By CCL Reporter Sam Nute
(HEALDSBURG, CA) – When athletes are lacing their shoes up before the game begins, they are thinking about one thing: What can I do to help my team win? However, it is never quite that simple, as winning requires the perfect combination of skill, effort, and just a little bit of luck.
Winning in the California Collegiate League is even harder because teams are tasked with assembling a completely new roster every year. The 11 CCL teams must form their rosters and then the chemistry of that roster must be formed in the little time they have together before the two-plus month season begins.
Over the last two seasons, one team has risen above the others, claiming both previous two CCL State Championships. The Healdsburg Prune Packers have been the dominant team in the last two years of the CCL, winning 85 of their 102 games and the team dogpiling at the end of both seasons.
“Number one, it’s built on the relationships that we have with the programs that place their players with us,” Healdsburg head coach and general manager Joey Gomes said. “We’ve made some incredible relationships over the years. I think it starts with trust, trust the players are getting better. We try to return the players a little better than we got them. We are just a small piece to the players developmental pie, and we try like heck to get it right!”
Last year’s championship roster bolstered players from some of those elite connections that Gomes was referring to. The Prune Packers had 13 players that came from a Power 5 baseball conference, including Tennessee, Texas Tech, and Texas. Coming into 2023, Healdsburg has brought in 17 Power 5 players, adding Ohio State, Alabama, and Arizona State to its already impressive list of schools.
“When it comes to the summer season, Healdsburg has everything a player would need to continue their development,” Gomes said. “Including a staff that cares about preparation and winning. Max Shupe will get to the field for home games at 1 p.m. for pre-practice defensive work. Followed by early hitting at 2 p.m. with me and pitchers do their daily’s with (Jared) Noonan. Then the team meets for the pre-game workout.”
Getting to the field at the right time is one of the things that the Prune Packers preach to their players. Routine has become one of the Healdsburg trademarks. They will be in the right place at the right time at the same time every day.
Creating that routine is something that Gomes takes pride in. The Prune Packers have partnered with two gyms in Healdsburg that give their players full access to all the weightlifting equipment that they need. Before every road game, Gomes and Shupe will bring players to their indoor hitting facility in Santa Rosa, hitting up to three times and then taking vans over to the game.
With so many games to play in so few days, off days are few and far between, but Gomes and his staff try to give his players as much time for recovery as possible. Every Monday is deemed as an off day for the Prune Packers, but that doesn’t mean that they are used to just sitting around.
“Monday means they go to gym,” Gomes said. “They use the sauna, and hot tub, get in the cold tub, and swim some of the lactic acids away. They just lay out a foam roller all day and get ready to go again. We call them recovery days, not off days.”
This routine has become the base of everything Gomes and the Prune Packers do.
“It really goes into the preparation and the routines that we have every day,” Gomes said. “The game is the bonus. It’s the work that we do before the game that is the real testament.”
The Prune Packers have done a lot of winning, especially over the last two years. Adding that drive to win to the already fantastic recruiting, and the routine that the Prune Packers take pride in becomes not just a routine of work, but a routine of winning.
“Winning matters. Everything should lead to a positive outcome,” Gomes added. “Nine dogs are going out there. Then the leash comes off, and they can have at it.”
By CCL Reporter Sean Brennan
(VACAVILLE, CA) – Alex Crosby, a Solano Mudcats alum (2013) and current professional baseball player, has dreamed of representing his British roots on baseball’s biggest international stage for a very long time. For the 29-year-old, few experiences could top donning Great Britain’s colors and standing on the field while “God Save the King” plays before a World Baseball Classic game.
On February 9, his name was among the 29 announced on Great Britain’s 2023 WBC roster, quickly transforming Crosby’s lifelong fantasy into a reality.
“It was just an honor to get the call to come play,” Crosby said. “Every time I’ve put on the Great Britain uniform, I’ve been super proud, just because that’s what made me who I am today.”
Crosby’s love for his heritage first stemmed from being around his mother, who he says is ‘super British.’ And once he saw Great Britain’s support of its soccer team, he knew what country he wanted to eventually represent on the diamond.
“I think growing up watching football – you say American soccer – just seeing the pride for the World Cups and stuff like that, growing up is where I got a real good sense of it,” Crosby said. “I see how they support, they come behind it. It’s just so awesome to watch and I always wanted to be a part of something like that.”
This pride was clearly contagious. Current Mudcats Vice President Gordie Clary, who also spent the summer of 2013 in Solano, described Crosby as an outstanding teammate who always had a great deal of pride in his British roots.
Crosby showcased more than just his off-the-field qualities during his time with the Dirty Fish. He was described by team President Ben Crombie as one of the best players to ever take the field for Solano, and rightfully so. To date, Crosby has recorded the second-most hits, doubles, and RBI in a single season in Mudcats’ history.
