(6/16/2009) Sean O'Sullivan became the 16th Grossmont College
baseball player to play in the Major Leagues Tuesday night in San
Francisco.
O'Sullivan, 21, was called up to take the rotation spot of an
ailing Ervin Santana and responded in dramatic fashion.
O'Sullivan pitched seven stellar innings against the San
Francisco Giants earning a win in his MLB debut. The right hander
allowed one earned run on five hits, striking out five. He threw 98
pitches. Always capable with the bat, O'Sullivan also recorded his
first MLB hit and scored a run.
This season at Triple A Salt Lake City O'Sullivan pitched in 10
games recording a 5-2 record with a 6.02 ERA and 35 strikeouts. The
El Cajon, Calif. native was originally selected by the Angels in the
third round of the 2005 draft.
(5/9)
LONG BEACH
The Grossmont baseball team
saw a strong 2009 season come to an end Saturday afternoon falling
8-10 in 10 innings at Long Beach City College.
Head coach Randy Abshier's Griffins ended
their season 27-15, wile Long Beach improved to 29-13.
The usually sure-handed Grossmont College Griffins failed to
keep that sure handedness in the travel gear as they lost 10-8
in ten innings to get eliminated from the CCCAA So. California
regionals.
Grossmont (27-15) committed three errors on
Saturday which led to five runs (only two earned). For the two
game set against Long Beach the Griffin defense allowed 16 runs
(seven earned), and committed five errors. On Saturday, Mark
Bellatti (1-1) was tagged with the loss when he and the defense
could not register an out after four batters in the tenth
inning.
There were some positives in the game as Kevin Silvett
crushed two home runs, one to straight away left and the other
to left-centerfield. The first home run was apart of Silvett’s
personal six straight hits dating back to the game winning hit
against Palomar.
For Long Beach (29-16), there were positives beyond the final
score. Starting pitcher Blake Golding retired eleven consecutive
batters between the third and seventh innings. The streak began
with a double-play grounder off of Brian Sagun through the
entire lineup until Kevin Silvett reached with a single up the
middle.
WHO IS MOVING ON TO THE SECOND ROUND?
Grossmont was not the only PCC team that got bounced, as third
place Southwestern (2008 runner’s up) lost to #_ Santa Ana in
two games as well. #1 Palomar moved into the second round and
due to their lofty seed will host next weekend’s Super
Regionals. Listed below is the entire state’s second round. NORTH
#1 Ohlone and #3 Feather River will host Super Regionals
At #1 Ohlone:
#1 Ohlone, #6 Diablo Valley, #7 Consumnes River and #15 San Jose
(def. #2 Merced).
At #3 Feather River:
#3 Feather River, #4 San Mateo, #9 San Joaquin Delta and #12
Sierra (def. #5 Fresno).
SOUTH
#1 Palomar and #2 Orange Coast will host the Super Regionals
At #1 Palomar:
#1 Palomar, #5 Santa Ana, #6 Long Beach and #14 Mt. San Antonio
(def. #3 Cuesta in a doubleheader sweep).
At #2 Orange Coast:
#2 Orange Coast, #4 Cypress, #7 Mt. San Jacinto and #9
Saddleback.
(5/8)
LONG BEACH
─The Long Beach City College
baseball team opened the postseason with a 6-4 win over visiting
Grossmont College in Game 1 of their best-of-three Southern
California Regional Playoffs series on Friday at Joe Hicks Memorial
Field.
The win improved the No. 6-seed Vikings to
28-13 overall while No. 10 Grossmont had its six-game winning streak
snapped and dropped to 27-14.
Freshman Matt Johnson went the distance for
the win, but things started off rocky for him in the first.
Grossmont center fielder Sequoyah Stonecipher
drew a one-out walk in the top of the first inning, which was
followed by a two-run homerun by catcher Kevin Silvett to give the
Griffins a quick 2-0 advantage.
But the Vikings came right back in the bottom
of the first to reclaim the lead for good.
Center fielder Michael Schultz led off with a
double down the left-field line and shortstop Hector Iribe was hit
by a pitch. Second baseman Trevor Costin followed that with a
grounder to short that appeared to be an easy double play
opportunity, but Grossmont’s Brian Sagun booted the ball to load the
bases.
With no outs, Grossmont starting pitcher Todd
Jones got catcher Jonathan Keener to foul out and then struck out
right fielder Randy Guite. Jones appeared to be on his way to
getting out of the jam, but designated hitter Brian Loard smacked a
2-2 pitch to left for a double that cleared the bases and gave LBCC
a 3-2 lead.
