Cypress Edges San Bernardino, Sweeps Series
Some faulty relief pitching turned a one-sided game into a close one, but host Cypress hung on to beat San Bernardino Valley, 7-6, in a Southern California baseball playoff game Saturday.
The victory gives top-seeded Cypress (35-11) a sweep in the best-of-three series.
The Chargers will host one of two four-team regional playoffs starting Friday with some familiar opponents.
Friday, Cypress opens against Mt. San Antonio and Saddleback will take on Riverside. Saddleback and Riverside are members of the Orange Empire Conference along with Cypress.
The teams were tied, 1-1, Saturday when Cypress (35-11) broke loose for six runs in the seventh.
The first two runs came on a two-run homer by sophomore first baseman Jeremy Booth, the hottest-hitting Charger. It was his third homer in two games and his 12th of the season.
In his last eight games, Booth is 18 for 26 with four doubles, eight homers and 19 runs batted in.
“I’m just seeing the ball really well,” Booth said. “I moved four or five inches off the plate and it really helped.”
Scott Daeley and Keith Ginter had RBI singles and two more runs scored on an error as Cypress took a 7-1 lead.
Cypress starter Ara Petrosian (8-3) walked a batter with one out in the eighth and was replaced by Brian Greene. Greene had pitched a shutout ninth in Friday’s 12-4 victory over San Bernardino Valley.
But Saturday he struggled, giving up three hits, a walk and four runs. He was replaced by ace reliever Keith Ginter who gave up two run-scoring singles to cut the lead to 7-6.
After an error left runners on second and third, Ginter got two fly-ball outs to end the inning. Both came on a count of three balls and one strike.
Ginter then worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
“He comes to play,” Cypress Coach Scott Pickler said about Ginter. “He’s locked in. He’s a nice kid to have on your squad.”
Matt Roman had two hits and scored a run and Greg Jacobs had a home run, his first for Cypress.
Tom Schilling had a two-run single for San Bernardino Valley (24-19).
In other playoff games:
Rancho Santiago 7-21, Cuesta 2-0--Brent Howes was five for six in the second game with three runs scored and two RBIs for Rancho Santiago, which advanced. Kevin Duck added three hits and four RBIs for the Dons.
In the first game, Tony Zuniga, Derek Baker and Ryan Fullerton had home runs and Jeff Bowman threw six innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory for Rancho Santiago (33-12).
Saddleback 12, Los Angeles Pierce 7--Paul Day was four for five with two home runs and three RBIs to lead Saddleback to beat Pierce in the first-round series. John Lauderdale had a home run and a double for Saddleback (28-13-1). Pierce finishes the season 28-14.