While there’s no doubt he was a key contributor to the 2013 squad, Crosby’s experience with the Mudcats holds a bit more meaning. Raised just up the road in Vacaville, spending the summer in Solano meant that Crosby could develop his skills while staying close to home. His decision was ultimately the right one, as the Mudcats have developed a team culture built around helping baseball players grow both on and off the field.
The organization’s philosophy and proximity to home, along with the opportunity for Crosby to play with childhood friends like Clary, turned that 44-game season into one of the best experiences of his baseball career.
“That was probably one of my favorite experiences…because I got to play with guys that I was best friends with growing up,” Crosby said. “So that was probably the most fun baseball because we got to always joke around with each other. But we were all super serious and wanted to get to that next level, so that was one of the best experiences I’ve had.”
For Crosby, the WBC experience is already special, even though Great Britain has yet to play its first game. So far, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind, as the players learned they were on the team just about a month ago. However, this isn’t the first time Great Britain’s group played together, and Crosby already understands his personal goals for the tournament.
“I just want to help the team win,” Crosby said. “Whatever I can do, if that’s moving a runner over, scooping a ball or making a play (…) It’s time for me to prove who I say I am on the field and try to be the best player on the field.”
On the international stage, Crosby has already proven himself and shown he can be relied on, especially when the lights are brightest. Just this past September, he was responsible for a crucial tenth-inning sacrifice fly to defeat Spain and punch Great Britain’s ticket to the big dance. And with at least four games to play in the WBC, Crosby has an opportunity to cement his name once again into Great Britain Baseball history, just as he did with the Mudcats.
Even in the midst of his professional career, Solano still holds a special place in Crosby’s heart. If he isn’t watching the Mudcats’ games online, he’s following along on social media or checking in with current and former members of the organization. No matter where Crosby’s incredible baseball journey takes him next, he’ll always have time to keep up with a team that provided him with an unforgettable experience.
“I’ve definitely checked in, I always do,” Crosby said. “I feel like, my generation, we were part of the first step to keep growing, and we had a really good team with the Mudcats, so it was a lot of fun.”
Photo source and credit: Getty Images
By CCL Reporter Sean Brennan
(LINCOLN, CA) – California Collegiate League baseball has quickly become the main event during summers in Lincoln, Calif.
On most nights from late May to early August, fans from all over Placer County pack the historic McBean Stadium to support the Potters, Lincoln’s CCL team.
Fans have mostly been treated to success during the CCL’s first three seasons in the Clay City – you’ll likely be hard-pressed to find a lot of empty seats when the Potters are playing at “The Bean.”
Though every summer of Potters’ baseball is memorable, the upcoming season will hold even more significance. That’s because the organization is dedicating the 2023 campaign to honoring baseball in Lincoln, which has a rich history dating back an entire century.
America’s favorite pastime has been ingrained into the fibers of the city since the early 1900s. In 1875, the establishment of Gladding McBean & Co., a renowned pottery company, put the then-small Northern California town on the map. The company assembled and funded a ball club years later in 1923, and just like that, a rich tradition of baseball in Lincoln was born.
“It [the club] wasn’t called the Potters for the first few years,” Potters general manager Matt Lundgren said. “The Potters came in with a similar logo to us and everything in the 40s (…) The Potters went all the way through the 60s and into the 70s. And then it [the club] went away for almost 50 years.”
The original Potters remained a mere memory in Lincoln until 2016, when the city, along with other entities, put money into revamping an outdated McBean Stadium that hadn’t seen renovations since the 1950s.
A revitalized ballpark and Lincoln’s interest in hosting a summer baseball team proved too lucrative of an opportunity for Lundgren’s camp to pass up. Then came the question – what would the team be called? But for Lundgren, the answer was a no-brainer.
“We’ve obviously adopted the name ‘Potters,’” Lundgren said. “We wanted to keep that tradition alive. We put in our logo,‘Established 1923.’ We’d like to pay homage to that. We still put the Gladding McBean patch on all of our uniforms, just like they did back in 1923.”
With a five-decade hiatus sandwiched between two iterations of the club, the Potters technically haven’t been around for 100 years. However, the celebration goes beyond just the team on the field. Look no further than the Lincoln community, which welcomed a new team in its city with open arms.
“When we started rebuilding everything at the end of 2016, it was very early on that we realized we were going to have the community’s support,” Lundgren said. “They came out, showed up and backed us from the beginning.”
Even with a strong base in Lincoln, Lundgren knew it was in the organization’s best interest to reach the surrounding communities. This proved a difficult task due to people in the area generally staying within their own towns. However, the fans in Lincoln helped “set the tone”, and all of Placer County soon became Potters Country.
“We just provided something that those communities didn’t have,” Lundgren said. “And once we got them out to the ballpark, you see the energy and the community coming together. So it’s really taken off and become a regional thing rather than just a Lincoln thing, which has been pretty cool.”
