in 2019: Win the Coast Valley League (the Broncos have won 48 straight CVL games); “beat a bigger school… win one playoff game… and take Coast Union baseball one more notch up.”

This story was originally published May 26, 2018 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Coast Union High names baseball team award winners for 2018 season."