The Vikings added three more key runs in the
bottom of the fifth. Schultz led off the frame with his first
homerun of the season. Costin singled his way on base and two
batters later came in to score on a passed ball. Guite earned a
two-out walked, moved to second on the passed ball, stole third
base, and came in on a RBI single by Loard.
Johnson cruised his way through Grossmont’s
lineup until struggling in the top of the eighth. With two outs,
Stonecipher walked and Silvett singled to set up a two-run single by
right fielder Ryan Hulbert. With the score 6-4, Grossmont had the
tying run at the plate in designated hitter Nick Placone. But
Johnson struck him out to end the rally. Johnson allowed a single
with two outs in the ninth, but got left fielder Robert Aguirre to
fly out to right to end the ballgame and give LBCC the 1-0 lead in
the series.
Johnson (5-1) allowed four runs and nine hits
in the complete-game win. He struck out seven and walked two.
Loard closed his game going 2 for 4 (2B) with
4 RBI while Schultz was 2 for 4 (HR, 2B) with two runs and a RBI.
Jones (7-2) also went the distance for
Grossmont in the losing effort. He gave up six runs (only one
earned) and nine hits while striking out three.
Silvett was a perfect 4 for 4 (HR, 2B, 2 runs)
with 2 RBI while Hulbert also drove in two going 2 for 4.
Game 2 of the series is set for 11 a.m. on
Saturday (May 9) at Joe Hicks Memorial Field with Game 3 to follow
if necessary.
The winner of the series advances to next
weekend’s (May 15-17) Super Regional, hosted by the top two
remaining seeds.
(5/4) EL CAJON ─ Road Warriors, that is what the Grossmont
College Griffins will have to become to win the 2009 California
Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Baseball State
Championship.
The Griffins, a team that went 27-13 overall and 10-6 on the
road will start a possible stretch of three weekends on the road
with a trip to Long Beach City College. Grossmont who received
the #10 seed was bumped down to the #11 line due to a CCCAA rule
that states that conference foes cannot face each other in the
first round. Cerritos, another South Coast Conference member,
was seeded 11th and was then moved to the ten line where they
will face Mt. San Jacinto the seventh seed.
Grossmont Scouting Report
On the mound, the Griffins are led by Zach Anderson (9-3, 3
Saves, 5.46 ERA) and Todd Jones (7-1, 3.50 ERA). Anderson led
the PCC with 82 strikeouts in 97 1/3 Innings (also led the
circuit). Offensively, the Griffins are led by power hitting
centerfielder Sequoyah Stonecipher. Stonecipher is tied with
Jake Eccles of Santa Ana with 17 home runs. The Griffins as a
team lead the state with 55 dingers; Santa Ana is second with
50.
Long Beach Scouting Report
Long Beach finished as the South Coast Conference champion
finishing, a game ahead of Mt. San Antonio who received the
fourteenth seed, with a 26-16 record. The Vikings did not have a
good record against teams that made the 18 team playoff field
going 2-6, compared to Grossmont who went 7-6.
The Vikings are led on the mound by Matt Johnson, a 6-2
freshman right-hander, with a 3-1 record and a 4.34 ERA over
eleven starts, while Blake Golding (6-5, 3.18 ERA), a 6-3
freshman righty out of Utah, led the squad with 12 starts and
three complete games.
Offensively, Long Beach is led by sophomore second baseman
Trevor Costin who hit .339 over 171 at bats (58 hits) and also
knocked 20 doubles. Quite a contrast to Grossmont, Long Beach
has a total of 17 round trippers (Jonathan Keener leads the club
with 5).
Part of the reason why Long Beach has so few home runs is due to
the large size of Joe Hicks Memorial Stadium. Some estimates of
the field have the measurements coming in at 340 feet down the
lines, 395 in the power alleys, and a whopping 435 feet in
centerfield (compared to the 410 at Noel Michelsen). Joe Hicks
has a similar layout to that of the Arizona Diamondbacks home
field Bank One Ballpark as far as a squared off centerfield.
