When Lakers great Magic Johnson was announced as a winning bidder for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, the Los Angeles Times ran the headline, “It’s Winnin’ Time.” The same can be said for the Malibu High baseball team, which has come out blazing this season.
After splitting a recent series with two-time defending league champion Oaks Christian and sweeping Grace Brethren, the Sharks are off to a 12-3 start and 3-1 in Tri-Valley League action.
Behind the guidance of third-year head coach Ari Jacobs as well as the leadership of the team’s six seniors, affectionately known as the “Malibu Six,” MHS is off to its best start since 2008 when they won 17 games.
Seniors Evan Anthony, Matt Gruskin, Hunter Johnson, Harry McAlevey, Jordan Simon and Mark Stevenson have been playing together for more than a decade since their days in Malibu Little League.
“There is sure talent on this team,” Anthony said. “We have the potential to go as far as we want to. It hasn’t been like that in years past. This is the year to actually accomplish what we want to do.”
Add in the remaining six players on the roster and you have the making of the “Terrific Twelve.”
“The boys have real good chemistry. They are beginning to see the results of all their hard work,” Jacobs said. “The sky is the limit. We want to give Malibu a program that we can be really proud of. Over time Malibu High School will be one of the most competitive baseball schools around.”
The players have bought into Jacobs’ expectations. Wearing black practice T-shirts with the Latin phrase “FORTUS FORTUNA ADIUVAT” (fortune favors the bold) emblazoned across their backs, the Sharks are playing with enthusiasm and pride.
“I want the boys to play the game with aggression and confidence,” Jacobs stated. “It leads to good things.”
After getting throttled 17-9 by Oaks Christian at home on the first day of league play three weeks ago, MHS faced a crossroads that quickly became a defining moment in their season. Two days later, in the return date at Oaks Christian, the Sharks turned the tables on the Lions with a dominating performance.
Scoring 12 runs in the top of the first inning en route to a 16-8 victory, Malibu stunned the powerhouse team from over the hill to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Lions. Simon went 5-5, with a triple, three RBIs, five runs scored and had four stolen bases. Johnson added four hits and four RBIs while Stevenson and sophomore shortstop Chase Lambert each had two hits and three RBIs.
Grace Brethren presented the next challenge on the Sharks’ plate. The teams had met earlier this season in the championship game of the Southern California Invitational Tournament where Malibu prevailed 5-4 in extra innings. On March 28 and March 30, MHS continued its strong play and swept the Lancers 11-6 and 2-0 to begin league play at 3-1.
Stevenson went 3-3 with two RBIs and McAlevey threw a complete game shutout allowing only three hits in the 2-0 victory.
“It was a team effort,” said McAlevey, who ran his record to 5-0 with a 1.24 ERA. “There were a lot of good defensive plays. I threw well but if it weren’t for the guys behind me I couldn’t have done that. We just got to keep looking forward and go for a league championship.”
The “Malibu Six” are determined to leave their mark on a program that hasn’t won more than nine games in a season since 2008. Their camaraderie and respect for each other goes back to playing tee-ball and their bond is stronger than ever this season.
“I’ve known these guys forever. Our dads have coached with each other and we have built up a bond since little league,” said Simon, who leads the team with a .585 batting average. “We know how to push each other and get the most out of each other.”
“We just have a good understanding of how each other works,” Stevenson added. “We’ve developed a presence together on the field that it’s time to get down to business and work.”
With half the team being comprised of seniors, their leadership is invaluable as MHS seeks its first league title since 2005. “I think it’s been great that you have a group of guys you have been playing with for a long time,” McAlevey said. “We joke about the old times in baseball and all of our experiences. Just to have six seniors with great leadership has been so important for our team.”
When they are not playing on the field, you can find the “Malibu 6” hanging out together around campus, at the movies or nearby food joints.
“We get together and have dinners just with the six of us,” Ruskin said. “It’s always fun hanging out with these guys. The team chemistry we have has helped us get a lot of wins.”
It’s winnin’ time in Malibu. Just ask any of the players. They believe that this is their year.
“We’ve been playing together for so long that we know how to win,” Johnson said. “We’ve been winners at everything we have done. We are bringing in a winning culture and I hope it sticks around after we are gone.”