So what (and when) will this highly-anticipated 100th-year extravaganza be? According to Lundgren, the entire season will be one big celebration. The Potters will don a 100-year patch on their hats, and will hold other promotional events, such as giving away commemorative pins and a replica of McBean Stadium, throughout the summer.
Despite a milestone season just around the corner, the Potter’s main objectives remain player development and success on and off the field, with the hopes of winning the CCL State Championship. Last August, Lincoln hosted the West Coast World Series at McBean Stadium and went all the way, which is no minor feat. But Lundgren admits that earning the CCL Trophy would be even more special to his team and community.
“We want to win a championship,” Lundgren said. “You might think our sole care is how we do financially, which is super important. But we’re as competitive of a group as you can find, and we really want to bring a championship home to this community.”
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – The Healdsburg Prune Packers and Conejo Oaks faced off in the 2022 CCL State Championship presented by the Firestone Walker Brewing Company on Saturday night. The Packers jumped out to an early lead, and defeated the Oaks 14-1 to defend their 2021 title.
After Sam Stoutenborough (TCU) struck out with two to start the game, Healdsburg jumped out to an early lead. Jake Holcroft (Portland) led off the inning with a double. Zac Vooletich (Texas Tech) shot a single out to bring him home.
Joey Kramer (CSUN) then picked up a double of his own, bringing Vooletich around to score. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Samuel Brown (Washington St.) drove him in with a single.
“I was just trying to stay calm and within myself,” Kramer stated. “Just really trying to put a good swing on the ball, happened to hit a double.”
Healdsburg had their biggest inning of the game in the second, scoring five runs all with two outs. Holcroft got the line moving by drawing a walk. Vooletich picked up a single, and an error by the left fielder put the two on second and third.
Joey Kramer picked up his second and third RBI of the game as he sent a double deep into the gap. Braydon Runion (Univ. Of New Mexico) followed Kramer up with a double of his own, bringing Kramer around to score.
“It’s really just mentality,” Runion said. “Nobody is better than you, nobody is guarding you. Best moves only in the box.”
Blake Burke (Tennessee) picked up a single, bringing Runion in for the fourth run of the inning. After Samuel Brown and Jared Sundstrom (UCSB) loaded the bases with a single and walk respectively. The final run of the inning came as Kimble Schuessler (Texas) drew a bases loaded walk to bring Blake Burke across the plate.
Sam Stoutenborough came out for another inning of work in the third, and struck out his fifth batter thus far.
Healdsburg became the owner of their sixth run in the fourth inning. Runion got the Packers going with a leadoff walk. After two outs, Sundstrom picked up an RBI single to extend the lead.
The Packers struck again in the fifth. Jake Holcroft started the inning with a one-out single. With two outs, Braydon Runion then shot a double in the gap and scored Holcroft to push the lead to 10 runs.
The Oaks picked up some momentum in the sixth when Tyler Ganus (Oregon) singled before an error by the shortstop allowed him to advance to second. Ganus then reached third on a fielder’s choice and capitalized on another miscue by the shortstop to cross the dish and score Conejo’s lone run of the night.
Stoutenborough ended his start with two outs in the sixth inning after striking out eight batters and not allowing an earned run.
“Kimble and I were pretty much on the same page all game,” the right-hander said about his success. “It helps him having caught me most of the summer, we were on the same page all night.”
The Packers responded in the bottom of the sixth with four runs of their own. Samuel Brown led off the inning with a walk. Jared Sundstrom kept the line moving with a single, and Sam Hunt (Texas Tech) pinch hit and loaded the bases with a walk.
With the bases loaded, Vooletich hit a clutch double, clearing the bases. Vooletich then scored as well, as Joey Kramer picked up yet another RBI for Healdsburg’s final run of the game.
Oaks’ closer Jaxon Jordan (Moorpark College) entered the game in the seventh and put together a solid performance on the mound. The right-hander from Simi Valley, Calif. retired four batters via the strikeout while only relinquishing two hits and two walks in 2.0 innings of work.
Healdsburg closed out the game with a staff effort in the final free frames. Mason Dillow (Long Beach State), Morgan White (Nevada-Reno), and Christian Becerra (UC Berkeley) finished the game for the Packers, striking out a combined seven batters and only allowing one hit.
The Packers Head Coach Joey Gomes said that this group was remarkable in terms of “the work put in.”
Gomes continued, saying that this team never let up. “They never came off the gas pedal,” Gomes said. “We talk about emptying the tank … and they did that. They responded to challenges all summer.”
The game ended in the Prune Packers taking home back-to-back State Championships.
Most Outstanding Player of the Game: Joey Kramer (CSUN)
Most Outstanding Pitcher of the Game: Sam Stoutenborough (TCU)
Contributors:
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA — The Conejo Oaks and Orange County Riptide faced off on Saturday, playing for the final spot in the CCL State Championship Game. The Oaks took a 3-1 lead in the third and never looked back, cruising to a dominant 10-2 victory.
