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GRANITE HILLS PITCHER TAKES CHARGE In Open Division Finals
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."
GRANITE HILLS BLANKS LA COSTA CANYON 3 - 0 TO WIN OPEN DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
La Costa Canyon (21-12) went down swinging but Granite Hills (26-7) held on to win the 2014 Open Division Championship by a score of 3 - 0. Cameron Harrison (8-3) pitched well for the Mavericks in limiting the Eagles to only two earned runs but Granite Hill's ace Jason Rose (7-0) pitched great for the Eagles in striking out 10 and walking none.
In the top of the first inning the Mavericks got a runner over to third but couldn't get the run in. The Eagels scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings. The Mavericks brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning but another great play by Granite Hill's short stop Michael Diffley closed out the game.
Note: The Avocado West League had four teams in the eight team Open Division and El Camino made it to the finals of the Division II Playoffs, loosing to Bonita Vista 0-4.
LCC REACHES OPEN DIVISION FINAL
U-T San Diego Wed. June 4th
John Maffei-UT
Ethan Abrams, it seems, has pitched every big game for the La Costa Canyon High Baseball team this season. So it was no surprise to see his name on the lineup card Tuesday, facing top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Rancho Bernardo in the fourth round of the San Diego Section Open Division playoffs.
As he has done so often this season, the junior right-hander delivered. Abrams allowed 11 hits in a complete game 111 pitch effort but was huge in clutch situations as No. 4-seeded LCC edged RB 3-2.
The victory propels the Mavericks (21-11) into Saturday's 7 pm title game against second seeded Granite Hills (25-7) at USD. RB (30-5) which needed to beat LCC twice to advance, is eliminated.
"I pitched against Carlsbad three times in pressure games," Abrams said. "But this was the biggest game I've been in...by far." Abrams allowed a run on three hits in the first inning, then worked out of a jam in the third with the help of an appeal play at second base when the umpires said an RB runner left early on a fly ball to center.
RB left the bases loaded in the fourth when Abrams struck out Alex Jackson on a full-count curve ball. Jackson, who was 3-for-4, is expected to be a high first round pick in Thursday's pro baseball draft. He concluded his prep career with 47 home runs, tied with RB alum John Drennen for first all-time in the section.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rancho Bernardo scored one and had runners on first and second with one out. But Abrams got a liner to left and a grounder to short to end the game and knock the defending Open Division champs out of the playoffs.
LCC scored on a solo homer by Shane Potter in the second inning. Ryan McClure's sacrafice fly scored Mickey Moniak in the third. And Scott Souter's solo homer in the top of the seventh gave the Mavericks some breathing room.
"Everything was magnified today," said Souter. "We lost all our seniors off last year's team, so to come together as a team and go to the championship, this means so much."
The defeat stung the RB players hard. Several were in tears after the loss. "That was two good teams out there," said Broncos coach Sam Blalock. "We hit a lot of balls hard that were caught. And we lost an appeal that I thought the umpires missed. That took a run off the board. There are a lot of ifs and buts in a close game, though."
LA COSTA CANYON 3 RANCHO BERNARDO 2
La Costa Canyon (21-11) edges Rancho Bernardo (30-5) by a score of 3-2 to advance to the CIF Open Division Championship Game against Granite Hills on Saturday June 7th at 7:00 PM at the University of San Diego's Fowler Stadium.
Granite Hills beat Cathedral Catholic 7 - 6 in the other Open Division semi-final game by scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In Division II, El Camino beat Eastlake 3-2 to advance to the Division II Championship Game against the winner of the Fifth Round Game between Bonita Vista and Santa Fe Christian.
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