KBCsports.com Player of the Game Brian Crabb of the Coronado Islanders had a dominating pitching performance against the Christian Patriots in the CIF-San Diego Section Division IV Baseball Championship game. Crabb scattered six hits over seven innings, gave up just one run (in the 7th) and added nine strikeouts in his complete game victory. Crabb limited the Christian hitters, enabling Coronado to win the title in Division IV, 5-1.
The Cathedral Catholic Dons captured the CIF Division III baseball championship with a hard fought 5-3 victory over Montgomery in a game broadcast on KBCsports.com. It is the first time Cathedral has won a baseball title since 2005 when they were known as Uni High. On the field they were the same old Dons capturing their 5th championship in eight years.
First baseman Casey Husband was selected the KBCsports.com player of the game as the junior went 3-4 with a gigantic 2-run homer that was the difference in the game. Husband launched his shot in the fifth inning with score knotted up at 3, as he connected against Aztecs reliever Daniel Rodriguez.
Montgomery enjoyed a first inning lead thanks to a lead off triple from Juan Moriel and then a Dons error to make it 1-0 Aztecs. It might have been a much bigger inning for Montgomery, but the Cathedral defense and pitcher Jonathan Myer buckled down and worked out of a bases loaded, no out pickle. Myer stood strong on the hill as the junior hurler worked in and out of jams and pitched 6 full innings to capture the win. Myer was also aided by a spectacular Dons outfield that made several breathtaking catches led by Tyler Gaffney and Matt Moynihan.
Montgomery would enjoy a 2 run lead after a 4 hit attack in the third inning, but Cathedral would tie it up in very next inning and then keep the lead for good thanks to the Casey Husband blast
If you drive in half of your team's eight runs, you are likely to be chosen KBCsports.com Player of the Game. Do it in the CIF-San Diego Section Division I Baseball Finals, and it's a no-brainer. Designated Hitter Donovan Dooney of the Poway Titans did just that. Dooney drove in two with a double in the 4th inning, then another two with a single in the 5th, as the Poway Titans beat La Costa Canyon 8-3 to win the Division I title.
The baseball dynasty at Grossmont high school continued it's remarkable run as the Foothillers captured their fourth straight CIF championship with an 11-5 win over Oceanside. It was a match-up between the top two seeds in Division II and after Oceanside grabbed a 1-0 lead after in the first, Grossmont exploded offensively and scored ten times in building an insurmountable lead.
Leftfielder Robert Reyes was selected the KBCsports.com player of the game as the senior belted a huge 420 foot home run to left centerfield in the third inning to give the Foothillers a 10-2 lead. The devastating offense of Grossmont was aided by the sensational pitching of junior Levi Stevens as he threw six strong innings and struck out six to record his 8th victory of the year.
The final win (29-7) of the season for Grossmont was also the final coaching performance for Head coach Rob Phillips who effectively retired immediately follwing the game. After 12 years as the leader of the Foothillers, Phillips amassed more than 300 victories and 6 CIF Championships.
Oceanside received stellar play offensively and defensively from all world shortstop Matt Cerda who will play at USD next year. Also contributing to the Pirates great season were Pat Mcguire, Damian Kardas and pitcher Raymond Rodriguez who drew the assignment to try and stop the Foothiller baseball machine. The Foothillers proved too tough to handle and for the fourth straight year they win the CIF Division III crown.