JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers GETTING JAMMED-Simi Valley's Matt Orloff fights off an inside pitch during Wednesday's 11-0 loss at Agoura. Tied for fourth place in the Marmonte League's baseball race, Simi Valley faces two of its biggest games of the season starting with today's contest against the Calabasas Coyotes.

It's Senior Day for the Pioneers as five graduates will be honored before the game-second baseman/pitcher Nick Giarraputo, catcher Matt Hibbard, outfielder Matt McFadden, pitcher Frankie Reed and first baseman/outfielder Chris Stantzos.

After the pregame ceremonies, the teams will get down to business as the Pioneers (16-10, 6-6) host the Coyotes (9-14, 5-7), hoping to even the season series after losing to Calabasas, 3-0, during the teams' first meeting.

Westlake (16-9, 6-6) is tied with Simi Valley for fourth place in league play.

Pioneer head coach Matt LaBelle will start staff ace Giarraputo against the Coyotes.

"He has done a phenomenal job," LaBelle said. "He's our number one guy. We'll get the opportunity to have him throw against Calabasas. I think we have a little redemption need to get back at them. We didn't hit the ball at all that (earlier) game."

Simi's final regular-season game will be Wednesday at Moorpark (8-17, 3-9) at 3:30 p.m. The last time the teams met this season at Simi Valley, the Pioneers beat the Musketeers, 1-0.

"I think we need to win both games-today against Calabasas and Wednesday against Moorpark," LaBelle said. "If we win both those games, two games I think we're going to win, then we'll get to go to the playoffs.

"I'm very optimistic at what's going to happen the next week," he said. "I think it will be very disappointing, and I don't see us not making the playoffs this year."

On Wednesday, Simi Valley lost to the Agoura Chargers, 110. Sophomore right fielder Brett Hale was 2-for-3 for Simi Valley.

Agoura (16-7, 8-4) was led by senior shortstop Nick Farinacci, who went 3-for-4 including a pair of home runs, and senior pitcher Matt Withem, who allowed only five hits.

Simi Valley's starting pitcher Nick Russo took the loss.

"Russo I think threw the ball fantastic," LaBelle said. "We made way too many errors behind him, which we haven't been doing. I was happy to see him throw real well again.

"We're hitting the ball well. We're having good approaches. We hit the ball real hard," the coach said. "We just kind of hit it right at people a couple two many times. They hit the ball very well and (freshman pitcher) Drew Sandler has thrown the ball exceptionally well for us all year. They hit pretty good pitches and it happens."

In their game earlier in the season, the host Pioneers nipped the Chargers, 5-4, as Giarraputo

pitched 6 2/3 innings and hit a grand slam and Reed finished the game for Simi Valley.

LaBelle said three sophomores-shortstop Matt Orloff, Hale and Russo-as well as Sandler are making a major contribution to this year's team.

"We have a whole bunch of sophomores and a freshman that are playing in the lineup everyday and they are doing a fantastic job," the coach said. "They've been asked and demanded to step it up and be varsity players before typically guys are varsity players, and they have done that to a tee."