Four seniors led the way in Woodbridge’s drive to third straight PCL championship

Matt Kuromoto (left) and Jake Amundson of Woodbridge earned top honors in the PCL. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

It was a special season for Woodbridge High School’s baseball team, which captured its third consecutive Pacific Coast League title.

“I can’t say enough about the seniors who garnered all-league awards for us this year,” said Coach Ryan Brucker. “It was truly an honor to coach these guys.”  

Four seniors stood out for the Warriors, including PCL MVP Jake Amundson, league pitcher of the year Matthew Kuromoto and all league players Chase Quezada and Brandon Abernathy, according to Coach Ryan Brucker.

“Jake Amundson did it all for us this year,” Brucker said. “He is a fierce competitor and someone you want on the mound or at the plate with the game on the line. I am super proud of Jake and the resiliency he has shown over his four years here at Woodbridge. He hit .444 in league, and had eight extra base hits, along with going 5-1 on the mound.

“He has fought through a particularly tough injury, and worked his tail off to get back and become the MVP of the league.”

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Kuromoto was a standout on the mound for the Warriors.

“For Matt to be named the pitcher of the year for the Pacific Coast League in back to back years speaks to his consistency on the mound,” Brucker said. “After last year, I didn’t think he could get more dominant, but he did. He had an ERA under one in league which is very impressive and went undefeated with an 8-0.  Like Jake, he is as competitive as they come, and what I love most about Matt is that he stays even keeled on the mound. Doesn’t matter what the situation is, he just keeps competing.”

Abernathy, a first team all-league player and Quezada, a second team all-PCL player, scored 41 runs and stole 22 bases between them in league play this year, according to Brucker.

Quezada had 20 runs scored and 10 stolen bases and Abernathy had 21 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.

“We had some injuries which caused us to have to switch Brandon from center field to third base and he played extremely well there,” Brucker said. “Chase was the best second baseman in the league, and only made one error all season.”

Woodbridge finished 23-6 overall and 19-2 in league play. The Warriors lost to Charter Oak 11-5 in the opening round of the CIF Division 2 playoffs.

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—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com