Game Times:
Game 1 Friday 5/8 ─ 3:00pm
Game 2 Saturday 5/9 ─ 11:00am
Game 3 Saturday 5/9 ─ 2:00pm or 45 minutes after Game 2
Directions to Long Beach City College (From Grossmont
College):
CA-125 North to CA-52 West. CA-52 West to I-805 North. I-805
North merges with the I-5 in Del Mar, continue North. (For those
that want to spend a few more dollars, you can take CA-73 North,
a toll road that will cost you $4.50 and save you one mile and
three minutes, to I-405 North and continue with the directions)
For those saving money, I-5 North to I-405 North and continue to
CA-19 North/ Lakewood Blvd. Follow the off-ramp under the Long
Beach airport and continue North to E Wardlow Road and turn
RIGHT. Take Wardlow Road for 1/3 of a mile to Clark Ave and turn
LEFT. Continue on Clark Ave for .6 mile and the parking lot will
be on your LEFT. If you get to Carson Street, you have gone too
far, turn around and the second or third parking lots on the
right will work for you.
2009 All-Pacific Coast Conference Baseball Team
Player of the Year – Tyler Saladino, Palomar
Coach of the Year – Buck Taylor, Palomar
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher – Todd Jones, Grossmont
Pitcher – Bobby Shore, Palomar
Pitcher – Sam Jew, Palomar
Relief Pitcher – Casey Edelbrock, Palomar
Catcher – Zach Tanida, San Diego Mesa
Catcher – Kevin Silvett, Grossmont
First Base – Alfonso Casillas, Palomar
First Base – Edgar Molina, Southwestern
Infield – Tyler Saladino, Palomar
Infield – Terrence Buchanan, Palomar
Infield – Matt Hubbard, Palomar
Infield – Brian Sagun, Grossmont
Infield – Louie Cazares, San Diego City
Infield – Nick Parisi, San Diego City
Outfield – Sequoyah Stonecipher, Grossmont
Outfield – Aren Dodd-Waddington, Southwestern
Outfield – Matt Carvutto, Palomar
Outfield – Brenden Webb, Palomar
Outfield – Anthony Lopez, San Diego Mesa
Outfield – Tyler Bryan, San Diego Mesa
Outfield – Clifford Benson, Imperial Valley
Designated Hitter – Ryan Fariss, Southwestern
HONORABLE MENTION
Palomar – DH / 1B Leland Sisco, INF Mitch Ferguson, OF Victor
Martinez, C B.K. Santy, P Aaron Edwards, P Travis Strong, P Sean
Sanford, P Matt Strom.
Grossmont – INF Ben Sarno, P Zach Anderson, OF Ryan
Hulbert, INF Kevin Tenny
Southwestern – C Taylor Comford, P Lucas Sanford, OF Travis
Taijeron DH Tim Leary, INF Juan Moriel
San Diego Mesa – P Allen Townsend, P Blake Gallacher
San Diego City – OF Hilario Garcia, OF Kevin Santos, P Mike
Scaramella, C Alex Cann
Imperial Valley – OF Gabriel Item, INF Edgar Borquez, P Manuel
De La Cruz
(4/30) EL CAJON ─ The cable network TNT has a tag line of “We
know drama”, well then they must have been writing the script
for Grossmont’s 8-7 come from behind victory over the #1 ranked
Palomar Comets.
Palomar (32-11-1, 19-6) twice had leads of two-runs and a
late one-run lead going to the bottom of the ninth. Alfanso
Cassilas lead the Comet attack by going 3-for-5 with two 2-run
home runs. But it was pitching and fielding that let down the #1
ranked team in Southern California.
With
one out in the bottom of the ninth, Grossmont’s (27-13, 18-7)
first baseman Kevin Tenny got a single right back up the middle.
Adam Aspass followed that up with a walk to move Tenny into
scoring position. After an out, Brian Sagun lined a single to
left-center to drive in Tenny for the tying run and moving
Aspass to third, with Sagun advancing to second on the throw
home. With first open, Casey Edlebrock, Palomar’s closer issued
an intentional walk to Sequoyah Stonecipher to load the bases
with two down. Kevin Silvett then with a two ball count lined a
single right back up the middle to drive in Aspass with the
winning run.
The Griffins finished the regular season one game out of
first place behind Palomar. Both teams are looking very good for
the California Community College Athletic Association Southern
California regionals which will be announced on Sunday (May 3).
(4/28) SAN MARCOS ─ Palomar College entered the game on
Tuesday as the number one team in Southern California, chances
are when the new rankings come out they will no longer be there,
after losing 6-3 to the Griffins.
Sequoyah Stonecipher (17) and Kevin Silvett (8) both launched
moon shots in the top of the ninth to give the cushion needed.
