Hitting Plan Puts Cleveland in Final

Cleveland High took a simple approach to its City Invitational semifinal baseball game Thursda at Pierce College: Make the pitcher throw strikes and hit them.

The No. 4-seeded Cavaliers (22-11) used that strategy to build an eight-run lead in the fourth inning and held on to defeat top-seeded El Camino Real, 14-10.

The Cavaliers will play Eagle Rock for the title on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. Eagle Rock defeated North Hollywood, 9-0, in another semifinal.

Cleveland scored in every inning, finished with 16 hits, drew 10 walks and left the bases loaded twice. The Cavaliers stranded 12 runners and El Camino Real four.

“Our mind-set was to come out swinging and make them throw fastballs,” said Cleveland third baseman Nick Arroyo, who had three hits and three runs batted in. “They battled back, but we got the momentum again in the late innings. We were putting the ball in play and keeping the pressure on them.”

The Cavaliers have scored 27 runs in three playoff games.

Cleveland wasted little time getting to starter Will Savage (5-5), who walked Robert Marcial to lead off the game. Arroyo followed with a run-scoring double and scored on Matt Jordan’s groundout. Adam McLeod’s run-scoring single scored Steven Boyer for a 3-0 lead.

Keyed by run-scoring singles by Byron Grubman, Jordan and Michael Goodman, the Cavaliers scored four runs in the fourth for a 9-1 lead.

El Camino Real (15-14) answered with six runs in the fourth. Jesse Michel’s double scored Dusty Destler and Carlos Gallo. Greg Acheatel, Rodger Boaz and Julian Unruh had run-scoring singles to chase Grubman. Boaz scored on a sacrifice fly, but reliever Goodman (3-3) struck out Destler to end the rally.

“I told my guys after they pulled to within 9-7 that good teams keep their composure and that’s what we did,” Cleveland Coach Joe Cascione said.

Marcial had two hits, walked three times and scored three runs. Acheatel had three hits and two RBIs.