Agoura High School's baseball team, led by coach Adam Goldstein, has overcome multiple breakdowns and adversity to reach the CIF Southern Section Division 3 finals. With a talented roster and a strong team dynamic, the Chargers are looking to make a statement in their second appearance in the CIF-SS finals.
player ready... Agoura baseball head coach Adam Goldstein fires up his team at Agoura High School . Agoura’s first-year baseball coach Adam Goldstein probably wasn’t so jovial when his Chargers were blowing leads in the seventh inning this spring.
However, just days before a CIF Southern Section championship game, he can look back on those head-shaking moments with a grin.
“We were up 4-1 against Westlake in the seventh with two outs and two strikes,” Goldstein said with a cynical laugh. “We lost 9-4. That’s hard to do. ” You know what’s even harder?
Growing from a colossal breakdown — or in Agoura’s case — multiple colossal breakdowns.
“These guys like each other,” Goldstein said. “Once the work caught up with the confidence, that’s when we came together.
”from a fifth-place Marmonte League team with a second chance via an at-large berth into the playoffs, all the way to the CIF Southern Section Division 3 finals, where they’ll face Mira Costa at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at 1 p.m. Agoura High School pitcher Donovan Anthony delivers a pitch against Oakwood during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff victory Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills. Agoura High School’s Colton Mellinger rounds the bases after hitting a homerun against Oakwood in a CIF-SS D3 playoff game on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills.
Agoura High School pitcher Donovan Anthony celebrates with teammates after throwing a complete-game shutout against Oakwood in a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff victory Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills. Agoura High School’s Tyler Starling is hoisted into the air after hitting a first-inning home run against Oakwood during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills.
Agoura High School third baseman Colton Mellinger and pitcher Donovan Anthony celebrate after recording an out in a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff victory over Oakwood on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills. Agoura High School’s Zack Greene slides safely into second base ahead of the throw as Oakwood’s Jake Waco fields the ball during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills.
Agoura High School’s Colton Mellinger slides safely into third base with a triple ahead of the tag from Oakwood’s Cole Perkins Tift during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills. Agoura High School’s Tyler Starling rounds the bases after hitting a first-inning home run against Oakwood during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills.
Agoura High School pitcher Donovan Anthony delivers a pitch against Oakwood during a CIF-SS Division 3 playoff victory Friday, May 15, 2026, in Agoura Hills. Goldstein says the team’s three-game league series against Thousand Oaks was the turnaround moment. Agoura beat the Lancers two out of three times and scored 12 and 16 runs, respectively, in the two victories. The Chargers have talent, too.
Senior center fielder Tyler Starling and senior shortstop Braden Oliver are the stars of the team in the field and at the plate. Starling, who is batting .337 with 30 hits, 33 RBIs and seven homers, is touted as one of Ventura County’s best athletes.
“I’m not kidding, this postseason alone, he’s single-handedly taken away five or six runs on defense in center field,” Goldstein said. Oliver is a UC Irvine commit and immediately stands out at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. He’s an MLB prospect with major league bloodlines. His father, Brian, played for the Texas Rangers.
Oliver is batting .312 with 30 hits, 25 RBIs, seven doubles and seven home runs this season. From the bump, the star arm is senior Donovan Anthony, who will be the starter in Saturday’s final. In 11 appearances this spring, his ERA is 0.53 with 71 strikeouts in 52⅔ innings of work.
Then there are the foundational role guys. Freshman pitcher Zach Partee anchored the team in their semifinal win earlier in the week. Freshman catcher Dirt Ibanez has emerged as an invaluable part of the team after numerous catchers ahead of him went down with injuries.
“He does everything,” Goldstein said. “He steals bases. He’ll execute a hit and run. He’ll turn something routine into an out or an extra base hit.
He’s so easy to root for. ” Saturday will be Agoura’s second appearance in the CIF-SS finals. The Chargers reached the Division 1 final in 2006, but lost to Lakewood 2-1. Goldstein was an assistant coach for Agoura’s softball program for eight years before raising his hand for the baseball job.
His son played baseball at Harvard-Westlake. His daughter played softball at Agoura. Both went on to play at UC Santa Barbara.
“I tell people that being an empty nester isn’t all that great. It’s so bad,“I’m kidding. But I’m so glad I raised my hand for this,” he added.
“What a wonderful season we’re having. But I tell you what, we aren’t just happy to be there , we are there to win the thing. ”
Agoura High School CIF Southern Section Division 3 Finals Baseball Coach Adam Goldstein Team Resilience
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