In a March 1 contest against Grace, Samohi’s Jackson Klein pitched seven scoreless innings without giving up a single hit, facing the minimum 21 batters necessary for the no-hitter feat. Along with not giving up a hit, Klein was fanning Grace batters left and right, striking out 13 in all. The Grace matchup was his second straight no-hitter, also throwing one against Hamilton on Feb. 24, while striking out 12 more batters.
Klein was just happy to take the mound against Grace, as he feared the game may have been canceled due to rain, and kept a team success mindset throughout his warm up routine.
“In the bullpen before the game, I was feeling pretty good, pretty dialed in,” Klein said. “My coach is pretty big on attacking hitters early and throwing as many strikes as you can … it sounds pretty obvious, but it’s not the easiest thing to do in the world, at least for me in the past, so that’s been one of my focuses … I just kind of went about the game, [I] had a couple close calls on defense, [but] I was lucky to have a very solid defense behind me. These last two games could not have been accomplished without them.”
He added that he keeps the same routine in the dugout regardless of the current score of his starts, something that longtime teammates are aware of.
“A big majority of the team on varsity have played together since we were very young, maybe like 6-7 years old, so I’ve grown very comfortable and very close to a lot of these guys … [along with] me knowing them very well, they know me very well and they know that when I’m starting, no matter what’s happening in the game, I don’t particularly like to engage in conversation … I like to stay focused and stay locked in … just do my best to keep myself calm, keep my muscles relaxed,” Klein said.
The senior is now an unblemished 4-0 to start the 2023-24 campaign, and has yet to cede a run or earned run over 23 innings. Klein has also hurled 38 strikeouts to just seven opponent walks, with the 38-strikeout mark good for fourth-most in the entire state of California, according to MaxPreps. The high school sports statistical database also shows that Klein is one of five pitchers in the state to achieve four wins thus far, joining La Salle (Pasadena)’s Adrian Hernandez, Westlake Village’s Andrew Habermann, Palm Desert’s Zach Gibbs and Estancia (Costa Mesa)’s Andrew Mits.
Klein has been a key cog in the Vikings’ hot start, as the squad sits at 7-2 through nine contests, including four shutout victories. The Vikings, undefeated on home grass, have been bolstered in the offensive game by Brady Satinover (.571 average, 12 hits, 7 runs scored) and Isaac Liberman (.435 average, 10 hits, 5 runs scored). The senior standout said that this Vikings unit is “by far” the best he’s been a part of in his four seasons.
“It’s a mix of a lot of things … we’re trying our best to get on the same page with one another, obviously nothing can be done in sports alone, it’s a team effort no matter what, so we really wanted to lock that in … we worked really hard in the offseason to really dial in our offense, which has been a little bit of a struggle of ours in the past, but we’ve really gotten our bats going so far,” Klein said.