The Oaks’ offense looked ready to go in this one. After Tyler Ganus (Oregon) was hit by a pitch, fellow Oregon Duck Gavin Grant (Oregon) singled and Josiah Chavez (Cal Baptist) smacked a single to bring in the game’s first run.
The Riptide quickly struck back in the top of the second. Nathan Manning (Cal Berkely) led off the inning with a single into center field. Isaiah Morales then singled to right, and an error by the right fielder allowed Morales to move up to second, and Manning to tie the game.
The Oaks pulled ahead during the bottom of the third when a grounder by Grant gave Ganus enough time to tally his second run of the afternoon. Chavez then ripped an RBI-double into center field, scoring AJ Salgado (UCLA) and increasing the lead to 3-1.
Salgado delivered another blow to the Riptide in the next frame, as he singled to drive in Austin Carrillo (Uncommitted).
Oaks’ starter Thomas Brandenburg (Oregon) appeared seemingly unhittable through 5.0 innings on the mound. The Kalama, Washington native logged seven strikeouts while conceding only two hits and a lone earned run. Brandenburg said that he felt good Saturday, especially with an explosive offense to back him up.
“It’s been that way all season, they’ve had my back. It was really big to get those two runs in the bottom of the third after they [the Riptide] tied it up in the second… I have a lot of confidence in them too,” said Brandenburg.
Conejo’s biggest inning was the fifth, which began with Zach Daudet (Regis) and Raul Sandoval (UC Davis) reaching base via singles. Two consecutive walks drawn by Carrillo, David Whittle (San Diego State) and Jack Brooks (Oregon) helped Daudet and Sandoval cross the dish and extend the Oaks’ lead.
The scoring spree continued when Tyler Ganus hit a grounder that brought in Carrillo. AJ Salgado was then walked before an error by the second baseman allowed Whittle and Brooks to cash in, rounding out a mammoth five-run frame for the Oaks.
Orange County scored their final run in the top of the sixth inning. After Nathan Manning singled with one out, a pair of errors by Conejo’s pitcher and shortstop allowed Manning to cross the plate.
The Oaks got one more punch in during the seventh as Salgado crushed a solo shot, putting his team into double digits. Salgado said he was looking for a fastball, and was ready for a pitch to swing at after getting ahead in the count.
“I was really hunting the fastball. First pitch was up and away for a ball, and I was really geared up for that middle-in fastball, and that’s what I got,” recalled Salgado.
Matt Maloney (New Mexico State) entered the game in the eighth inning for the Riptide and stopped the bleeding at the end of the game. Having already pitched in the tournament, Maloney could only throw one inning. The right-hander faced the minimum, and struck out a pair of Oaks batters along the way.
The Oaks’ defense, along with closer Nick Rincover (UC Irvine), was able to close out the Riptide and secure a 10-2 victory.
With the win, Conejo punched their ticket to the CCL State Championship game, where they will face the North Division powerhouse Healdsburg Prune Packers. The two teams met in Friday’s semifinal game, which resulted in a 13-4 victory for Healdsburg. When asked about the rematch, Salgado said that he trusts his team but wants to see them be more aggressive at the dish.
“Honestly, for all of us, just more aggression at the plate than last night when we played them [Healdsburg],” Salgado said. “I think if we do that, our pitching will be fine, and we’ll do well.”
Conejo’s rematch against the Packers is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. PST. Follow the action on the CCL’s Instagram and Twitter accounts, or tune into the league’s YouTube broadcast.
Impact Player of the Game: Thomas Brandenburg (Oregon)
5.0 IP, 7 K, 2 H, 1 ER, Winning Pitcher
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Contributors:
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – Day two of the CCL State Championship presented by Firestone Walker Brewing Company ended with a highly-anticipated matchup featuring the #1-seeded Conejo Oaks and #2-seeded Healdsburg Prune Packers. The game was up for grabs until Healdsburg’s offense came to life, notching 11 runs in the final five innings on the way to a dominant 13-4 victory.
The Pack didn’t skip a beat, as Zach Vooletich (Texas Tech) drew a walk before advancing to second thanks to a balk. Joey Kramer (CSU – Northridge) then knocked a double into deep right field, allowing Vooletich to score and helping Healdsburg draw first blood for the second straight game.
While much of the focus was on both teams’ explosive offenses, it was pitching that stole the show early in this one. Healdsburg’s Marvcus Guarin (Pacific) was dialed in from the get-go, tossing two strikeouts in the first inning to keep Conejo off the board.
Oaks’ starter Michael Alan Stanford (College of the Desert) countered Guarin with a lights-out second inning, picking up three K’s while walking a single Prune Packer.