The shots came after Palomar (30-10-1, 19-5) scored two in the
bottom of the 8th inning. Zach Anderson came in and provided
some excellent relief pitching to shut the Comets down when he
got a double play on the first pitch he threw.
Grossmont (26-13, 17-7) will host Palomar on Thursday at Noel
Michelsen Field with a scheduled 2:00pm first pitch.
(4/23) EL CAJON ─ In Greek Mythology it was the Griffin that
protected the Gold and other precious metal. In the 2009 Pacific
Coast Conference baseball season home field is a precious
commodity and with the 13-9 victory the Grossmont College
Griffins got on Thursday it was protecting home field.
Grossmont (24-13, 15-7) might not have had the best pitching
performance of the season, but the offense took care of
business. Starting pitcher Todd Jones allowed fourteen hits and
eight earned runs, yet even with that he still improved to 7-1
on the campaign. After three innings the score was tied at six,
however, the Griffins simply watched the ball a lot as the
Knight (13-20, 9-13) pitching staff was not on target with five
pitchers combining with twelve walks, increasing the Griffins
lead over the state with 211 free passes, the most by any team
in the state. The Griffins also extended their lead over Santa
Ana College when Sequoyah Stonecipher pounded his 16th homer,
the 51st for the season. For Stonecipher, it was an important
home run for the Mission Bay graduate as the home run puts
Stonecipher in the state lead for homers.
The two teams will face each other again on Saturday at
Morley Field in Balboa Park, first pitch is scheduled for high
noon. When you combine the Griffins win with the loss by front
running Palomar, the Griffins are only three games back with
three games to go, if the Griffins win out and Palomar lose
their final three games (the final two games of the season have
Palomar and Grossmont face each other) the Griffins will win the
Pacific Coast Conference.
Stonecipher named Athlete of the Week
(4/27) Grossmont's Sequoiah Stonecipher was named the Pacific
Coast Conference's Athlete of the Week today.
A sophomore center fielder from Mission Bay High School,
Stonecipher leads the state with 16 home runs.
Last week, Stonecipher went 3-for-4 with a home run and double in
a 9-8 win over Imperial Valley. He was 2-for-2 with a homer in a
13-9 victory over San Diego City College. And he went 2-fo4 with a
double in a 16-11 win over City that clinched second place in the
PCC for the Griffins.
(4/25) SAN DIEGO ─ The Grossmont College Griffins won by
defeating San Diego City 16-11, but lose their chance at a
conference championship when the Palomar Comets defeated
Southwestern 4-2.
Grossmont (25-13, 16-7) had a solid starting pitching
performance by Zach Anderson (W, 9-3) who threw six innings
allowing nine hits and striking out the same number and allowed
three runs (two earned). While Anderson was dealing, the Griffin
offense was building a lead that they would need.
Brian Sagun did exactly what a leadoff man should do…get on!
He certainly did that going 3-5 only not getting on once in his
six trips to the plate. In addition, he stole a season high
three bags in the first two innings. The Knight pitching staff
late in the game changed their approach as they intentionally
walked Sequoyah Stonecipher twice, which loaded the bases both
times. The first time was in the sixth and the intentional pass
was enough for Hunter Herrera (L, 2-7) to lose the strike zone
as he walked Kevin Silvett to walk in a run. Three innings and
two pitchers later Sagun was on second with one out. Stonecipher
was issued another free pass and then two batters later Ryan
Hulbert was also issued an intentional pass. Pinch hitter Jordan
Means came up with what could be the biggest hit of the season,
a triple to right field that cleared the bases and gave the
Griffins the cushion they would need.
The Griffin fans that were in attendance were thinking that
the Griffins might still have a shot at winning the conference
title. That thinking was dashed when word trickled through the
crowd after the game that Palomar took the crown when they
defeated Southwestern in San Marcos, which is where Grossmont
will be on Tuesday for the final road game of the regular season
with first pitch scheduled for 2:00pm. The Comets and Griffins
will finish the regular season at Noel Michelsen Field on
Thursday (April 30) for another 2:00pm first pitch.
(4/18) RIVERSIDE, CA ─ The old baseball adage good pitching
shuts down good hitting came into play on Saturday as the
Riverside Tigers defeated the Grossmont College Griffins 6-3.
The Tigers pitching staff scattered six hits and five free
passes in the game as the Griffins only got two clutch hits.
