LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Union Tribune by John Maffei 

Eagles righty blanks LCC to Clinch Crown.

  Playing on the big stage at USD, in the San Diego Section Open Division baseball title game, Granite Hills came up smelling like a Rose.  Utah-bound senior right-hander Jayson Rose spun a four-hit shut out Saturday as the Eagles beat La Costa Canyon 3-0.

  "I wanted to get ahead in the count and make good pitches," said Rose, who improved to 7-0 on the season. "Everything was working." Rose struck out 10 to give him 98 on the season in 80 innings. He didn't walk a hitter.

  Granite Hills (26-7) scored an unearned run in the first.  The Eagles got another run in the third on a single by Robert Bostredt, a double by Jordan Verdon and Rose's sacrifice fly. Bostedt singled home a run in the fourth. "Getting that first was huge," Rose said.

  Granite Hills lost the initial Open Division title game last year to Rancho Bernardo, a team La Costa Canyon (21-12) eliminated in this year's playoffs.  "Losing a championship game is the worst feeling in the world," Rose said. "But winning feels pretty darn good.  I'm a senior, and I love this."

   LCC pitcher Cameron Harrison (8-3) allowed eight hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out one.

   It's the second time this season Granite Hills has beaten LCC 3-0, defeating the Mavericks in the season-opening Hilltop Tournament.

  "Rose has pitched well against every team he has faced," said Granite Hills coach James Davis. "He's our big horse, He matches up with every team's ace. "This was a stressful situation before a big crowd. You never know how someone will act in that situation but Jayson was huge."

  La Costa Canyon didn't get two runners on base in the same inning until the seventh. But the rally died when shortstop Michael Diffley made a nice play to end the game.  "Rose is the best pitcher we've seen all year," said LCC coach Justin Machado. "He had good command and great velocity."

  "We're a young team and played well down the stretch.  Maybe we can do what Granite Hills did -- lose a title game one year, then win it the next."