Griffins get their highest CCCAA playoff seed in 20 years

By ECS Staff
Updated: May 2, 2016

2016 GROSSMONT COLLEGE SOFTBALL

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

SACRAMENTO (5-2-16) — The Grossmont College softball team received their highest seed in the California Community College Athletic Association’s (CCCAA) playoffs they have had in the last 20 years.

The Griffins (26-12-1) are the 8th seed out of the 18 teams that made the playoff bracket. Their reward for having a schedule that challenged them at every turn is being able to host the 9 seed Santa Barbara City College (28-11) on Saturday (May 7) and Sunday (May 8).

Grossmont finished second in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (that will send three teams to the playoffs). Finishing 8th in the final rankings in Southern California and second place in the PCAC behind Palomar (33-5, 4th seed). The final team that made it out of the PCAC is Southwestern (24-15-1, 12th seed).

Santa Barbara finished third in the Western State-Gold division. That division will send three teams to the dance. Division champion Moorpark (28-8) is the 11 seed and will have to travel to College of the Canyons (29-11, Champions of the Western State-Blue division). Ventura (26-13, second place WS-G) will be hosting a play-in game on Tuesday (May 3) against Rio Hondo (16-24, 3rd place Foothill).

SCOUTING SANTA BARBARA

The Vaqueros will be making their first playoff appearance in four seasons. In the month of April, the Central Coast team went 5-4 to close out the season. Over the course of the season in games against playoff qualifiers Santa Barbara went 6-7. Against both of the Western State-Gold qualifiers they went 2-4.

SBCC is just outside the top 10 in runs scored (11th with 288 runs). The offensive monster that is Santa Barbara have scored double digit runs 14 times out of their 39 games.

In the circle, the Vaqs have an ERA a full run lower than Grossmont (2.88 to 3.87). Leading the way for the Red and Black is freshman Madison McNamee (16-6, 2.30 ERA (43er/131ip)) and has completed 12 of her 19 games that she started. Filling out the pitching staff for the Vaqueros is fellow freshman Rebecca Pullen (12-5, 1 save, 3.61 ERA (53er/102.2ip)). The pair of freshmen allowed only 8 home runs all season, while having a +/- (differential between walks and strikeouts) +57 (73 walks/130 strikeouts).

Offensively, SBCC has eight players batting over .300 (with at least 20 at bats), including three that are hitting over .400. Ten players have scored at least 10 runs, half that amount have scored 30 or more times. Nine batters have left the yard at least once, with four tied with two for the team lead.

When looking at speed this team has it. Of the 59 stolen base attempts, the Vaqueros have been successful 54 times. The top two thieves for SBCC are Alyssa-Rae Jewell (15) and Sydney Townes (14). Third on the team is Monica Salas who has five.

The schedule for the playoffs at Grossmont will be a single game at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (May 7). On Sunday (May 8) the teams are guaranteed to play at 12:00 noon. If a game three is necessary, it is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. All games will be played on the campus of Grossmont College.

The baseball team will be hosting at least one game on Saturday that starts at 11:00 a.m. and the sand volleyball state championships are also being held at Grossmont. The volleyball matches are scheduled for Friday through Sunday.

Fans are asked to be aware that there are multiple events going on at Grossmont this weekend and parking tickets will need to be purchased from the parking meters in the parking lots.