In the third, Jake Holcroft (Portland) was walked and Joey Kramer singled to put runners on first and second. Braydon Runion (New Mexico) smacked a grounder that Conejo shortstop Gavin Grant (Oregon) was unable to corral, buying Holcroft enough time to cross the dish and put the Prune Packers up 2-0.
Stanford continued to dominate on the mound, fanning five Packers in the third and fourth frames to keep the deficit at two. In 4.0 innings on the hill, the left-hander from Thousand Oaks, Calif. recorded nine strikeouts, three hits and two earned runs.
While both teams’ bats were mostly quiet throughout the first five innings, the Prune Packers blew the game wide open in a wild sixth frame. Kimble Schuessler (Texas) and Sam Hunt (Kansas) reached base via walks before an error by Oaks’ reliever Daniel Veloz (LA Valley College) cleared the way for Schuessler to score.
A two-run blast from Jake Holcroft capped off a three-spot and increased the lead to 5-0. Holcroft explained once he got ahead of the count, he was looking for a fastball and simply tried to put a good swing on the 1-0 pitch.
“I got two balls, so I got ahead of the count… I was looking fastball, got a fastball and luckily put a good swing on it,” said Holcroft.
In the bottom of the sixth, Gavin Grant drew a walk and capitalized on an error by Prune Packers’ shortstop Lauden Brooks (Texas Tech) to make it to third. A sacrifice fly by Zach Daudet (Regis) drove in Grant and dashed Healdsburg’s shutout hopes.
However, the Packers responded during the seventh as Braydon Runion and Sam Brown (Washington State) were walked. Runion made it a 6-1 game when he advanced to third on a fielder’s choice before scoring his second run of the postseason due to an errant throw by Oaks’ reliever Wesley De La Torre (Uncommitted).
Healdsburg’s offense kept rolling in the next inning. Lauden Brooks, Jake Holcroft and Zach Vooletich quickly loaded the bases, and Joey Kramer’s second walk of the contest scored Brooks. Runion then knocked a sacrifice fly into right field to bring in another run.
Sam Brown was walked for the second time of the evening to re-load the bases before Kimble Schuessler sent a grand slam sailing down the left-field line to put his team up by 11. The second-year Prune Packer explained he planned to get a swing off, and was fortunate to take a whack at a juicy pitch.
“I just went up there knowing I was going to get my swing off,” said Schuessler. “I got my swing off and got a good pitch to hit, and got a good result.”
The Packers added one more in the ninth courtesy of an RBI single by Braydon Runion. Conejo wouldn’t go down without a fight, however, as Jack Brooks (Oregon), Zachary Crandall (Orange Coast College) and Gavin Grant all scored runs in the tail-end of the inning. But the Oaks’ efforts proved too little and too late, as closer Caden Bugarske (Concordia) was able to put the finishing touches on a 13-4 win for Healdsburg.
With the victory, the Prune Packers have punched their ticket to the CCL State Championship for the second straight season. Following the game, Packers’ manager Joey Gomes had a simple message for fans in the ‘Burg, saying, “We’re going to empty the tank tomorrow.”
Conejo will now face the Orange County Riptide on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. PST. The winner will earn the right to face Healdsburg in the CCL’s title game, which is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. PST. Stay up-to-date on all the action by following the CCL on Instagram and Twitter, or tuning into the league’s YouTube broadcast.
Player of the Game: Kimble Schuessler (Texas)
2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, Grand Slam
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Contributors:
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – After defeating the Crawdads, San Luis Obispo faced off against the Orange County Riptide for their second game of the day. An offensive explosion helped power the Riptide to a 17-8 win, eliminating the hometown Blues from championship contention.
The first inning was quiet, with the pitchers for both teams facing the minimum in the opening frame. This would not remain the case for long, however.
The Riptide broke the game wide open in the top of the second. The bases were quickly loaded as Nathan Manning (UC Berkeley) walked, Blake Penso (UC Irvine) singled, and Gavin Mez (UNLV) singled as well.
Anthony Angel Jr. (CSULA) picked up the team’s third consecutive single in the inning, keeping the bases loaded as he brought in one run.
Isaiah Morales (Saddleback CC) then sent a bases clearing double into the outfield, scoring Penso, Mez and Angel Jr.
Morales has been a big run producer for the Riptide during the CCL Tournament, with five runs driven in and six runs scored so far. “Anything I can do to get the team going, keep getting the next guy up,” Morales stated. “Really just simplifying, just clear my head,” Morales said about his process during this hot streak.
Gavin Haimovitz (Uncomitted) put the runners at first and third with a single. He proceeded to steal second, putting both runners in scoring position.
Santino Panaro (UNLV) brought the runners around with a single, picking up his first two RBIs of the day. Panaro also made it to second on an error in the outfield.
Dominic Souto (UC Berkeley) kept the train rolling and brought Panaro home with an RBI single, closing out scoring for the Riptide in the second inning.
