2-A BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Four Hours, 20 Walks, Eight Errors and 35 Runs Later, Grossmont Wins

The score and quality of play resembled a Little League game instead of a San Diego Section 2-A semifinal. In fact, the four-hour marathon between Grossmont and Madison at times bordered on the ridiculous. Both teams blew seven-run leads in a game with 20 walks, four hit batsmen, eight errors and 35 runs.

But when Benny Craig crossed the plate with Grossmont’s 18th run in the bottom of the seventh innings, aesthetics didn’t matter.

What mattered most: Grossmont reached its second consecutive 2-A final Saturday after an 18-17 victory in front of an overflow crowd at Grossmont College.

The Foothillers (28-1) will meet Mission Bay, which defeated University of San Diego High, 12-5. It was the Buccaneers’ fourth victory over the Dons in five meetings.

Unseeded Mission Bay (22-8) and top-seeded Grossmont meet Thursday at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium after the Padres-Houston Astros game, which begins at 1 p.m.

All Grossmont Coach Jeff Meredith could do after the game was shake his head and ask himself how his team won.

“I’ve never been a part of a game like that and I hope I never am again,” said Meredith, whose team batted in the bottom of the seventh inning for the first time in two years. “After we went up 17-10, I made the mistake of saying to Tim Layson (assistant coach), ‘I think we’ve got it.’ That was stupid.”

By the game’s end, Meredith’s pitching staff was so decimated he had to call on sophomore JV pitcher Mark Olson to finish. Starter Mike Spears allowed seven runs, all unearned, in 2 2/3 innings.

Olson, the fifth Grossmont pitcher, allowed Mike Jones’ game-tying two-run double off the right-field wall, but he retired Brian Delgado on strikes to keep the game tied at 17. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Matt Jones drove in Craig by beating out a grounder, making Olson the winner.

Craig reached third on a hustle play--going from first to third on a sacrifice bunt when no one covered third base.

Grossmont had its 17-10 lead after Wynter Phoenix’s fly ball scored two runs in the sixth. Phoenix was 0 for 2 with four RBIs and two runs scored. He walked twice with the bases loaded.

But catcher Todd Cady, 1990’s section player of the year, was the Foothillers’ offensive star. Cady drove in three runs with double in the third that broke a 7-7 tie and capped Grossmont’s 10-run inning.

Cady also singled twice, was walked intentionally and was hit by a pitch. In the third, he tagged out Matt Campbell after blocking the plate--putting an end to Madison’s five-run inning.

Madison, which had 14 hits, was led by Mike Jones’ two hits and five RBIs and Jerry Jones’ three hits and three RBIs.

In Mission Bay’s easy victory, the Buccaneers banged out 12 hits, six coming from the top three batters in the order. They broke a 4-4 tie with four runs in the fourth and added three more in the fifth.

J.J. Ibarra was two for three with an RBI triple, a walk and hit by pitch. Jason Enomoto reached base in all five trips and scored three times, and Marlin Gardinera had an RBI single, an RBI double, walked twice and stole a base.

Josh Rees (3-2) gained the victory, and Enomoto earned a save by throwing three innings of one-run relief.

“The kids played well,” said Buccaneers Coach Dennis Pugh. “They haven’t been intimidated by anybody.”