(5-2-08)
The men's baseball season came to an end yesterday with a victory
over the vaunted Southwestern squad 9-6.
For the Griffins, it was a chance to end the season on a good
note while at the same time letting the sophomores say their
farewells.
2008 PCC Standings
(5/6/08)
Team
Conf
Overall
Southwestern
22-3
32-11-0
Palomar
18-7
26-19-0
Grossmont
13-12
20-20-0
SD City
11-14
19-19-0
SD Mesa
10-15
14-24-0
Imperial Valley
1-24
3-32-0
Sophomore catcher David Ruiz got the start behind the
plate. Ruiz, who is often over shadowed by a talented
core of freshman catchers that includes Travis Taijeron
and Nick Sica, was outstanding at the plate going 2-4
with a big late inning RBI single.
Joe Inzone also had an impressive game going 3-5 with
two RBIs and two runs scored. Inzone was just inches
short of collecting a cycle when his long drive to deep
right center field fell short of the fence, leaving him
with a single, double and triple to his credit.
The Griffins concluded their season 13-12 within
conference play and 20-20 overall.
ALL-PACIFIC COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM
Player of the Year -- Adrian Bringas, Southwestern
Coach of the Year – Jerry Bartow, Southwestern
First Team
Infielders -- Adrian Bringas (Southwestern), Mitch Blackburn
(Palomar), Tyler Saladino (Palomar), Marshal Harvey (San Diego
City), Kenny Miramontes (Southwestern), Ross Blondin (Grossmont)
First Basemen – Edgar Molina (Southwestern), Anthony Lopez
(San Diego Mesa), Guy Willeford (Palomar)
Outfielders -- Eric Rodriguez (Palomar), Nataniel “Tre”
Dennis (Southwestern), Jared Jordan (Southwestern), Ryan Dew (San
Diego City), Jon Bernetskie (San Diego City), Allan Boyer (San Diego
Mesa)
Catchers –- Zack Larson (San Diego Mesa), Travis Taijeron
(Grossmont)
Designated Hitter -- Ryan Fariss (Southwestern)
Pitchers -- Daniel Stenavich (Southwestern), Jorge Dryjanski
(Southwestern), Lucas Whitmore (San Diego City)
Relief Pitcher -- Kegan Sharp (Palomar)
Honorable Mention
Southwestern – Pitcher Lucas Sanford, pitcher Eric Krause, pitcher
Bryan Flint, infielder Omar Manzanarez, catcher Tyler Comford,
outfielder Julio Torres. Palomar -- Pitcher Bobby Shore, pitcher
Matt Strom, pitcher Sam Jew, catcher Jason Laws, third baseman Colby
Ho; Grossmont – Infielder Tony Jusino, infielder Nick Spears,
outfielder Joe Inzone, pitcher Darren Gay, pitcher Bryan Longpre,
pitcher Garrett Russell, outfielder Josh Miller, pitcher Kevin
McClaughry; San Diego City – Infielder Anthony Long, pitcher
Goldy Simmons, pitcher Dustin Mercadante, pitcher Ashkon Kahualua;
San Diego Mesa – Infielder Zach Tanida; infielder Eli Tupuola,
pitcher Chad Blauer; Imperial Valley – Pitcher Sergio Panela Jr.,
pitcher Luis Liera, pitcher Brandon Angulo, infielder Anthony
Velasco
(4/15/08) El Cajon- With the season winding down and every game a
must win, each pitch and swing of the bat naturally inherits more
importance. That is why Jeff Lucero's ninth inning RBI double off
San Diego City's Dustin Mercadante to break a two to two tie can be
termed "Clutch."
Lucero turned on a fast ball left over the middle of the plate
and drove it to deep right center field bringing home Clifton
Thomas, who had just tripled in the previous at bat, and making the
Griffins victorious for the third time in three games.
Grossmont
was supported by the efforts of starting pitcher Robert
Stevens who was making his first appearance in the
starting roll this season. Stevens went six strong,
giving up 2 runs, one earned, on two hits while striking
out nine.
Grossmont is still holding on to hopes that they will be
playing deeper into May as the playoff are rolling
around at the start of the month.
