In search of its first league title since 2005, the Malibu High School baseball team came roaring out of the gate winning 14 of its first 15 games en route to the best start in school history. While the strong beginning can be attributed to all 12 players on the team, the tandem of juniors Chase Lambert and Noah Simon have led the way.
“A huge part of our program’s success and evolution can be credited to Noah and Chase. They are having standout junior years so far and it is a product of their work ethic and commitment to our program and themselves,” Malibu coach Ari Jacobs said. “In addition to their talents, they are fierce competitors and the combination of talent with that kind of drive can take people far in this world. The sky is the limit for both of them.”
Lambert, a 5-foot-10 shortstop and the team’s closer, has emerged as one of the top players in the surrounding area. Coming off a 2012 campaign where he earned first-team all-league honors after batting .402, Lambert is picking up where he left off. He currently leads the team in batting average (.500), hits (27), runs (16) and doubles (7).
On the mound, Lambert has been lights out with a 3-0 record, five saves and a .79 earned run average. In 17 innings, he has an astonishing 39 strikeouts and only three walks.
“I put a lot of work into the off-season. I went to the gym more often. Being a third-year starter on varsity has helped my confidence coming out here,” Lambert said. “I’m seeing the ball a lot better and I just feel good. I’m in the leadoff role so I am trying to see as many pitches as possible. I’m looking for that one pitch that I know I could drive.”
As the team’s leadoff hitter, Lambert is getting on base 58 percent of the time. He’s as much a terror running the bases as he is at the plate or on the bump. On the base paths, he has stolen nine bases in nine attempts.
Also submitting a tremendous junior campaign is Simon, who has improved greatly in his second year on varsity. As the team’s third best pitcher one year ago, he was 2-2 with a 3.78 era, 18 strikeouts and 11 walks. This season Simon is 5-0 with a 1.73 era, 34 strikeouts and only one walk. The ace of the Sharks’ staff has done a magnificent job setting the tone when he takes the hill.
“I’m a lot more confident going out there knowing I have good defense behind me,” said the 5-foot- 11 right-hander. “Any ball that goes to Chase at shortstop I feel super comfortable. I try to get a lot of first pitch strikes and not walk anyone. I try to pitch to contact and get ahead in the count.”
Despite an early league defeat to Carpinteria and a doubleheader loss to Santa Monica last weekend, Malibu (14-3) is ranked No. 6 in CIF Division VI. The Sharks have won two tournaments this season; defending their title in the Southern California Invitational and conquering the Lions Tournament in San Diego during spring break.
Malibu has seven league games remaining before the CIF playoffs begin and is tied with Carpinteria with a 4-1 mark in the Frontier League. The Sharks play a homeand- home series with third-place Santa Clara next week.
“We are all coming together this year. We know how to win. When we got to San Diego, we bounced back after the Carpinteria loss and stayed together and played well. It was a good tournament for us,” Lambert said. “As our coach always says, we can’t ride our highs too high and our lows too low. We just need to keep working hard in practice.”