The “Beast” Leads Orinda Academy to Victory

       The Orinda Academy Eagles baseball team defeated Leadership HS of Richmond 4-2 last week in its only home game of the season.   Once again, it was Brandon "The Beast" Davis leading the way hitting a bases-loaded single knocking in 2 of the runs and pitching a complete game victory.   Brandon struck out 19 batters allowing 3 hits and one hit by pitch.  Overall, he has 92 K’s in 36 and 1/3 innings pitched with a 1.71 earned run average.  This includes a complete game victory at St. Mary’s College over Bentley HS in which he struck out 18 batters.  He also leads the team in batting (.350 average), runs and RBI’s (7 each), and extra base hits (4) including a long home run in a loss at Leadership HS last week.  With stronger support, particularly defensively, Brandon’s numbers would look even better, but it’s hard to fault his teammates as OA has lost several key players from last year.  Co-captain, shortstop, and lead-off hitter, Dylan Goldman, has yet to play this season due to a knee injury towards the end of the basketball season and this has caused the team to have to step it up and play out of position.  Centerfielder, David Treas, is now playing shortstop and the outfielders have had very little experience. David has shown real improvement as the season’s progressed and has had many key hits and 6 RBI’s.  First baseman, Seth Viruet-Krevolin also has 6 RBI’s.   Ken Fleichman, normally an infielder, has had to do most of the catching for Brandon and has done a phenomenal job handling him in spite of the physical toll on him.  He’s also had to pitch a couple of innings and take over for Dylan as lead-off batter.  He leads OA in on-base percentage and stolen bases (13).

      Orinda Academy came into the 2009 season winning 12 out its last 14 games, but has struggled this season at 2-5.  Still, the spirit of this group of young men and women is something to witness.  They have so much fun, winning or losing, and have a great time just hanging out with each other.  Brandon and Ken with some help from the others, spent several hours after school building the pitching mound for our home field, even spending one Sunday working on it in the pouring rain.

      Orinda Academy will have an even tougher rebuilding job next year as several of our seniors move on.  Brandon is moving on to Sonoma State College.  There will be one last chance to see him in an Orinda Academy uniform Wednesday, May 6th versus College Prep at Caldecott Field in Oakland (4 PM).  I recommend that you come out and watch this very special athlete, but I suspect we’ll see him some more in the future.

Addition:  The following Orinda Academy athletes were honored by the Small School Bridge League:

First Team Boys Basketball:  Brandon Davis

Second Team Boys Basketball: David Treas

Honorable Mention Boys Basketball:  Aubrey Love

Honorable Mention Girls Basketball:  Julia Friedman