Facing elimination, Newhan ignites power

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 3, 2025

2025 GROSSMONT COLLEGE BASEBALL
3C2A Southern California Regional, First Round

East County Sports.com

FLETCHER HILLS – Facing an unlikely, first-round elimination ballgame, the cream always seem to rise to the top for Grossmont College.

Griffins third baseman Nico Newhan slugged a pair of home runs to re-take the state lead in the category, while M.J. Sweeney, Talon Tucker and Noah Libed all posted big days at the plate, defeating L.A. Pierce College, 11-3, to capture the series Saturday (May 3) at Noel Mickelsonn Field.

Grossmont (31-11 overall) advances to the 3C2A Super Regionals. The u nranked Brahmas season ends at 22-19.

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Grossmont thought they should’ve advanced four hours earlier by sweeping the Brahmas. Bust similar to the Griffins’ series-opening effort on Friday, L.A. Pierce pushed three runs across in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a wild 10-9 wild-off victory to even the best-of-3 series.

However, Grossmont took care of business early in Game 3, tallying five runs in the third inning to mount a 7-0 advantage.

Sweemey, a preseason All-California preseason academic team selection, slugged a solo home run in the first to start the rout.

For Sweeney, who will play for Wichita State next season, the homer was his 14th, moving th first baseman into sixth place in California.

An inning ater, Logan Aguilarwalked, then stole second base. However, poor throws by both the L.A. Pierce catcher and center fielder allowed Aguilar to score for 2-0 lead.

Then it was Newhan’s turn. He opened the 5-run, third-inning rally with a solo home run — his 18th of the season — to rqual the mark by Justin Tillar of Cypress.

Newhan added his personal go-ahead homer in the seventh for No. 19 on the year, moving him into position to become the first state HR champion from Grossmont since the late 1980s.

In between, Newhan added a run-scoring single in the fifth, giving him three RBI on 3-for-5 hitting — all to left-center field.

Meanwhile, Tucker added a 2-run double in the third. Libed did the same in the fifth to push the lead to 9-1. He later scored p the Newhan basehit for a 10-1 cushion.

On the mound, Griffins starter Issac Cota only needed to pitch five innings for the victory. Cota allowed just three hits.

Grossmont, the 2017 California state champions, are coached by Randy Abshire, who is in his 19th season after taking over for the late Ed Olsen.

Scoreboard

So. Calif. Regionals
Pacific Coast Athletic Conference teams
Sat., May 3
Palomar 7. Pasadena 4 (series tied 1-1)
Palomar 12, Pasadena 7 (Comets win series 2-1)
San Diego Mesa 3, Santa Ana 1 (Olympians win series 2-0)
Cuesta 10, at Southwestern 4 (Cougars lead series 1-0)

Sun., May 4
Cuesta at Southwestern, 11 a.m. (if necessary, third game to follow)

So. Calif. Super Regionals
Fri.-Sun., May 9-11
TBA