If there was one thing Santa Margarita did best on its way to winning a CIF-SS Division 1 championship this season, it was responding.
Coach David Bacani repeatedly praised the Eagles’ ability to come back with an answer whenever something didn’t break their way. Nobody embodied that better than Santa Margarita’s ace, Griffin Canning.
During the Division 1 final against Foothill at Dodger Stadium, Canning began to struggle after dominating the early innings.
In the sixth, he walked in a run with the bases loaded and no outs. With his team’s lead cut to two runs, Canning finished the inning by inducing a double play and striking out a batter.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Canning walked the first two batters of the seventh, only to draw another double play, which helped seal a 3-1 victory for the Eagles.
On the biggest of stages, Canning had pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts. It was a fitting performance for the Register’s pitcher of the year.
The UCLA-bound senior finished the season with an 11-3 record, two saves, 123 strikeouts and a 1.51 ERA in 88 innings pitched.
“When you have Griffin on the mound, he’s in full control, there’s no panic,” Bacani said after the CIF finals performance.
Given a few days to reflect, Bacani added: “His poise and presence on the mound is something I haven’t seen in a high school pitcher in a long time. It’s just proven in the way he’s dealt with adversity.”
In the playoffs, Canning went 3-0 in his three starts. He struck out 10 batters in a first-round victory against Mission Viejo. He posted 12 more strikeouts in a quarterfinal win against Norco, then finished off his postseason with the 11-strikeout game against Foothill.
He also recorded a strikeout during a save in a one-run victory against Fountain Valley in the second round.
“I knew that team put everything on his back,” Foothill coach Vince Brown said. “He did it offensively and did the job on the mound. He’s just outstanding.”
Brown also commended Canning’s ability to throw his fastball, slider and breaking ball really well.
With those pitches working, it’s no wonder Canning was confident while in control of his team’s destiny.
“I kind of embraced it,” he said. “I know my team trusted me, and I trusted them.”
The Colorado Rockies believed in Canning’s skills and drafted him in the 38th round of the Major League Baseball draft just one day after he led Santa Margarita to its first CIF-SS title in baseball.
“It was pretty cool, I actually found out on Twitter,” Canning said. “Then one of the guys in the Rockies’ organization called me. It was awesome.”
Canning will hold off on those major league dreams, though, and will honor his commitment to the Bruins and their coach, John Savage.
So it might not be long before Canning is seen dominating on the mound for another program that wears blue and gold.
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