The Blues picked up a run of their own in the bottom half. Tate Samuelson (Cal Poly SLO) put a charge in one for his first homerun of the tournament.
San Luis Obispo chipped away another run in the third. Nathan Cmeyla (Dartmouth) drew a two out walk, and scored after Kody Darcy (UTSA) sent a double into the gap.
The Blues slow and steady strategy continued in the fourth, as Zach Toglia led off the inning with a double. Toglia reached third, and CJ Masciel (California Baptist) got him across the plate on an RBI ground ball.
San Luis Obispo’s biggest inning came in the bottom of the sixth. Masciel led off the frame with a single, and Cole Gabrielson (USC) followed Masciel with a single of his own. After Collin Villegas (Cal Poly SLO) walked to load the bases, Cmeyla scored Masciel on an RBI ground ball.
Kody Darcy then picked up a single that brought Villegas around to score and put Cmeyla on third base. The final run came when Darcy gave himself up in a rundown so that Cmeyla could bring the Blues within two runs.
The Riptide struck back in the seventh inning, scoring a colossal six runs. Blake Penso (UC Irvine) led off the inning with a walk. The bases were then loaded when Gavin Mez picked up a single and Anthony Angel Jr. drew a walk of his own.
Isaiah Morales again picked up a bases loaded knock, keeping the bases juiced and bringing Penso across the plate.
With ducks on the pond, Gavin Haimovitz then sent a towering blast over the left field wall for the first grand slam hit in the 2022 CCL State Championship Tournament.
“I knew he was going to leave something up with,” Haimovitz said about the at-bat. “I tried to just hitting it in there and getting one out.”
One more run one come across to score as Shane Taylor (Utah Tech) hit a triple. He turned it into a little league home run, scoring on an error on the throw to third base.
Noe Novella came into the game for the Riptide, and finished off an all-round team performance in the inning. Novella faced only four batters and struck out two coming in after the six-run inning.
The eighth inning was dead silent, but the offenses erupted again in the ninth inning for a combined five runs.
Shane Taylor led off the inning with a walk, and soon enough there were two men in scoring position. Blake Penso then stepped up and delivered a two-run single for Orange County.
Anthony Angel Jr delivered the final run of the game for the Riptide. After putting a ball in play, an error by the shortstop allowed Blake Penso to cross the plate to give Orange County their 17th run.
The Blues were not quite done yet either, with Samuelson leading off the inning with a double. After a Zach Toglia single, Samuelson was in position to score on a wild pitch.
Toglia was brought around to score for the final run of the afternoon after CJ Masciel shot out a single.
Haimovitz is proud of the way that his team has played thus far. “This is big for us; we’re fighting with limited guys right now. We’re trying to grind away at-bats and keep winning,” Haimovitz said.
Riptide Head Coach Tim Brown echoed similar sentiments. “A lot of determination; there was some luck in there. We’re just glad to be here, we’re glad to be playing our last game,” Brown said.
Brown also said that the Riptide will be looking for another offensive performance similar to the one in this game.
Orange County will play again in the semi-final matchup on Saturday at 12 p.m. PST against the winner of the Oaks-Prune Packers matchup on Friday night.
Impact Player of the Game: Gavin Haimovitz
Contributors
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – The San Luis Obispo Blues entered Friday’s opening game needing a victory to stay alive. And that’s exactly what they got, as a late-game comeback lifted the Blues to a dramatic 4-3 tenth-inning win over the Walnut Creek Crawdads.
Pitching was king early in Friday morning’s game, as the teams combined for five K’s and only two baserunners through the first two frames. Crawdads’ starter Mark Perkins (Rice) struck out eight and relinquished two hits in 7.0 innings. His counterpart Cameron Mabee (Illinois State) ended his 7.0 innings on the hill with seven strikeouts, six hits and three earned runs.
Crawdads’ second baseman Taison Corio (Cal Poly SLO), shortstop Cameron Calvillo (Ohlone College) and first baseman Brian DuRoff (Chabot College) helped keep the contest scoreless, putting together a 4-6-3 double play to end the first.
Blues’ first baseman Zachary Toglia (Utah) picked up the game’s first hit in the bottom of the fifth, extending the inning with a single.
Walnut Creek’s offense came to life during the next frame as Joseph Barnhardt (San Joaquin Delta College) and Coleman Schmidt (St. Mary’s) recorded consecutive base knocks. The ‘Dads finally broke through when DuRoff and Joey Donelly (UC Berkeley) singled and doubled respectively to bring in a run each and give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.
In the seventh inning, Schmidt smacked an RBI double into the center, scoring Cummings and extending the Crawdads’ lead to 3-0.
But San Luis Obispo battled back during the eighth, as Cole Gabrielson (USC) was hit by a pitch and Jake Simons (CSU – Northridge) doubled. Chase Gallegos (UNLV) then logged a double of his own, driving in two runs and narrowing the Crawdads’ lead to one. However, Walnut Creek’s defense then picked up three consecutive outs to stay ahead by a run.
