For the second consecutive season, San Marcos High baseball captured the Coastal League championship, finishing 10-5 in league play and 18-10 overall in what head coach Jeff Dufek described as San Diego’s most balanced and competitive league.
“There’s not much that separates the first team from the last team in our league,” Dufek said of a Coastal League gauntlet that saw just four games separate first-place San Marcos from sixth-place Mt. Carmel in the final standings.
The Knights closed out the regular season with back-to-back losses on May 12 and 13, falling 5-2 to Mt. Carmel and 4-3 to Rancho Bernardo.
“We knew we controlled our own destiny,” Dufek said. “I’m probably being too critical, but for the talent we have, we probably should have a better record. There are some variables throughout the season that pop up and create issues — injuries and what not. But at this point, we’re in the middle of it.”
San Marcos entered the final week of the regular season riding a three-game win streak after beating Del Norte and sweeping Rancho Bernardo, including a 10-inning showing of resilience in which a two-run lead was erased in the bottom of the ninth before the Knights responded with two in the 10th, with sophomore Nathan Reaney striking out five in relief after working out of a jam to close it out.
“Rancho Bernardo has a great tradition of baseball,” Dufek said. “They’re very solid on the mound, and they’ve got guys who can hit for power and for average. Our league is just a consistent level, so that’s always a challenge against those programs because their standard never changes. You’re not only playing against the players; you’re also playing against the expectation.”
A trio of senior pitchers — Max Snakenborg, Brody Layne and Isaac Esquer — have anchored the rotation all season, providing a steadying presence, according to Dufek.
“Veteran leadership stands out,” Dufek said. The Knights’ roster features nine seniors.
Snakenborg, the ace, is 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA in nine starts and is effectively in his first full season of high school pitching after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March of his sophomore year and being held off the mound his junior season.
“He’s got a little bit of moxie,” Dufek said. “He’s got great work ethic. And I think it’s taken some time to get the feel back for his pitches.”
After an arduous rehab process, Snakenborg, a right-handed Santa Clara commit, started the season as the Knights’ opening day starter against Montgomery, going six innings with six strikeouts in a 2-1 win.
“He was very happy with that,” Dufek said. “The fastball velocity was there, the breaking pitch was there. He was very deliberate in his rehab — those aren’t easy days.”
Layne is 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA, while Esquer is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA.
At the plate, Maddox Ponsford leads the Knights, hitting .398 with 37 hits and 28 RBIs. Senior catcher Colton Walker has a team high of seven home runs, while AJ Turner has added six and Snakenborg five.
“The power numbers have been there, and that’s probably been the most surprising thing — the RBIs and home runs,” Dufek said. “The seniors have done a great job. I’ve been really happy with our senior group in terms of leadership, working with the younger guys and helping them throughout the season.”
Section playoff matchups will be announced May 17, with games beginning May 20.
