Star Power: Griffins head to state finals

2017 GROSSMONT GRIFFINS BASEBALL

 

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

 

EL CAJON – The Grossmont College Griffins will make their first-ever trip to the CCCAA State Championship following a 16-2 demolishing of Long Beach City College at Mickelsen Field on Saturday afternoon.

By winning its sixth-straight postseason game, Grossmont (35-7-1) secured the most exciting bus ride in program history to Fresno for the final four tournament next weekend

Although the accomplishment for the program is tremendous, considering the way the Griffins have practically steamrolled their competition this year, the feat hardly comes as a surprise.

Coach RANDY ABSHIER has put together a roster of players that put their incredible talents together for the common good.

With most all of the Griffins’ top stars having secured scholarships to four-year schools, the players individually had little to prove.

But given the deep-level talent throughout the team’s roster, this Grossmont squad has put together the greatest season in school history with one more challenge to go in pursuit of the ultimate goal in California community college baseball.

On Saturday, TIM HOLDGRAFER, a freshman out of La Jolla High, allowed just 3 hits over 7 innings to improve to 9-0 on the season. He has an ERA of 2.45 this season.

And how did the big, bad, bashing Griffins tear apart the Vikings offensively?

With 17 singles.

As the designated visitors, the Griffins needed little time to build its usual big lead.

Grossmont picked up four in the first, including RBI singles from NOAH STROHL, TREVOR BEARD and JALE SIM.

Then in the second, JUSTEN BURKEY drove in a run.

In the fourth, leadoff man DAVID MALDONADO drove in two runs with a single, before advancing on an error.

REECE HERNANDEZ (Santana) hit a sacrifice fly for a 8-0 lead.

Maldonado drove in two more in the seventh to wrap up a four RBI day.

The 5-8, 175-pound powerhouse of a man now has 49 RBI this season and although teammate CABOT VAN TIL won the Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year Award with his incredible production and nearly .450 batting average, it could easily be argued that Maldonado, who is hitting .379, is the team’s co-MVP.

Hernandez added another RBI in the eighth.

Beard was 4-for-6 with three runs scored.

Grossmont has won 10-straight for the third time this season.

At the other SoCal Sectional, El Camino defeated Orange Coast, 10-8, on Saturday forcing a deciding game on Sunday. Both Northern California Sectional series were also headed to a third and deciding game.

The final four teams will begin play on Saturday, May 27 and will continue through the weekend with the championship game taking place on Monday, May 29.

 

 

Grossmont 16

Long Beach 2

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