With their backs against the wall in the ninth frame, the Blues continued rally when Kody Darcy (UTSA) reached via a single and capitalized on an error by ‘Dad’s third baseman Ryan Ellis (St. Mary’s) to reach second. Down to their final out, Gabrielson slammed an 0-1 pitch from Crawdads’ closer Gabe Tanner (Chabot College) into center field, scoring Darcy and sending the contest to extra innings.
The Blues’ left fielder said that keeping things simple allowed him to pick up the game-tying hit.
“Coming up in the ninth inning, two outs, obviously with a runner on second, not trying to do too much. First pitch I got I could handle and fouled it straight back, and kind of had an idea he [Tanner] was going to give me something to hit,” Gabrielson said. “And he left a slider up, put a good swing on it… I’m just glad I could pull through for my guys…”
With Casey Cummings as Walnut Creek’s ghost runner in the tenth, Jack Ben-Shoshan (Rice) was dinged by a pitch. However, Coleman Schmidt knocked a line drive right into the glove of Blues shortstop (name), who then tagged second base to complete a timely double play and keep the game tied.
In the tail-end of the inning, Jake Simons, the Blues’ extra inning runner, stole third before a wild pitch by Walnut Creek pitcher Noah Nordell (San Joaquin Delta College) allowed him to cross the dish, seal win the and keep his team in the tournament.
A big reason why the Blues remained within striking distance on Friday was reliever Kevin Lyons (CSU – Chico). Through 3.0 innings of work, the right-hander picked up a strikeout and walked a single Crawdad, and stated that his goal was to simply hold the opposition off the board.
“At that point when I went in, it was just ‘put up zeros and let the team make their way back into this game.’ We thought we were going to do it in the eighth, ended up doing it in the ninth… pretty happy because we played well today,” said Lyons.
When asked about his team’s mindset heading into their next game against the Riptide, San Luis Obispo manager Bob Miller said he expects the Blues to continue battling through adversity, something they’ve done for most of the season.
“It’s been a scrappy team for most of the year. We’ve hit a lot of roadblocks, but we’ve battled through those and look forward to the opportunity to continue to play and what the next game presents here for us, so we’re excited about doing it,” explained Miller.
While the Crawdads will head home after dropping two straight games, the Blues will face Orange County for the second contest of the day at 2:30 p.m. PST. Stay up-to-date on all the action by following the CCL’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, or tune into the league’s YouTube broadcast.
Impact Player of the Game: Cole Gabrielson (USC)
1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
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(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – In a rematch of the 2021 CCL State Championship Game, the Healdsburg Prune Packers faced off against the hosting San Luis Obispo Blues in a primetime matchup on the first day of the 2022 CCL State Championship Tournament. With 177 combined years of baseball between the two plays this game was nothing short of dramatic, with the advantage falling to the reigning champions as they defeated San Luis Obispo 8-3.
Healdsburg wasted no time scoring in the first, jumping out to an early lead.
Zac Vooletich (Texas Tech) drew a walk and Joey Kramer (CSUN) sent through a single to put two men on. Braydon Runion (New Mexico) then shot a double into the alley to bring both around to score.
The game stayed quiet until the bottom of the third, when Healdsburg struck again. With two outs, Runion picked up a single to extend the inning. Samuel Brown (Washington St.) then sent a long double of his own, bringing Runion around the score.
San Luis Obispo picked up their first run in the top half of the fifth inning. With two outs Jake Simmons (CSUN) sent a triple off of the center field wall. After an error by the Healdsburg shortstop, Simmons crossed the plate.
The Prune Packers responded quickly. With two outs Braydon Runion grabbed a single to reach base for the third time in the game. A double by Samuel Brown brought Runion around to score to keep their lead at three runs.
Caden Noah (UT Arlington) exited the game with one out in the seventh inning. After just over six innings in the game, Noah allowed only three hits and zero earned runs to put the Prune Packers in a position to win their first game of the tournament.
“To be honest my fastball command was pretty horrible, but my off-speed pitches were working,” Noah said. “Joey [Gomes] had a lot of faith in me to go out there game one and get the job done … I just thank Joey for giving me that opportunity.”
San Luis Obispo made the game interesting in the top of the eighth inning. Jake Simmons grabbed his second hit of the day with a double to lead off the inning. Tate Samuelson drove Simmons in with a two out double.
After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Samuelson crossed the plate to bring the Blues within striking distance.
Healdsburg would not stay quiet for long, and refused to settle after giving up the pair of runs. Sam Hunt (Texas Tech) entered the game and immediately picked up a leadoff single. Lauden Brooks (Texas Tech) then reached base on an error as Hunt crossed home.