Alumni Update
David Ward and Robert Scott, alumni of Grossmont College Baseball
in 2005, have signed professional baseball contract with an
independent team, the Long Beach Breakers.
(4/10/08) El Cajon- The
field was a buzz Thursday afternoon as the Griffins and a cloud of
bees both swarmed visiting Imperial Valley with the former posting a
13-2 victory.
By the end of the fifth
inning Grossmont had already stung the Arabs for seven runs, three
coming on a 2nd inning Sequoia Stonecipher homerun, when
a swarm of bees flew onto the field harassing the Arabs’ defense
much like the Griffin’s bats.
Players were forced to
take cover, ducking and scampering away from the swarm
that meandered its way across the field from first base
out over left. With order restored, Griffins's starting
pitcher, Garret Russell, continued to stifle the Arab
bats while the offense piled it on.
In the two game series
with Imperial Valley Grossmont scored 39 total runs, 25
of which came in Tuesdays contest followed by Thursday’s
lackluster performance where they only managed to knock
in 13.
The series most notable
slugger, Ross Blundin, concluded his day by homering
twice, including a grand slam, and driving in six runs.
Blundin, trying to make a case for the PCC All
Conference 3rd basemen, homered four times,
knocked in 11, and scored seven times in the series.
“I’m just trying to get good barrel on the ball and do
whatever I can to help this team out and reach the
playoffs,” Blundin said.
With only a handful of
games remaining the Griffins are mathematically
eliminated from the conference championship title,
trailing Southwestern by seven games, but still eligible
for postseason play. Commenting on the teams chances of
reaching the playoffs, Coach Randy Abshier put it
simply, "we just have to win-out and hope that we have a
high enough RPI rating to get us in."
RPI stands for Rating
Percentage Index which determines a teams playoff
worthiness by taking into account a team's winning
percentage, opponents winning percentage, and
opponents-opponents winning percentage.
(4-5-08)
El Cajon Ca- By the end of the 7th inning the clouds
moved over head shadowing half of Noel Mickelson field, almost as if
to symbolically emphasize the play of the two teams: Southwestern
the light, Grossmont the dark.
The Griffins were out manned and out gamed by the
conference leading Southwestern Jaguars 14-7 on Saturday marking the
sixth loss for Grossmont in seven games.
On a day
when starting pitcher, Darren Gay, didn’t have his best
stuff it was vital for the defense to play soundly,
instead they misplayed balls and committed metal
errors.
In the
first, the Griffins decorated the bases with Jaguars by
booting a ball, blowing a coverage, and giving up a
single before the first run was scored on a sacrifice
fly. The running carousel continued when K.J. Miramontes
sent a deep fly to left ricocheting the ball off the
scoreboard good for a three run homerun and early 4-0
lead over the home team.
Offensively things were not much better. The Griffin's
bats were dormant until the late innings being shut down
by Southwestern's starting pitcher Daniel Stenavich who
went seven strong, scattering ten hits and giving up two
earned runs.
The deciding blow came in the top
half of the seventh when the Jaguars graced home plate
with 14 batters pushing six of them across for runs on
only four hits.
The loss puts Grossmont seven games
behind the Pacific Coast Conference Jaguars
with a little less than a month remaining in the regular
season. The Griffin's travel to Imperial Valley for
another conference tilt Tuesday before coming home to
finish off the two game series Thursday.
El
Cajon Ca - After handicapping themselves two runs in the first inning
to visiting San Diego Mesa Saturday, the Griffins settled down and
used fundamental baseball to outlast the Olympians 11-6.
For their lack of early
defensive acuity, the Griffins more than made up for their four
errors in the first two frames by roughing up starting pitcher Blake Gallacher for six runs in four innings.
Leading the charge was shortstop
Nick Spears who went 3-4 with a home run while the hot
hitting centerfielder, Clifton Thomas, chipped in with a
4-4 effort. When asked about his hot streak Thomas
attributed it to “seeing the ball a lot better and just
being more relaxed up at the plate.”
