|
Tustin, Jennings earn trip back to playoffs
|
Baseball roundup: El Modena grabs share of Century title by beating Canyon, 3-0.
Greg Jennings had coached Tustin baseball for 10 years. His team had not reached the postseason since moving to the Century League in 2003, and he had a 4-year-old child. Thirteen of 16 varsity players had graduated.
It was time to think about turning in his uniform.
“I figured I'd give it the summer and see how things went,” Jennings said. “Right away, I saw a big difference in the approach to the game (by his players). They have a great mental makeup.”
On Thursday, the Tillers rewarded Jennings for sticking with them. The visitors defeated Brea Olinda, 8-3, in the regular-season finale, grabbing the Century League's third and final playoff spot.
It marked a major turnaround for right-hander Joey Delia and his team.
The last time the junior threw — two weeks ago at Canyon — he was suffering from a pulled muscle in his right side and gave up 10 runs before recording an out.
“I knew I just had a bad day,” said Delia, who allowed two earned runs and no walks in a complete-game victory.
Apparently, his teammates knew, too. “Everyone was saying, ‘You're the guy we want out there,'” Delia said.
On Tuesday, Brea tattooed the Tillers in Tustin, 17-0, to keep its postseason hopes alive. Although the Wildcats (12-14, 7-8) fell short of the playoffs, they had their best year since entering the Century League.
For the first time, they beat Canyon and won their season series with Villa Park and El Dorado.
“We established a reputation as a team that you can't just show up and pad your stats against anymore,” fourth-year coach Michael Baker said.
Next week, the Tillers (11-13-1, 7-8) face another league's No.1 seed, but they have confidence.
They won their last CIF Southern Section championship as a No. 3 seed in 1993.
Win or lose, will their coach return to build his legacy?
“Oh yeah!” Jennings said. “We have 14 of 22 guys coming back. Oh yeah!”
(Click to see more stats from Tustin-Brea Olinda game)
Also in the Century League:
El Modena 3, Canyon 0: Matt Treybig pitched a four-hitter as the host Vanguards (14-12, 10-5) tied Canyon for the league championship.
They are the league's No.1 team after defeating Canyon twice.
In the Empire League:
Katella 3, Cypress 2: Nick Ramirez had three hits, including a homer, and threw a five-hitter for his ninth victory of the season as the Knights (20-7, 12-3) edged the visiting Centurions.
Katella won the Empire League title, snapping Cypress' five-year reign.
In the Garden Grove League:
Garden Grove 22, Bolsa Grande 3: Jordan Geiger had five RBIs for the visiting Argonauts (13-13, 9-6), who clinched the league's No. 3 playoff spot.
La Quinta 14, Los Amigos 2: Nate Honnes went 4 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored, and Taylor Wilson went 3 for 5 with a double and three RBIs as the Aztecs (19-7, 14-1) routed the host Lobos (3-17, 3-12).
La Quinta clinched its 16th consecutive league title, setting a state record, last week.
In the South Coast League:
No. 5 Capistrano Valley 7, No. 6 Aliso Niguel 2: Nolan Clark hit a three-run home run for the visiting Cougars (19-8, 11-4), who will be the league's No. 1 team in the Division I playoffs. Aliso Niguel is the league's No. 3.
The Cougars' Kyle Hendricks struck out eight and walked two in six innings for his seventh victory. Mike Morey pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the seventh.
Stefan Sabol homered for Aliso Niguel (9-6 in league).
Tesoro 5, Mission Viejo 4 (11 innings): Micah Gorman had five hits, including a single to drive in Brady Loy in the 11th, as the Titans (18-8, 11-4) slipped past the host Diablos.
The Titans clinched a share of the league title with Capistrano Valley.
Gorman went 5 for 6 with a double and an RBI. Robbie Picazo pitched two innings of relief for his fifth victory.
In the Freeway League:
La Habra 5, Sonora 4: Christian Salinas broke a 3-3 tie with a run-scoring double in the fifth inning and gave up one run in five innings to lift the visiting Highlanders (14-9, 11-4).
La Habra clinched second place and has won nine of its past 11 games.
In the Golden West League:
Orange 6, Ocean View 2: Kody Farrel tripled and had two RBIs, and Steven Garber added three hits, two RBIs and a run scored for the Panthers in their victory.
In the Sea View League:
Foothill 7, El Toro 2: Nick Falbo went 3 for 4 with a run scored, and Corey Schultz had two hits to lift the host Knights (17-9, 10-5) past the Chargers (20-7, 11-4).
Carson Aprato gave up two runs (one earned) in five innings for his third victory of the season.
In the San Joaquin League:
Saddleback Valley Christian 12, Fairmont Prep 0: Gregg Romero and Shane McCustion combined on the school's first no-hitter for the Warriors (16-5, 11-1).
>> See all scores from Thursday's games
Contact the writer: jkay@ocregister.com
We want our site to be a place where people discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. We built this for you. Please take care of it. Tolerate broad thinking, but take action against obscene or hateful material. Make it a credible and safe place worth preserving and sharing.
