Fresno, Calif. - Cypress’s season ended Sunday after their second loss of the day in the double-elimination State Championship Tournament. The Chargers faced off again with Sacramento City who they met and defeated on Saturday. The outcome would be reversed today as Cypress lost 8-6 to end their 2006 season. The Chargers found themselves in a game of catch up against the Panthers but could not quite get over the hump. Freshman third baseman Brandon Laird went two for five with an RBI to pace Cypress.
Cypress was on the board first with a run in the first. Sophomore outfielder Garrett Young led off with a walk and advanced to third after a Joel Weeks single down the right field line. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Green belted a sac fly to center allowing Young to score to give Cypress the early 1-0 lead. The Panthers could not answer in the first but they made a statement in the second with six runs in the second off of five hits and an error.
The Chargers, now down five runs, had to answer quickly. Green singled to right and moved to third off of a Matt Wallach single. Laird added his single to left for an RBI as Green scored. Freshman designated hitter Ben Ornelas singled to right allowing Wallach to score. The Chargers could not catch the Panthers in the third but cut the lead to 6-3. The Chargers added another in the fourth. Sophomore outfielder Kenny Lusk led off with a double to left. With two outs retired, Green walked moving Lusk to second and sophomore outfielder Mike Vass singled to left scoring Wallach and cutting the lead to two runs.
The Panthers would score again in the sixth with a run and Cypress answered with two. Ornelas reached first on a fielder’s choice and sophomore first baseman Blaine Wilson doubled down the left field line to move Ornelas to third. Sophomore Matt Miller grounded out but was able to move Wilson to third and score Wilson. Young doubled down the right field line allowing Wilson to score to cut the lead to just one run. The Chargers allowed another run and could not get their bats going in the eighth or ninth allowing Sacramento City to hold on to their lead to win 8-6. Sophomore Nick Rhodes absorbed the loss bringing his 2006 record to 8-2.
This defeat ends Cypress’s 2006 season. The Chargers finished with a record of 42-12, the most wins since 1994 and the Orange Empire Conference Championship.
Laird went two for five Sunday.