Culver City High School baseball has the look of a brand new team

It's time for Culver City High School baseball. The new look Centaurs are currently 3-3 and they are hoping to surprise some people with a new head coach and new star players but one thing remains the same. It's still one of the best looking high baseball stadiums in Southern California.

Head coach Devaughn Wallace replaced long time head coach Rick Prieto last summer and Wallace is hoping to continue the winning tradition establish by Prieto.

Wallace spoke to the media last Tuesday after his team beat Hawthorne 16-3 on their home field. "That's what we play for. We play to win. Guys are working hard and you can't take anything away from what they are doing regardless of who we play. The other team has to throw strikes and we have to hit strikes."

Wallace, who was a two sport star in baseball and football at Culver City High School in the late 1990's is pleased with the development of his team. "I really like how we are starting to come together. We haven't fully come together yet but you can see the camaraderie picking up and the guys are wanting it just a little bit more so I am happy about that."

According to Wallace the pitching staff is producing but he is still trying to figure out why his team is giving up runs in the first inning. "We get a little excited in the first inning but once we get pass those silly mistakes early in the game, we finish strong. We have been working on mental toughness."

One player that is mentally and physically tough is senior, Tommy Peacock. Peacock is playing with an injured left shoulder, but he plays every game. "I had to be a problem solver," said Peacock who pitches and plays left field.

Last years' team, who was led by two players that are currently playing for Long Beach State was 16-8 overall and 8-2 in the tough Bay league. Wallace knows teams think Culver City is rebuilding but he has a surprise for them. "Once we come in and play our game it's going to be a tough baseball game to win against us."