The game got interesting
in the top of the eighth when the Olympians were down by
five, but threatening with the bases loaded and only one
out. Joe Vega, the hard throwing righty, couldn’t escape
the inning, giving up two runs before turning it over to
Garrett Nelson who extinguished the flames.
Any hopes of a come back
were quickly put to rest after the Griffins matched San
Diego with two runs of their own in the bottom half of
the eighth. “He gave me two sliders on the first two
pitches, and the last pitch he threw me a fastball he
just left there, that I hit through the 5\5 hole,”
Travis Taijeron said about his two RBI eighth inning
single.
Robert Stevens worked a
perfect ninth inducing a fly out and striking out two to
end the game.
(3/27/08)
El Cajon CA- Usually
when the Griffins are ahead in the 9th inning and
number 17, Robert Stevens, is standing on the mound it’s an open and
shut case. But in a game that saw the lead change five times, it
wasn’t surprising to see the scales tip once more in favor of the
visiting Palomar Comets.
With
two outs and runners on second and third, Tyler Saladino
hit a soft liner to center field on a half swing that
scored two runners and put Palomar up 9-8 in the top
half of the ninth inning. Stevens was never hit hard,
but allowed the tying and go ahead runners to reach base
on a hit by a pitch and a walk. The runners were
advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and a
fielder’s choice before crossing the plate as the game
deciding runs.
The
Griffins had just established the lead the inning prior
on a clutch RBI single by Sequoyah Stonecipher, who also
homered earlier in the game.
The
game’s big momentum change occurred in the sixth inning
just after the Griffins put three across the plate in
dramatic fashion on Stonecipher’s solo shot and Travis
Taijeron’s two run blast in the fifth. Struggling to
find the plate, starting pitcher Brian Longpre, gave up
five runs, four earned, on two doubles and a three run
homerun that deflated the home crowd.
With
little over a month to go, the Griffins trail conference
leader Southwestern by four games while falling two
games behind Palomar. Next up: Griffins host conference
rival San Diego Mesa Saturday March 29th ,
game time 12:00 p.m.
(3/11/2008) El Cajon CA - The Griffins solidify come from behind
victory with a two-out solo homerun in the bottom of the eighth
inning. With
the game tied at six runs apiece, Clifton Thomas stepped to the
plate and delivered a shot to right field that just cleared the
fence. Normally not regarded for his homerun prowess, the 5’ 9"
outfielder picked an opportune time to send his first one into the
gully.
“I was ahead 2-0. I knew he was going to come with
something off-speed his next pitch, and he just hung
that curveball,” Thomas said. When asked about the
awkward swing, Thomas said “I just got enough barrel on
it and the wind helped it out.”
Setting the plate for Thomas’ heroics, was a two run
single hit by Garrett Jenner that tied the game in the
bottom of the sixth, capping a five run inning.
Struggling of late, Jenner entered the game as a pitch
hitter with the bases loaded and was able to chop a
first pitch fastball between the first and second
basemen, scoring two runners.
The bullpen excelled in
the late innings holding the Knights to only one run in
the game’s final five frames. Things got exciting in the
top of the eighth, with two runners standing at second
and third with no outs. Robert Stevens was able shut the
door with a groundout to third, fly out to short, and an
inning ending strikeout.
For the Griffins, things are looking positive as the
team is building momentum within the conference and
hopes of success in the playoffs are being fostered. “We
have the club to take it (make it to the playoffs), we
just got to put all three pieces of the pie together”
said Garrett Jenner.
EL CAJON (2-29-08) --
The first round to determine supremacy in the Pacific
Coast Conference went the way of Palomar College on
Thursday (Feb. 28), as the Comets scored three times in
the 1st inning, then staved of several Grossmont College
rallies
to tip the Griffins, 8-6, at Noel Mickelsen Field.
Palomar desiginated hitter Jarend Jones capped the
game-opening rally with a 2-run single, then later added
a sacrifice fly
in the 7th.
Grossmont stayed in contention with single runs in the
1st, 2nd and 5th, capped by ROSS BLONDIN's second home
run of the season. His two-out blast to right trimmed
the deficit to 4-3. However, Comets shortstop Tyler
Saladino answered with a 2-run homer in the 7th for an
8-3 advantage, The Griffins countered with three markers
in the 7th, when pinchhitter JARED MADDEN and first
baseman GARRETT JENNER opened with consecutive singles.
