Griffins sweep Bakersfield, advance to SoCal semifinals

2016 GROSSMONT COLLEGE BASEBALL

 

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

 

EL CAJON (5-15-16) — In this magical season that the fifth seeded Grossmont College Griffins are having, they can now add a school record.  Never before has a Griffin baseball team won four consecutive post-season games.  Of course now that they have, the waiting begins.

 

They wait to find out who they face next weekend in the 2016 CCCAA Baseball Southern California semifinals as they defeated the nine seed Bakersfield College Renegades (28-12) 8-1 on Saturday (May 14) to sweep the Super Regional at Noel Michelsen Field.

 

DONAVON McCRYSTAL (10-0, LL) continues to race up the Grossmont (31-10) pitching record books.  McCrystal added another seven strong innings, six hit performance that only had one blip on the screen.  That blip was a lead-off home run by Brooks Douglas.

 

The Griffins were the designated visiting team in the second game of the series.  TANNER PERRY (LL) walked with one out in the top of the first.  NOAH STROHL (La Jolla) followed that walk with a double down the left field line that brought Perry home for a 1-0 lead.  Strohl would be stranded at second after a pair of pop outs.

 

Douglas hit his lead-off home run to left center to tie the game up at 1-1 after just three pitches.

 

But then it became all Grossmont, all the time.

 

In the top of the third, CABOT VAN TIL (Patrick Henry) began with the single to left field.  Perry walked to move him to second.  After a fly out, ROBERT BOSTEDT (LL) coaxed a walk out of the Bakersfield pitcher to load the bases up.  TREVOR BEARD (LL) singled to right field to move the merry-go-round depositing Van Til off at home plate and a 2-1 Griffin lead.  That lead expanded to 3-1 on the same play when the right fielder misplayed the ball allowing Perry to score from second.  JUSTIN MITCHELL (LL) reached via a fielder’s choice.  Beard was taken out on the play but Bostedt came around to score from second as the throw from the shortstop sailed over the first baseman’s glove giving Grossmont a 4-1 lead.

 

Things were quiet for five innings before the Green and Gold blew the game open with a four run eighth inning.

 

After a pitching change for Bakersfield who got the leadoff batter to ground out to begin the inning.  Mitchell singled through the right side to get things rolling.  ANDRES RIOS (Mater Dei, San Diego) followed Mitchell and singled through the same hole, moving Mitchell to second.  JUSTEN BURKEY (LL) singled to left field moving Rios to second.  Burkey came in to make it 5-1 Grossmont.  After a fly out, Van Til hit a laser that nearly took the head off the Renegades pitcher.  Rios came in on that play and Burkey went to second.  Perry blooped a single down the right field line to bring in Burkey and wrap Van Til around to third.  Strohl singled through the left side to bring in Van Til for the final run of the day.

 

The Griffins will have to wait until Sunday to find out who and where they are playing next week.

 

SUPER REGIONAL UPDATE:
3 Golden West Vs. 18 Riverside: A day after Golden West won in extra innings, Riverside came back and shutout the Rustlers 1-0.

 

4 Cypress Vs. 17 Fullerton: Fullerton blanked Cypress on Friday.  Cypress came out on Saturday and scored eight runs before Fullerton broke through.  The Chargers ended up winning 11-4 to tie the series up.

 

6 Cuesta Vs. 7 Chaffey: Cuesta won the first game on Friday by a 8-3 count.  Saturday saw Chaffey come back and put a 10 spot on the board to take a 10-8 victory.

 

All three series will be decided on Sunday (May 15) in deciding game threes.  Those games will begin at 12:00 noon.

 

 

Grossmont  8

Bakersfield  1

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