JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT-Grace Brethren senior pitcher/ infielder Jason Colegrove does some throwing on the side during practice Wednesday afternoon. The Lancers were scheduled to host Hillcrest Christian Tuesday, but the game was rained out. On Saturday, Grace Brethren will be on the road to play Malibu at 2 p.m. Entering the game vs. Malibu, the Lancers' record stood at 5-4 overall. On the diamond at Grace Brethren, youth has been served.

With only 14 players participating in the Lancer baseball program this season, Grace Brethren head coach Steve Stephans didn't have the bodies to field a junior varsity team.

Instead, Stephans built a varsity squad that includes five freshman and three sophomores. Currently, pitcher/infielder Jason Colegrove is the only senior playing for the Lancers, although Ryan Hidalgo and several other upperclassmen may be added to the roster in the near future.

Despite its inexperience, Grace Brethren has posted a 5-4 record thus far. The Lancers had a quality win over St. Monica in the Southern California Invitational, and have since logged easy victories against Kilpatrick and Villanova Prep.

Stephans said a tough earlyseason schedule was a fine way to prepare his young squad for its Alpha League opponents.

"I believe you've got to play tough teams to get better," Stephans said. "That's why we do it. All three years I've been here that's what we've done."

Grace Brethren finished 1514 overall a year ago and placed third in league. The Lancers won a pair of postseason games before falling to Beaumont, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division VI playoffs.

Colegrove served as the No. 2 starter last year and has been elevated to the role of staff ace this season. So far, Colegrove is 2-2 and has posted a 3.31 ERA in 19 innings of work. The hard throwing right-hander has struck out 27 batters and has walked only four.

As the lone senior, Colegrove said there's been some added pressure to be an on-field leader. But so far, all the players, coaches and parents have helped by working together to form a team-first environment, he says.

"I'm the only one who's been here four years," Colegrove said. "I've had the coach the longest. It's more of a whole team effort, though. The parents, the kids, I think the team is the whole school."

With little power in its lineup- the Lancers have hit only one home run to date-Grace Brethren has relied on timely, fundamental hitting and team speed to score runs.

In nine games, the Lancers have attempted 33 stolen bases and have been successful 28 times. The team had 55 steals all of last season.

Freshman Kevin Ramay has been the offensive catalyst for Grace Brethren. He's currently hitting a team-high .423, and is also the Lancer leader in hits (11), runs scored (13), stolen bases (eight) and RBI (11).

"If we put the ball in play, we'll make things happen," Ramay said. "We don't strike out an awful lot. We just put the ball in play, hit singles, doubles, and just get guys on (base) and move them over."

Stephans said Ramay is a great athlete who will likely be the Lancers starting quarterback next year.

Nate Rushing (.364), Chris Tugwell (.333) and Wes Giardini (.308) are all hitting over .300 for Grace Brethren. Junior Gunnar Ohmie has posted a 2.50 ERA in 14 innings on the mound. Freshman Ryan Curnel has pitched only two innings this season, but he's yet to allow a base hit.

The Lancers are still awaiting word from the CIF on the eligibility of sophomore Ben Burg, a slick-hitting shortstop/pitcher who transferred from Crespi.

"He's probably one of our better players who' not been able to play a game yet," Stephans said.

Grace Brethren will compete in the Alpha League for the final time this season. Next year they'll join the Tri-Valley Athletic Association, facing off against the likes of solid baseball programs such as Oak Park, Oaks Christian and Malibu.

The Lancers play Malibu on the road Saturday at 2 p.m. They'll get a shot at Oaks Christian in a non-league contest April 22 at home.

While Stephans said he expects the Lancers will occasionally take their lumps during the remainder of the year, he believes that despite starting three freshmen in the infield, Grace Brethren will position itself to qualify for the postseason, while still developing players for the future of the program.

"The goal this year is to make the playoffs," Stephans said. "We're young. Next year our goal will be to get farther than just the playoffs, not that we can't get farther than that this year.

"We believe, even going into (the Tri-Valley Athletic Association), that we're going to compete well in that league," the coach said. "Being a young squad, next year we'll be right up there with the big boys-the Oaks Christians, the Oak Parks, all those guys. We're going to find out though, we're playing some of them this year."