Read more
Dixon, a left-hander out of Tustin High, lasted 8 1/3
innings before Grossmont second baseman TONY JUSINO
laced a line double to the gap in right-center field.
Dixon , who transfered from Cypress College during the
off-season, then exited, with shortstop Brett Wallach
coming on to get the next two Griffins on strikeouts for
the 1-hit shutout.
"I've been waiting for this start for a long time," said
Dixon . "I went to Cypress out of high school, but they
told me I wasn't in their plans and that I couldn't
pitch. So I was hungry to get out there."
Read More
EL CAJON (1-24-08) -- Former Grossmont College and El
Cajon Valley High standout JOE KENNEDY, who lived his
childhood dream by becoming a major league baseball
player before passing away late November, will be
honored Saturday (Jan. 26) when the Griffins play their
home opener at Noel Michelsen Field.
Ceremonies will start at 12:55 a.m., followed by a 1:00
game against San Bernardino Valley.
Kennedy, 28, who developed into a major league pitcher
under former Grossmont skipper ED OLSEN, toiled for six
seasons with seven ballclubs, most recently the Toronto
Blue Jays, before his sudden death while celebrating
Thanksgiving with relatives in Tampa, Fla.
He leaves his wife, Jami -- who is expecting a second
child next summer -- and their 1-year-old son, Kaige.
The Griffins will be dedicating the season to Kennedy,
wearing his No. 17 on their caps. Friends, family, and
former teammates are invited to attend, especially given
that his official memorial was in Denver.
Grossmont opens its season Friday at SBVC to start a
3-game series with the Wolverines.
EastCountySports.com
It all starts with his 516-376-7 record, which ranks
among state's top 10 for coaching victories.
The Olsen legacy doesn't stop there. He's guided 11
Griffins into the major leagues and helped an additional
355 players receive some form of scholarship.
Even with all that excitement under his belt, Olsen was
ecstatic when he learned that he'd been elected to the
California Community College Baseball Coaches
Association Hall of Fame. Olsen will be inducted in the
CCCBA Hall of Fame on May 23 in Fresno, site of the
state baseball championships.
Read More
Griffins send trio on scholarship
Grossmont baseball is pleased to announce the successful
transition of three players from the 2007 roster to four-year
universities. Matt Powell (right) will be playing at Cal State
Fullerton, while John Alia and Mike Robinson will continue their
careers at CSU Dominquez Hills.
In three years under head coach Randy Abshier, the Griffins have
had 97% (30 of 31 players) of all sophomores move on to four-year
universities. Additionally, two Grossmont freshmen have moved on to
receive scholarships.
Jeff Karstens (center, holding up #1 finger)
Former Griffin Karstens goes 2-0, USA wins
(11/18) Former Grossmont pitcher Jeff Karstens and Team USA
captured the Gold in the IBAF World Cup for the first time in 33
years. Karstens earned the victory in games one and eight to go 2-0
in the tournament.
In game one versus Mexico on November 7th, Karstens scattered
five hits over six scoreless innings in a 3-0 win. In the game
(played in Taichung,Taiwan) Karstens, a current member of the New
York Yankees organization, struck out two and walked one.
In game number eight played on November 16th, Karstens stifled
Korea. The right-hander went seven strong innings allowing only one
earned run, struck out seven, and walked none.
(10/19) Former Grossmont pitcher Jeff Karstnes will play for Team
USA in the 2007 International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Cup
in Chinese Taipei, Nov. 6-18.
Karstens is a current member of the New York Yankees
organization. Karstens played at Grossmont from 2001-2002 and
compiled a 16-4 record with a 2.45 ERA before transferring to Texas
Tech.
Former Grossmont pitcher John Lowe was selected in the sixth
round of last week's Major League Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
Lowe was part of a starting staff in 2006 that helped the Griffins
win 30 games and advance into the Southern California Regional
Playoffs.
