Famolaro, Stars enjoy summer start

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

LAKESIDE —- A week removed from his high school graduation, Kip Famolaro is enjoying good times on three fronts with the summer collegiate program of the San Diego Stars.
Famolaro, who played for the Pacific League champion Foothills Christian Knights, first announced his intention to play his college ball at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa.

The next day, Famolaro not only slugged his first post-interscholastic home run, he also pitched extended relief to the tune of four full frames, pacing the Stars to an 8-4 verdict over the North County Gorillas in Wednesday’s (June 16) Western Baseball Association contest at El Capitan High’s Hostetler Field.

First the homer, a two-run shot to center field that also brought home Joey Krug, capping a 5-run rally in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Famolaro, the No. 5 hitter, went 3-for-4 and scored twice.

The Stars later tallied three more times in the fifth, featuring an RBI triple from Danny Zepeda for a five-run advantage. Then Famolaro was summoned to move from shortstop to the mound.

Famolaro was so efficient, he needed just 54 pitches in firing four frames of 1-hit, shutout ball. Famolaro saved the game for starting pitcher Aaron Barkley, who also received good news earlier in the week.

Following the completion of a five-year career at Arkansas-Little Rock, Barkley was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference second team.

According to the conference press release, Barkley, a West Hills product, was among the “leaders throughout the season, ranking second among all Sun Belt pitchers in overall ERA at 2.03 while sitting fourth in opponent batting average (.203), fifth in saves (seven) and appearances (23) and third in games finished (17). Barkley ranks 19th nationally in ERA (2.03), 20th in WHIP (0.92), and 49th in saves (seven), holding a 4.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 7.96 strikeout per nine mark.”

The unbeaten Stars (4-0, 3-0 WBA),  which also received a pair of hits from Luke Arias, continue the homestand on Saturday, capping the series with the Gorillas with a doubleheader, starting at noon at El Cap.