Titan leadoff man sets school record for stolen bases After a head- fi rst slide tore up Brendan Satran’s shoulder, the Arcadia leadoff man heads into the bag feet fi rst on his way to a school record for stolen bases. Photo by Dale Messmer. By Wayne Schutsky In his third varsity season, Arcadia center fi elder Brendan Satran has destroyed one school record and is running rampant on the base paths. During a March 23 loss at Notre Dame, Satran stole his 22nd and 23rd bases of the season to break the Arcadia High School record of 22 set by former JV coach Dave Nowak in 1999. And he did not stop there. Following an 18-6 win over Maricopa on April 13, Satran had amassed 32 stolen bases on the season. While it may be a stretch, that number gives him an outside shot of catching up to the 4A state record (51 stolen bases set by Moon Valley Rocket Steve Garrabrants in 2000) by the end of the season. Outside of the sheer number of bases Satran has stolen this year, it is also worth mentioning that it took the junior only 14 games to surpass the 12-year-old mark. This feat is even more impressive considering Satran only stole 15 bases in 30 games last season. It’s not that Satran is any faster this year, according to his father Scott Satran, who says that his son has always shown a knack for outrunning the other kids. “We fi rst really noticed his speed when he was playing in a youth soccer game when he was 8-years-old,” said Scott. “One of the other kids was on a breakaway, and Brendan ran him down from about 30 yards, stole the ball and scored going the other way. “He has just always been faster than everyone else.” If not more speed, then what? According to Brendan, he re fi ned his baserunning skills over the offseason in order to enhance his chances on the base paths. During that time, he played with All-Star Baseball Academy and worked on reading pitches and getting better jumps. “He started stealing a lot more bases during the end of last season and in Connie Mack,” said Scott. “During the summer, he started stealing bases pretty easily off some of the top players in the state.” The Arcadia coaching staff has taken notice of Satran’s improved ability and given him free range once he gets on base. “I don’t need a sign to steal this year, so I’ve had more opportunities,” said Brendan. Despite the lack of signs, he seems to be making pretty good decisions on the diamond, and it has been re fl ected in his startling success rate. As of April 13, Satran had stolen 32 bases in 33 attempts. Arcadia coach Ken Rudolph credits Satran’s ability to get on base as well his more aggressive style. “He is getting on base more,” said Rudolph. “He reads pitches and is giving himself opportunities to steal.” This increased aggressiveness comes despite the fact that Satran suffered a serious shoulder injury while playing on varsity as a freshman in 2009. While running the bases, he slid head fi rst and dislocated his right shoulder and ended up with a torn labrum. The injury forced him to miss the football season his sophomore year, but he was back on the diamond by the time baseball season rolled around. While a baserunning injury might temper some base stealers, it hasn’t slowed Satran down a bit. “Other than sliding feet fi rst from now on, the injury never affected his aggressiveness,” said Scott. In addition to the stolen bases, Satran is putting on a clinic at the plate. His batting average has hovered between .400 and .500 for most of the season, and he has been among Arcadia’s leaders in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and runs scored. Golf aids Boys & Girls Clubs An annual golf tournament again bene fi ts the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. The Scottsdale Invitational, sponsored by Ironwood Investment Counsel, will be May 16 at Troon Country Club. The event begins with breakfast, followed by a round of golf on one of the Valley’s premier private golf courses. The day concludes with a reception that includes lunch, a silent auction and an awards presentation. All proceeds support youth-development programs for children and teens served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. Foursomes start at $1,200. Single playing spots are $300. Included are greens fees, breakfast, lunch and awards presentation. For more information, call 480.344.5682. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. Shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale serve about 16,000 children and teens through the organization’s nine branches and 12 outreach sites. The clubs offer more than 100 programs for youths in the arts, sports, health and life skills school/career development, and leadership. A RC A DI A SPORTS PAGE A RC A DI A SPORTS PAGE Page 50 May 2011