Lowe went on to Pt. Loma Nazarene University where
played the 2007 season on a full scholarship.
"We are proud of our
alumni," said Grossmont head coach Randy Abshier.
"John was an important part of the 2006 team and the athletic
department and coaching staff are proud for Johnnie."
Six Grossmont baseball players have received All-PCC honors for
their efforts during the 2007 season. Infielder Ross Blondin,
outfielder Clifton Thomas, and catcher Matt Powell were all
First-Team selections.
Earning Honorable mention nods were pitcher Tom Adams, second
baseman Tony Jusino, and first baseman Joel Lollis.
Ross Blondin
Photo by Lenny Gemar
Clifton Thomas
Matt Powell
Photo by Lenny Gemar
Joel Lollis
Photo by Lenny Gemar
Tom Adams
No photo available
Tony Jusino
Photo by Lenny Gemar
Griffins send sophomore class out
(4/30) Grossmont head baseball coach Randy Abshier today
announced that the entire sophomore class from the 2007 Griffins
will be playing at four-year universities next season. Scroll down
to see the five players moving on.
(2/28) Grossmont College had an amazing offensive day at Imperial
Valley College Tuesday emerging with a stunning 33-8 victory.
Freshman Clifton Thomas had two triples, a single, and seven RBIs.
John Alia had four RBI and a homer. Matt Powell was 4-5 with four
RBI and Jeff Woods drove in five and scored four.
(3/14) Grossmont's bullpen was the culprit in a 9-5 loss to
Palomar College at Noel Mickelson Field Tuesday.
Grossmont starter Tom Adams was strong going seven innings struck
out nine, and left a 3-2 leas for the bullpen to protect.
In other news Grossmont infielder Jeff Woods (Santana High) has
accepted a scholarship to Avila University in Kansas City Missouri.
Avila is the home to two of Woods' teammates from last season, Chris
Van Story and Lance Janke.
(3/6) Grossmont saw it's PCC record fall to 3-2 with a l9-3 oss
at Southwestern College Tuesday. Starter Tom Adams was solid,
pitching into the seventh while allowing just three earned runs, but
the bullpen was tagged for six runs in just two innings of work.
(2/24) Grossmont got off to a 1-0 start in Pacific Coast Conference
play with a 9-2 victory over Mesa College at Noel Mickelson Field
Saturday.
Grossmont starter Cameron Selik was again in ace form getting the
win.
The Griffins earned the victory with some timely hitting late scoring
seven runs in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie.
(2/23) Grossmont catcher Matt Powell (right) drew a ninth-inning
bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to force in the game winning run as the
Griffs got the better of No.5 ranked Santa Ana 5-4.
Grossmont rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to
overcome a 4-2 deficit. The win puts Grossmont at an even 8-8
heading into PCC play hosting Mesa College Saturday (2/24) at 12pm.
(2/13) Grossmont snapped a three-game losing skid with a 6-3 win
at Chaffey Tuesday afternoon. Griffins starter Cameron Selik picked
up the win tossing a complete game. Chaffey is the #2 ranked team in
Southern California.
(2/4) The Griffins managed to get out of the desert with a win over
San Bernardino Valley College 7-4 in the final game of the College
of the Desert Tournament.
(2/3) Grossmont suffered it's second setback in the College of the
Desert Tournament, falling to the hosts 3-5 Friday.
The Griffins will try to leave the desert on a winning note, facing
San Bernardino for the fourth time this season Saturday at 2pm.
(2/2) Grossmont starter Cameron Selik was the proverbial
hard-luck losing pitcher in Thursday's 0-3 loss to Cypress in the
opening round of the College of the Desert Tournament in Palm
Desert.
Selik, who has already committed to UNLV tossed a complete game,
allowing seven hits and the three runs, but the Grossmont offense
couldn't capitalize on their 12 hits, all singles.
Cypress, alma mater of Padres closer Trevor Hoffman, was the team
that eliminated the Griffins from the playoffs last season.
Grossmont continues play at the COD Tournament with a Friday game
versus College of the Desert at 2, then San Bernardino on Saturday
at 2pm.
