Baseball: Eagles to play at Petco Park

Steve Whitley might have a hard time doing it, but the Maranatha Christian High baseball coach is going to try his best to beat his players to the top of the dugout steps at Petco Park Friday afternoon.

It’s not because the former scout needs to be the first to see the beautiful patch of green grass in the outfield or the oversized video screen that stands above the left-field wall at the home of the San Diego Padres.

Nope. Whitley wants to take in a far better view. One that will stick with him forever.

“I want to be able to see all the kids’ faces when they come out,” said Whitley, who coached at Calvary Christian when it played at Petco Park in 2012. “I want to see their faces when they see the field and the beautiful skyline. It has a wow factor. That is the thing I am looking forward to most.”

For the first time in program history, the Eagles will take part in the annual High School Baseball at Petco Park event put on by the CIF San Diego Section. There will be 12 teams competing in six games over the two-day event.

Maranatha Christian will face San Diego Jewish Academy Friday at 1 p.m in the first game. Admission is $15, which includes a ticket to the Padres vs. Diamondbacks game on April 15.

The entire high school student body of around 170 at Maranatha has been buzzing about getting the opportunity to watch the Eagles play at Petco Park. The community has also been talking about it.

“There is a minimum day on Friday and a lot of families are coming out to watch,” Whitley said. “It is more than a game. It is something for families to be able to hang out in the sunshine, eat a hot dog and sit almost anywhere they want in the stadium. Kids get to chase foul balls like crazy. They have a great time.”

Of course, the players have been waiting for this moment since finding out they were going to be part of the event last summer. In fact, Whitley said a few kids went out for the team just because they knew the program was going to play at Petco Park this season.

“If you are a baseball player, you want to one day be a pro player and the odds that you will ever get to do that are astronomical,” Whitley said. “Playing on this field gets kids a little bit closer to that dream they have. It is special for them. It is the next best thing.

“I remember at Calvary Christian we had a big get together after I fulfilled my five years,” added Whitley. “Other than winning a CIF championship, the next biggest memory was playing at Petco Park. I guarantee this is going to be something they will never forget.”

The probable starting pitcher for the Eagles is senior Aaron Polley. The 6-foot, 1-inch, 205-pound right-hander recently signed with Westmont College, an NAIA school in Santa Barbara. His fastball sits between 85-88 mph.

“It is a pretty big deal to play at Petco,” Polley said. “I am excited to play in front of friends and family. It is going to be fun. I am a pretty big Padres fan.”

The Eagles have gone 2-6-1 through their first nine games. It is hardly a record to brag about, but they have played some tough competition.

“I have pretty much forced them into playing up,” Whitley said last week. “The teams they have played have combined for over a .700 winning percentage and none are Division V. All are Division IIIs and two of them are in the top 10 (San Diego rankings).”

Whitley and the Eagles are hoping the tough schedule will pay off with a postseason run in Division V and a strong showing in Pacific League play. Polley thinks it can.

“I think so,” he said. “The teams we will play in league have not been playing as tough as a schedule as we have so I think we have a pretty good shot.”

The Eagles’ strength is pitching behind Polley, Matt Dewildt, Zachary Bridger and Travis Knufman. The bats have gotten off to a slow start, but sophomore Mark Hewitt is hitting .433 with a home run. Also, Escondido Charter transfer and Point Loma Nazarene commit Byron Smith is now eligible. He should help boost the lineup.

While Maranatha hopes to come out on top at Petco Park on Friday, Whitley knows it is not the top priority. He plans to play all 13 kids on his roster to ensure everyone gets the full experience of playing on a professional field.

Polley also understands this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most kids.

“This is about going out there and enjoying it,” he said. “Winning would be great, but win or lose this is going to be a great experience that we can carry throughout the rest of our lives.”