Jake Holcroft (Portland) drew a walk to load the bases, and Vooletich sent out a sacrifice fly to score Kimble Schuessler (Texas). Runion struck again one final time, driving in two runs with a single to extend the Prune Packers lead to five runs entering the final frame.
“Toward the end of the season I was kind of struggling, but something about the playoffs. Everything means a little bit more,” Runion said. “Just try to lock in that much more, help my team win it all again.”
Devin Kirby entered in relief in the second and threw just under three innings. One of his most dominant innings, however, was the top of the ninth inning. Kirby needed only 11 pitches to retire three batters in a row and strike out one on his way to closing out the game for good.
Braydon Runion said that this team has a true desire to become back-to-back champions. “It kind of started off a little bit slow … [Gomes] pressures on us to just keep going,” said Runion. “This being my last year out in Healdsburg, it’d be really nice to go out as a champion again.”
Prune Packers Head Coach and General Manager Joey Gomes spoke highly of sticking to a daily routine as a team.
“I’d like to credit just our daily routines,” Gomes explained. “Really, it’s just sticking to a really strict routine.”
Gomes also recognizes the importance of grabbing that first victory, and the importance of not becoming complacent afterward.
“The first thing that we all talked about when we got back there was the job’s not done,” Gomes stated. “But absolutely getting the first win is certainly nice.
The Prune Packers will play again on Friday at 7:00 p.m. PST against the Conejo Oaks, while the Blues will be back in action on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. PST in an elimination game against the Walnut Creek Crawdads. Follow the action on the CCL’s Twitter and Instagram pages, or tune into the broadcast on the CCL YouTube.
Impact Player of the Game: Braydon Runion (New Mexico)
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(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – The Conejo Oaks came int the 2022 CCL State Championship presented by Firestone Walker Brewing Company as the #1 seed and certainly played like it on Thursday, posting a six-run first inning en route to an 8-2 victory over the Orange County Riptide.
Conejo’s colossal opening frame began with Oregon teammates Tyler Ganus (Oregon) and Gavin Grant (Oregon) both reaching base via walks. Josiah Chavez (Cal Baptist) gave his squad a 2-0 lead when he knocked a two-RBI single into left-center field.
A groundout by Brendan Durfee and a single by AJ Salgado (UCLA) scored Chavez and Zach Daudet (Regis) respectively, adding a pair of runs. With two outs, Raul Sandoval (UC Davis) then sent a two-run shot over the center-field wall to put the Oaks up 6-0.
When asked about his first-inning bomb, Sandoval gave all the credit to Salgado, who beat out a throw for a tough infield single and kept the opening frame alive.
“Honestly, that home run wasn’t even on me,” recalled Sandoval. “That was good hustle on the batter before, he beat out a third to first, so he actually gave me a chance to get to the plate… Great job to him.”
Strong pitching from Riptide reliever Matthew Gaunt (Golden West College) helped stop the bleeding. The sophomore right-hander tossed two strikeouts while limiting Conejo to five hits and an unearned run through 6.0 innings pitched.
Orange County’s defense showed some flash in the fifth with two runners on, as second baseman Anthony Angel (CSU – Los Angeles) caught a line drive from Jack Brooks (Oregon) before tagging second, completing an impressive solo double play to end the inning.
Riptide catcher Jimmy Zakhar (Dayton) ended the shutout in the eighth when he slammed a solo home run into left, cutting the deficit to 7-1. However, Conejo responded in the bottom of the frame in the form of Tyler Ganus, who was hit by a breaking ball before stealing second and capitalizing on two wild pitches to cross home plate.
After a dominant start on the mound, Oaks’ starter Alexander Rivas was replaced by Charlie Adamson (Santa Barbara CC). Rivas dished out three K’s, relinquished seven hits and picked up the win in 8.0 innings of work. The Reseda, Calif. native said that he was ready to play in a high-stakes contest, but also praised his teammates for putting him in a good situation.
“Came in here today, it’s the biggest game of the summer, so came in here today competing… competed every single pitch,” Rivas said. “Obviously all my pitches were working today, but couldn’t have done it without my offense, and then my defense behind me, just making plays, getting me that confidence all day long.”
While Anthony Angel brought in Isaiah Morales (Saddleback CC) with an RBI double during the ninth, Adamson ultimately did his job, recording a strikeout, allowing two total baserunners and sealing an 8-2 victory for the Oaks.
After an impressive eight-run performance, Oaks’ manager David Soliz said he wants his team to continue stick with every pitch, something they’ve done for the entire season.
“What we’d like to carry over is the feeling the guys have of being with every pitch, every inning of every game. We’ve done that all summer and today we did it, and hopefully we carry that over tomorrow,” said Soliz.
The Oaks will square off against the winner of tonight’s the Healdsburg Prune Packers – San Luis Obispo Blues game tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. PST.
Be sure to follow the CCL on Twitter and Instagram or tune into the YouTube broadcast to stay up-to-date on all the playoff action.
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