Nathan Raubinger did a lot of things well for Arroyo Grande's baseball team this past season.

The senior third baseman/pitcher hit .422, drove in 18 runs and hit five home runs. On the mound, he had 34 strikeouts and a 2.98 earned run average in 54 innings pitched. He compiled a 6-3 record.

He helped the Eagles finish third in the PAC-7 League and nab a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division II Playoffs after Arroyo Grande just missed making the post-season last year.

Raubinger's season earned him the MVP spot on the Lee Central Coast Newspaper All-Area Baseball Team. The Eagles defeated Glendale Hoover in the wild card round before losing to Anaheim Katella in the first round.

Dave Kuehn of Santa Ynez is the All-Area Coach of the Year. Kuehn's Pirates tied St. Joseph for second place in the Los Padres League. The Pirates won their first-round Division IV playoff game (they lost in the first round last year), then played second-seeded Riverside Patriot tough before losing 2-0 in the second round.

Raubinger said in a phone interview, “I pretty much fulfilled my goal.

“I wanted to hit .500 this year. I didn't quite get there. I'm satisfied with (my year), but it could have been better.”

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The rest of the All-Area squad consists of: pitchers Dalton Rouleau (the Los Padres League's Most Valuable Player) and Cody Berryman of Lompoc (the LPL's Pitcher of the Year), and Bryan Engler of Cabrillo; catchers Evan Soliman of Santa Ynez, Scott Aguailar of Lompoc and Manny Reyes of Nipomo; infielders Chris Mallory and Brandon Alonzo of Lompoc, Tyler Lowry of Santa Ynez, Joe Pugner of Pioneer Valley, Mason Sperakos of Nipomo, J.P. Maestas of St. Joseph, Corey Butcher of Arroyo Grande and Zach Pecyna of Cabrillo; outfielders Chris Rivera of Righetti, Chase Yost of Santa Ynez and Aaron Naputi of Cabrillo; and utility men Matt Hartin of St. Joseph and Andrew Clark of Santa Maria.

Kuehn just finished his 24th season as Santa Ynez's coach.

“I feel honored,” to get the Coach of the Year award, he said by phone.

“I feel truly blessed with the coaching staff we have,” Kuehn said. He expressed his appreciation for co-coach Dave Bisbee and staff members Greg Ellis, Dwayne Elder and Rusty Cole.

Yost helped lead an unexpected home run surge that helped Santa Ynez finish 16-11 overall.

His team's power surge was “kind of unexpected, actually,” said Kuehn. “We knew we had a couple of guys that could hit the long ball, but it was spread well throughout the lineup.

“It's nothing you coach, of course. You just swing to hit the ball in play. But when you get (the power) combined with guys hitting for average and good pitching, you have a successful season.”

The Eagles had a successful season too, and Raubinger helped them to it.

“I've said it before. I'll say it again,” said Arroyo Grande coach Jim Wysong in a phone interview. “Nathan has God-given talent. He does it with his glove, arm and bat.

“Nathan is a subdued individual - he doesn't get overly excited. He just kind of keeps an even keel. He's a quiet leader, not a cheerleader. With his glove, arm and bat, he leads by example.”

Wysong said that Raubinger is a four-year letterman.

“Believe it or not, his freshman year we didn't know what we were going to do with him. A third base position opened up. He was a solid contributor his freshman year.

“He moved over to second his sophomore year. He didn't really start pitching until his junior year. He was our number three guy last year. We had so many pitchers, so many kids that we wanted to give them the opportunity.”

Wysong said Raubinger consistently delivered. “He came through his junior year (on the mound). He fulfilled his chance.”

The Eagles' coach said Raubinger's best pitching game didn't come in a win. “It was at the San Luis Obispo game. That was an hour-and-a-half game, just really crisply played. Nathan really pitched well.” The Eagles, however, lost 3-0 to the second-place team from the PAC-7.

Last season, Raubinger “made some phenomenal plays,” at third base, Wysong said. A particularly memorable one came in the Hoover game.

Raubinger back-handed a sharply-hit ground ball, sliding toward the bag as he did so. Raubinger leaped nimbly to his feet and threw the batter out.

He said he will play at Cuesta College next season.

“I think they're looking at me for second base,” Raubinger said. “I haven't played second base since three years ago. I think they have a shortstop and third baseman already.”

Raubinger will play with the Wahoos, a traveling team consisting of some of the best high school players from the Central Coast, this summer. “I'll be playing third base and shortstop. My pitching days are pretty much over.”

Kuehn said that his team will miss graduating seniors Yost, Skyler Ellis and Spencer Angel.

“Chase will play at the University of San Diego,” said Kuehn. “Skyler will go to Hancock. Spencer will probably wrestle at a college preparatory school - he's a very good wrestler.” Ellis played second base for the Pirates last season. Angel was a pitcher-catcher.

Kuehn did say that he was excited about the team's future. Among others, Lowry and fellow All-Leaguers Sean Rowan, Todd Whitmore and Joel Ibarra are all underclassmen. So is shortstop Niko Dellavalle.

Delavalle just finished his sophomore year. He made some big plays after the Pirates' coaching staff moved him up to the varsity late in the season.

Miller Westfall and Logan Harmon are also underclassmen. “Miller was our starting third baseman before the injury to Skyler,” said Kuehn. “He moved over to second base after Skyler got hurt, and Miller did a very good job. Logan made some good contributions.”

June 13, 2008