COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : 5 Cypress Errors Help Golden West Win Title Game

Eighth-inning hits by Josh Bammer and Gary Christopherson helped Golden West College defeat Cypress, 12-5, in the championship game of the Cypress baseball tournament Sunday.

Golden West led, 6-1, after five innings, but Cypress rallied for two runs in the sixth, and two more in the seventh to pull within 6-5.

Golden West (5-1) then bounced back in the eighth and ninth.

Steve McKowen walked to open the eighth and Gerad Cawhorn walked one out later. Bammer singled to left field, scoring McKowen. Christopherson then doubled to the fence in left, scoring Cawhorn and Bammer, and Golden West led, 9-5.

Golden West then scored three runs in the ninth on McKowen’s sacrifice fly, an RBI double by Cawhorn and a Cypress error.

Errors proved to be the downfall for Cypress (8-2), which committed five that led to four unearned runs.

Golden West scored three unearned runs in the third for a 5-0 lead. With one out, Bammer reached base on Cypress shortstop Jason Bates’ throwing error. Christopherson then singled and, after an out, Mike Willey tripled to right to drive in two runs. Willey scored when second baseman Troy Babbitt’s relay throw to third went out of play.

Jeff Henderson (1-0), making his first collegiate start, allowed six hits and three runs, two earned, in 5 2/3 innings for the victory. He also had seven strikeouts.

Derek Ogle had two strikeouts and didn’t allow a hit in the final two innings for the save.

Tom Puppe had three hits for Cypress. Losing pitcher Noe Najera (2-1) allowed six runs, three earned, in 6 2/3 innings.

In the San Diego Southwestern tournament:

Rancho Santiago 10, Los Angeles Harbor 3--Conrad Colby had four hits and scored two runs to help Rancho Santiago win the tournament championship. Steve Grack, Marty Neff and Rob Reimers each had two hits and two RBIs for the Dons (7-0). Rancho Santiago scored three runs in the second and five in the third for an 8-0 lead.

Jay Hassel (2-0) pitched the first five innings for the victory, and Chris Floth pitched the final four innings for the save.