Tracy Press

Two games against St. Mary's are all that stands between the Wolf Pack and the playoffs, and possibly a league championship.

West High pitcher Ryan Devencenzi will try to lead the Wolf Pack to a Tri-City Athletic League playoff berth when he faces the St. Mary’s Rams this afternoon. One win in this week’s two-game series and West is in the playoffs, while a sweep would clinch the Tri-City Athletic League crown. Press file photo

But his confidence going into today’s match against Tri-City Athletic League rivals St. Mary’s comes not so much from his 9-1 record, but from knowing who the St. Mary’s batters are and what he can throw to keep them off balance.

"I feel good and confidant that we’re going to work hard to come away with this win," he said Monday at practice. "I feel our bats will come alive and we’ll do well."

He is one of four pitchers in the section to have nine wins, and has the most wins of any TCAL pitcher. He’s worked hard for those wins, with the most innings pitched, 58, of any TCAL pitcher aside from Tokay’s Zach Costa (8-3), who also has pitched 58 innings. No. 3 on that list is West’s Matt Fontaine (4-2), who has pitched 53 innings.

Devencenzi said he thinks about statistics and personal goals in his down time, but when he’s on the mound he can only focus on his job.

"Most of those wins come down to helping the team. I don’t look at it as something for me."

West goes into today’s game at 7-1 in league play and in second place after 8-0 St. Mary’s. With an overall record of 17-8, the Wolf Pack’s season comes down to two games to decide the team’s post-season fate. A win either today at home or Friday in Stockton, and West is in the playoffs. A sweep and West takes the TCAL championship.

The one league loss came Friday against Tokay, which will also be in the running for the playoffs if it wins both games against Stagg this week. In the first game against Tokay last Wednesday, Devencenzi gave up five runs in the first inning, but kept Tokay scoreless for the next three innings while West batters scored seven runs and took back the lead on the way to the 9-6 win.

Tokay kept hitting the ball Friday and held West to three hits for a 9-3 win. The only other team to score that many runs against West this year was Tracy in the last preseason game before league play. But the outcome and score of last Friday’s game means the Tigers would go to the playoffs if Tokay and West end up tied for second place.

"We’ve been playing good ball," West coach Jim Rice said. "We had one bad game and we’re not going to let that get us down."

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written by ypo , May 07, 2008