Samohi Sports Scores
Santa Monica Baseball
Tuesday, February 27: Vikings at Royal, Royal win 6-5
Batting/Baserunning: Jacob Myrow (Senior): 0-1. Gavin Kirtley (Junior): 0-2, K. Sage Douglass (Senior): 1-3, 3B, R, BB. Angel Lomeli (Junior): 0-3, RBI, SF. Bobby Munoz (Senior): 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, K. Spencer Levin (Senior): 0-2, K. Isaac Liberman (Junior): 2-4, 2B, 3B, R, RBI. Jackson Myrow (Junior): 0-3, R, BB, K. Aaron Heirigs (Sophomore): 1-2, 2B, R, RBI, BB. Theo Smith (Senior): 0-1. Manny Lares (Junior): 1-3, SB
Pitching: Eddie Jennings (Junior): 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 4.20 ERA. Tony Ponce (Senior): L, 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Thursday, February 29: Vikings vs Oakwood, Vikings win 4-2
Batting/Baserunning: Sage Douglass (Senior): 0-3, K. Bobby Munoz (Senior): 1-3, 2B, R. Spencer Levin (Senior): 0-1, R, BB, SB. Isaac Liberman (Junior): 1-2, R, BB, FC, 2 SB. Jackson Myrow (Junior): 0-3, K. Aaron Heirigs (Sophomore): 0-3, K. Johnny Recendez (Freshman): 0-2, K. Brady Satinover (Junior): 2-3, R, SB. Manny Lares (Junior): 0-3
Pitching: Gavin Kirtley (Junior): W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA. Tony Ponce (Senior): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 0.00 ERA. Aaron Heirigs (Sophomore): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 K
Friday, March 1: Vikings vs Grace Vikings win 5-0
Batting/Baserunning: Jacob Myrow (Senior): 0-1, RBI. Sage Douglass (Senior): 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SB. Bobby Munoz (Senior): 1-3, R, BB. Spencer Levin (Senior): 0-1, R, SH/B, BB. Isaac Liberman (Junior): 1-1, RBI, 3 BB. Jackson Myrow (Junior): 2-4, RBI, K. Aaron Heirigs (Sophomore): 0-3, K. Theo Smith (Senior): 2-3, R, FC. Brady Satinover (Junior): 2-3, R, RBI, BB. Manny Lares (Junior): 0-2, BB, K
Pitching: Jackson Klein (Senior): W, 7.0 IP, 0 H, 13 K, 0.00 ERA
Vikings Record : 7-2, Next Game: Tuesday at Peninsula, 3:15pm.
Santa Monica Softball
Monday, February 26: Lady Vikings vs Torrance, Tie 2-2
Batting: Cienna Burgos: 0-2, BB, K. Avey Thompson: 0-0, SH/B, 2 BB. Maya Paysinger: 0-2, R, BB, FC. Drew Vudmaska: 1-2, RBI, BB. Haley Riehl: 0-3, K. Sakura Krohn: 0-2, SH/B, K. Talia Yermian: 0-2, BB, K. Andrea Castro: 0-2, R, BB. Bella Myers: 1-3, FC
Pitching: Drew Vudmaska: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP, 1.17 ERA
Wednesday, February 28: Lady Vikings vs Bishop Montgomery, Lady Vikings win 5-0
Batting/Baserunning: Cienna Burgos: 0-1, R, K. Avey Thompson: 1-2, 3B, R, BB, K. Maya Paysinger: 1-2, BB. Jasmine Arana: 1-3, RBI. Drew Vudmaska: 1-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, K. Sakura Krohn: 2-3, R, BB, FC, SB. Alyssa Gonzalez: 0-3. Talia Yermian: 0-3, R, HBP, FC. Bella Myers: 1-4. Brooke Meshekow: 1-3, K
Pitching: Drew Vudmaska: W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Friday, March 1: Lady Vikings vs Mira Costa, Mira Costa win 3-2
Batting: Cienna Burgos: 0-4, 2 K. Maya Paysinger: 0-1, R, SH/B, BB, K. Drew Vudmaska: 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, K. Haley Riehl: 2-3. Debbie Amezquita: 1-3, 2B, K. Sakura Krohn: 1-3, K. Talia Yermian: 1-3, SH/B, K. Andrea Castro: 0-3, K. Bella Myers: 0-2, BB, K
Pitching: Drew Vudmaska: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K
Lady Vikings Record : 5-3-1 (0-1 Bay League) Next Game: Wednesday vs Saint Monica, 3:15pm.
Santa Monica Boys Volleyball
Monday, February 26: Vikings vs Beverly Hills, Vikings win 3-0
Wednesday, February 28: Vikings vs Brentwood School, Vikings win 3-0
Vikings Record : 6-3 Next Game: Wednesday vs Peninsula, 3:30pm.
Santa Monica Boys Lacrosse
Tuesday, February 27: Vikings vs Crespi, Crespi win 13-6
Thursday, February 29: Vikings at Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes win 12-7
Vikings Record : 1-4 Next Game: Tuesday at St. John Bosco, 3:30pm.
thomas@smdp.com