Community College State Baseball Tournament : Dons Fail to Win in Final : Sacramento City Claims the Title, Sweeping 2 Games

Some Sacramento City College fans wore shirts to this weekend’s Community College State Baseball Tournament that read, “Win The Last Game.”

The slogan was referring to last season when Cerritos swept two games from Sacramento to win the title.

Rancho Santiago followers might want to take over the slogan because for the second time in three seasons, Rancho Santiago couldn’t win the season finale and lost a chance to be state champion.

Sacramento City College scored four runs in the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie and defeat Rancho Santiago, 8-4, to complete a sweep of a doubleheader to win the 1988 State Community College Baseball Title Sunday at UC Irvine in front of 650.

Sacramento City (46-10) had won the first game, 14-8.

Sacramento City also becomes the third consecutive team to sweep two games on the final day of the tournament to win the title. Cerritos last season, took two from Sacramento and in 1986, College of the Canyons took two games from Rancho Santiago to win the title.

“Sure we had a great season,” Don Sneddon, Rancho Santiago coach, said. “But to lose the last one leaves a sour taste that will be there for a long time. We need to work to become one game better.”

The end of the season also means the end of Bobby Hamelin’s season-long attack on the record books. Hamelin hit two home runs in the first game Sunday to end with 31 home runs and 107 RBIs.

“We’ve been on both sides and this side feels really good,” Jerry Weinstein, Sacramento City coach, said. “We didn’t feel any pressure today having to win two games. This is suppose to be fun. We just came out and did the things we needed to do.”

Rancho Santiago (39-9) had defeated Sacramento City, 15-5, Saturday but Sacramento City defeated Cerritos, 8-4, Saturday night to advance to Sunday’s championship.

The teams reached the ninth inning of the second game tied, 4-4. Rob Bargas singled to right to open the inning off loser Tim MacNeil.

Pinch-hitter Brett Marshall then bunted and Rancho Santiago’s MacNeil threw late to second, putting runners on first and second. MacNeil was then replaced by Brett Snyder.

Todd James tried to bunt, but after two strikes grounded the ball to third baseman Ed Luna who threw late to second, loading the bases.

With the count 1-2 to Bill Silvan, Snyder threw a wild pitch, allowing Bargas to score. The ball bounced off the plate and into the air only a few feet from the plate, but catcher Don Roberson could not find the ball in time.

Snyder then struck out Silvan for the first out. After Jason Ellwein was walked intentionally, Snyder struck out Dusty Madsen for the second out. Snyder was then ahead of Bob Reboin, 0-2, but hung a breaking pitch and Reboin tripled to right-center to drive in three runs.

Reliever Bob Boyce, who pitched the final two innings for the victory, retired Rancho Santiago in order in the ninth.

“All the credit goes to their side,” Sneddon said. “I really can’t pin-point anything exactly as to the reason we lost. Sacramento City just played well for two games today.”

In the first game:

Sacramento 14, Rancho Santiago 8--Sacramento forced a second game with a 19-hit attack. Rancho Santiago scored three runs in the top of the fourth but Sacramento City rallied with seven in the fourth, four in the fifth and three more in the seventh.

Ellwein was 5 for 5, scored 2 runs and had 2 RBIs. Tom Manley and Reboin had three hits each for Sacramento City.

Madsen, worked four inning in relief of starter James to get the victory. Madsen is 5-1. Curtis Ralph pitched the final two innings for Sacramento City. David Tellers, Rancho Santiago’s ace, took the loss and is 11-2.