(1/29) Grossmont second baseman Tony Jusino was named a Pacific
Coast Conference Athlete of the Week today. Jusino, a freshman from
Rancho Bernardo High School, went 8-for-12 with six runs scored, two
doubles, a triple, a home run, two walks and six RBIs as he led the
Griffins to an 11-4, 9-7 sweep over San Bernardino Valley in a
non-conference double-header.
With the sun setting in a game shortened by an inning, Jusino
slugged a two-run, two-out, walk-off home run over the rightfield
fence to give the Griffs the victory in the second game.
Jusino's walkoff HR lifts Griffins to sweep
Courtesy of East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (1-27-07) -- Former Rancho Bernardo High standout Tony
Jusino slugged a walkoff, two-run homer in extra innings,
lifting the Grossmont College baseball team to a doubleheader
sweep of visiting San Bernardino Valley College, 11-4 and 9-7 in
8 innings.
Jusino, a freshman second baseball who bats leadoff in the
Grossmont lineup, went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the opener,
then his homer capped a 4-for-5, 5 RBI effort in the nightcap.
Jusino's blast to right field capped a Griffins rally from a 7-0
deficit, scoring five times in the 5th and two more times in the
6th. The rally was triggered by a strong showing by the bullpen,
which retired all nine batters it faced. The final seven
Wolverines batters were retired by Kevin McClaughry (Vista HS),
who registered his first collegiate victory.
In the opener, Grossmont trailed 2-0, but another big outburst
in the 5th was the key. The Griffins scored seven times,
including a go-ahead, two-run single by San Diego State transfer
Joel Lollis, then following a base hit by John Alia, pinchitter
Ross Blondin slugged a two-run homer to right-centerfield.
Grossmont starter Cameron Selik, who already has a baseball
scholarship to UNLV for 2008 in his pocket, struck out nine in
his six innings to collect the victory.
In game two, Brian Flint struck out five SBVC batters in as many
innings, but was burned by three Grossmont errors, plus two
other failed plays to keep innings alive. However, SBVC batters
were stopped by reliever Jason Lambert, who struck out both
batters he faced, then McClaughry, who also struck out two.
Griffins shortstop Clifton Thomas, who stole 50 bases for El
Cajon Valley HS last season, went a combined 2-for-6 in the
twinbill. Both hits scored single runs, plus two of his outs
pushed across runs for a four RBI afternoon in his home debut.
On Friday, San Bernardino Valley won the opening game of the
3-game series at home, 7-6, on a walkoff single in the bottom of
the 9th.
Flint, Lambert (6), McClaughry (6) and Moore, Powell (5).
W - McClaughry (1-0). L - Guerrero (0-1). Sv - none.
HR -- Justino (G) (8th, 1 on, walkoff).
Grossmont drops opener
(1/26) The Griffins dropped a close decision at San
Bernardino Valley College 7-8 in the bottom of the ninth.
Head coach Randy Abshier priased the young Griffs who
rallied in the ninth after being down by two.
"Great comeback," said Abshier.
"This team has a never give up attitude."
The Griffins have a chance for a quick payback though, as
they host San Bernardino Saturday in a doubleheader starting
at 11am.
(1/22) The Grossmont Baseball program aims for continued success
in 2007 under the direction of head coach Randy Abshier.
The Griffins got things started on Saturday with their annual
Green-White intrasquad scrimmage at Noel-Mickelson Field. For the
third consecutive time the White squad won, this time 7-2.
Grossmont opens the season at San Bernardino Friday, then hosts the
Wolverines Saturday for a doubleheader with the first game at 11,
and the second at approximately 2pm.
Selik to play in the desert
Grossmont's Cameron Selik has signed
a National Letter of Intent with UNLV. Selik chose the Runnin'
Rebels over Texas Tech who also offered a scholarship. The 6-4
right-hander had a successful freshman campaign for the Griffins and
signed during November's early signing period.
Kennedy
to be remembered Saturday
Olsen
elected to JC Baseball Hall of Fame
Griffins send trio on scholarship
Karstens
named to Team USA
Former
Griffin Lowe selected by White Sox
Powell
earns win for Grossmont