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Griffins fall one swing short from super regional

2026 GROSSMONT COLLEGE BASEBALL
3C2A CHAMPIONSHIPS – Round One Regional

 

East County Sports.com

SANTA MARIA — The Grossmont College baseball season ended Sunday (May 3), but not without a fight.

The Griffins defeated regional host Allan Hancock, 7-5, to force a play-back final in the double- elimination. However, the No. 7-seed Bulldogs held on to a 6-3 decision in the nightcap, earning a berth to next week’s super regional.

Grossmont (27-17 overall) held a 3-0 lead, but Allan Hancock closed with six unanswered runs.

However,it wasn’t that easy after the Griffins placed two runners on base in the ninth to bring the potential game-tying run to the plate. However, the Bulldogs (34-10), champions of the Western State Conference, escaped on a game-ending double play.

Griffins right fielder Talon Tucker led the offense by going 2-for-4, including a two-run homer in the fourth, also scoring Owen Rodgers to gain the three-run lead.

The Bulldogs answered with their own two-run rally in the fourth, then added three more markers in the fifth to secure the lead for keeps.

Fortunately, Grossmont always remained in striking position as three members of the bullpen — Luke Prigmore, Josh Butters and Miguel Martines — combined to fire 2.1 innings of shutout ball, allowing just one basehit.

Grossmont’s Owen Rodgers races to first against Allan Hancock.

Game One

Grossmont center fielder Justin Heffler clouted a go-ahead. three-run homer to start the championship round. leading the No. 10-seeded Griffins to take down No. 7 Allan Hancock, 7-5, also on historic John Osborne Field.

The contest followed the same script as the second game, but this time the Griffins were the home team.

Tailing 1-0, the G-House ran off seven consecutive runs for a 7-1 cushion, then needed to fight off a late Bulldogs challenge.

Four Grossmont runs in the third began on Heffler’s long liner to left field, also bringing home Druw Frost and Anthony Thomas.

The Griffins gained an additional run when Logan Aguilar reached third base, coming home on a sacrifice fly from Talon Tucker.

In the seventh, Owen Rodgers registered an RBI single, later scoring on a two-run single by Noah Libed.

The Bulldogs countered with a Granite Seibt grand slam in the eighth, but Prigmore again emerged from the Grossmont bullpen to gain the save and the victory for Libed. Prigmore went 1.2 frames, including a 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Aguilar, the shortstop, collected three hits and scored twice. Rodgers, Frost, and Libed each posted two hits. Rodgers and Anthony Thomas recorded doubles.

Heffler stole a pair of bases, while Rodgers, the catcher, also swiped a base.

— Nick Pellegrino

 

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