The only bright spot in the game came in the first inning as
Sequoyah Stonecipher crushed his 14th round tripper of the
season. On the first pitch of the at bat Scott Marisnick (1-2)
threw a fastball that was about belt high and Stonecipher turned
it around for a two-run shot to left center. The ball landed at
the base of a tree that signifies where home plate was when
Bobby Bonds played high school ball on the same piece of land.
The 2-0 lead would be good for two innings as the Tigers (18-20)
scored single runs in the first three innings.
Grossmont (22-13) would score again in the seventh when Brian
Sagun, who went 2-4, drove in Kevin Tenny with a line-drive
single that nearly took the head off of Jeff Murray. The score
was then four to three in Riverside’s favor. Then in the bottom
of the seventh the Tigers loaded up the bases and with two outs
Robert Archuleta hot a looper into left field that plated two
runs.
Grossmont will travel to Imperial Valley College on Tuesday to
resume the stretch run in the Pacific Coast Conference, first
pitch is scheduled for 2:00pm.
EL CAJON ─ The Grossmont Griffins defeated the Arabs of Imperial
Valley on Friday 11-4, while finally getting the clutch hits that
has been eluding them for the last couple of weeks.
Ben Sarno paced the Griffins (22-12, 13-7) with his three hits
while driving in three runs from the second position in the lineup.
Brian Sagun did his job in the leadoff role by getting on base all
five trips to the plate, while scoring four times.
Imperial Valley (4-31, 0-20) was lead by second baseman Justin
Gorman who went 4-5.
Kevin Dwyer (4-2) went six innings and was backed up by three
innings of shutout ball by Mitchell Hamels and Mike Grimaud.
The Griffins will travel to Riverside Community College for a
non-conference game on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for
5:00pm. On Tuesday, the Griffins will return to conference play when
they travel to Imperial Valley for a 2:00pm scheduled first pitch.
(2/12)
Pitcher Zach Anderson improved to 4-0 on the season in Grossmont's
14-9 win over visiting El Camino February 12th.
Anderson pitched 6
2/3 innings while striking out 12 batters. Outfielder Ryan Hulbert
continued his torrid 2009 connecting for his second grand slam of
the season in Grossmont's five-run sixth inning.
Catcher Kevin
Silvett had four hits and two runs scored, and second baseman went
3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
(2/5) Grossmont improved to 6-1 on the season with an 8-4 win
over visiting Cerro Coso.
Grossmont starter Zach Anderson was dominant pitching seven
strong innings to go 3-0 in 2009. Anderson allowed just two
earned runs and scattered five hits while striking out 10
batters.
Grossmont's Ben Sarno, Ryan Brosnan and Kevin Silvett
provided the offense with two RBI's apiece. Brosnan and Sarno
each connected for homers. Outfielder Sequoyah Stonecipher
collected three hits in the winning effort.
Ryan Hulbert, who connected for a grand slam
against Fresno.
Photo by Mike Jones
Hulbert mashes his way to PCC honors
(2/2) Grossmont outfielder Ryan Hulbert was honored by the
Pacific Coast Conference as the Player of the Week.
Hulbert, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound sophomore outfielder from Helix
High School, batted .524 for the week as the Griffins also went 5-0.
Hulbert went 11-for-21 with two grand-slam home runs, two doubles
and 12 RBIs. One of the grand-slams broke a 5-5 fifth-inning tie as
Grossmont also knocked off Fresno 10-5.
(1/30/09) The Griffins moved to 3-0 on the young season with an
impressive 10-5 win over #2 Fresno City College at Noel Mickelson
field Friday.
Grossmont used a pair of five-run outbursts in the third and
fifth innings to upset Fresno.
The big blow of the game was delivered courtesy of
outfielder Ryan Hulbert. The sophomore connected for a grand slam to
put the Griffins ahead for good 10-5.
Fresno entered the game as Northern California's top-rated team,
and the second rated team overall in California.
Zach Anderson picked up the win in relief tossing
four-and-a-third shutout innings. The 6-4 freshman walked none
and struck out three.
Grossmont 12 Porterville 3
(1/30/09) In the day's first game, Grossmont dismissed
Porterville College 12-3.
Grossmont College kicks off the 2009 campaign this week after
Saturday's annual Green and Gold intrasquad game.
The Griffs travel to San Bernardino on Tuesday the 27t, then open
the home schedule with games Friday the 30th versus Porterville at
10am, and Fresno City at 2:00pm.
Grossmont then welcomes another pair of teams to Noel Mickelson
Field on Saturday January 31st. Reedley takes on Grossmont at 10am,
followed by San Bernardino at 2:00pm.
G
