Chargers edge Griffins in SoCal sectional opener

2016 GROSSMONT COLLEGE BASEBALL

 

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

 

CYPRESS (5-21-16) — The fifth seed Grossmont College Griffins showed some power at the plate offensively, but it wasn’t enough as they lost 6-5 to the fourth seed Cypress College Chargers on Friday (May 20) in the Southern California Sectionals at Cypress College Baseball field.

 

TANNER PERRY (Steele Canyon) and MICHAEL DIFFLEY (Granite Hills) both hit home runs for the Griffins (31-11) in the loss.

 

Normally, five runs would be enough behind the stellar Griffin pitching this season.  This season when the Griffins score 4-6 runs in a game they are 8-6.

 

Of course, ALAN STRONG (Santana) doesn’t normally allow six runs (five earned) and walk five batters when he throws either.  But that is what happened in game one of the best-of-three series.

 

Cypress (29-13) jumped on the Griffins as they put four runs on the board in the bottom of the first.

 

In the top of the third the Green and Gold broke through.  Diffley hit his fourth home run of the season in leadoff fashion to dead center field.

 

In the bottom of the inning, the Chargers added another run to make it 5-1.

 

Grossmont wouldn’t give up however.  TREVOR BEARD (San Clemente) walked to begin the fourth inning.  JUSTIN MITCHELL (Granite Hills) reached second on a dropped fly ball to the right fielder.  The error allowed Beard to move to third.  ANDRES RIOS (Mater Dei, San Diego) singled to center field to drive in both Mitchell and Beard to make it 5-3 Cypress.

 

The bottom of the inning saw the Blue and Gold of Cypress come right back and put up their final run of the game and make it 6-3 at the end of four innings.

 

Perry hit his home run to left field with two outs in the top of the seventh to make the score 6-4 at the stretch.

 

The Griffins threatened in the eighth inning as they had runners on the corners with one out.  That rally faded quickly as Mitchell was erased on a fielder’s choice at the plate for the second out of the inning.

 

In the ninth, Diffley was hit by a pitch to open the frame.  Perry walked to give the Griffins runners at first and second with one out.  After the Chargers brought in their closer, Diffley advanced on a wild pitch.  NOAH STROHL (La Jolla) had a productive out.  As he grounded out to second allowing Diffley to score what would end up being the final run of the day.

 

The two teams will be back at it today (Saturday, May 21) at 1:00 p.m. in Cypress with the Griffins being the home team.  Should the Griffins win the game, there would be a third and deciding game on Sunday at Cypress at noon.

 

 

Grossmont 5

Cypress  6

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