Chargers Lose One and Pick up Two Over Spring Break
Vass was 5 for 8 over three games. |
April 13, 2006
Final Stats v. Canyons
Final Stats v. Cuesta
Final Stats v. Fresno
San Luis Obispo, Calif. - Cypress headed on the road for Spring Break to face three tough opponents in what could be previews of playoff and state championship games to follow. Cypress faced off with Canyons, Cuesta, and Fresno, winning 8-6, losing 10-16, and winning 10-3 respectively. Sophomore outfielder Mike Vass led the Chargers going 5 for 8 over the three games including a double, 3 RBIs, and 3 runs scored.
The Chargers warmed up with the College of Canyons, the 23rd ranked team in Southern California. Canyons got the first punch in with a run in the first but Cypress poured on 4 in the fourth spurred on by a 2 RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Matt Miller, and a 2 RBI double by freshman catcher Bubba Ruddy. Canyons kept it close with two runs in the fourth for a slim Charger lead 4-3. Cypress waited until the sixth to extend their lead with two runs as sophomore shortstop Taylor Green belted a sacrifice fly to score sophomore second baseman Garrett Green and freshman first baseman Brandon Laird homered. Cypress would not stop scoring adding 2 in the ninth when Laird drove a sacrifice fly the center to score Garrett Green and sophomore outfielder Garrett Young doubled to score Taylor Green. Canyons threatened to steal the win from Cypress in the bottom of the ninth scoring two runs before sophomore Wes Etheridge came in to record the last two outs of the game earning himself his 9th save of the year ending the game 8-6. Freshman Jason Schnitzer earned the win pitching 5.1 innings for his first win.
The road trip would only get tougher as the Chargers headed to Cuesta, the fourth ranked team in Southern California. The game was high scoring, ugly, and fraught with errors. The Chargers were up 5-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth before Cuesta broke out for 4 runs to take the lead. Cypress tied the game up at 8 in the seventh but gave up 5 runs in the bottom of the eighth. At the end of the day, Cuesta had the 16-10 victory off of 10 hits and 5 Charger errors. Vass went 2 for 3 against Cuesta for 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Sophomore right hander David Stokes absorbed the loss for the Chargers to fall to 5-3.
Cypress had to bounce back quick for a marquee match-up as the Cypress, the number 1 ranked team in the South faced off with Fresno, the number 1 ranked team in the North. Fresno started steady scoring a run in the first, the second, and the fifth for the 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. Cypress caught up quick scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 3. Sophomore second baseman Joel Weeks hit an RBI double to score freshman outfielder Ben Ornelas, Young grounded out for an RBI as sophomore Blaine Wilson scored, and Garret Green flied out to center for the sacrifice fly so Weeks could score. The fifth was just the beginning for Charger bats scoring 4 more in the seventh. Taylor Green doubled for 2 RBIs, Laird singled to score Taylor Green, and Vass doubled to score Laird. Cypress piled it on in the eighth with three more as sophomore Mike Evola scored on an error, freshman Kenny Lusk singled to score Wilson, and Taylor Green flied out to score Weeks. Cypress shut out the Rams after the third for the 10-3 victory. Freshman right-hander Josh Tamba pitched the last 3.2 innings allowing just one hit and earning the win to improve his record to 7-2.
Cypress has a few days off before heading back into Conference play with six more games to go. The Chargers are holding on to a 4 game lead in first and have a tough match-up with the fourth place Tigers of Riverside Tuesday. Riverside is 9-6 in conference but ranked second in Southern California in RPI behind the Chargers. The last time these two teams met the Chargers won in a marathon bout 14-13. Cypress will face Riverside at 2:30 on Tuesday at Riverside.
