No. 19 Canyons Takes Regional Final Opener 6-5 Over No. 2 Saddleback, Game Two on Saturday

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

MISSION VIEJO —No. 19 College of the Canyons clawed out a 6-5 road win vs. No. 2 Saddleback College in game one of the CCCAA Southern California Regional Finals on Friday, behind another stellar pitching performance from Gavino Rosales and more timely hitting from the Cougars' lethal lineup.

The victory leaves Canyons (28-17) one win away from clinching a trip to the CCCAA State Championship tourney. 

Rosales (6-0) earned his second postseason victory after guiding Canyons through the first six frames. The Birmingham High School product scattered five hits alongside five walks. He was helped by four strikeouts in limiting Saddleback (34-11) to three earned runs.

The Bobcats scored in the first, third and fifth innings but could never mount a prolonged attack. Saddleback's first run came on an RBI sac-fly for a 1-0 advantage. In the third it was the Bobcats moving ahead 2-0 with an RBI single from Jason Heft.

Canyons tied the game in the fourth with an RBI base hit from Jake Schwartz that preceded an Alex Sepulveda sac-fly to right field that scored Colin Yeaman at 2-2. 

In the next inning it was Andy Ambriz with an RBI groundout that scored Dane Flashberg for a 3-2 Cougar lead. Ambriz' hit extended his streak to 22 games dating back to March 25.

Yeaman added to the big inning with a single that scored Jovan Camcho. Later it was Schwartz once again with a run-producing single for a 5-2 ballgame.

Saddleback starting pitcher Will Girardi was chased from the game in that big fifth inning and was later charged with the loss. Girardi (4-1) tossed 4 and 2/3 innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on a walk and seven hits. He was relieved by Tyler Byrns who pitched the rest of the way. 

The Bobcats made things a bit closer with an RBI triple from J.C. Allen in the bottom of the fifth. That score started a new wave of momentum for Saddleback that led to another run in the seventh and left the Cougars clinging to a 5-4 lead.

Flashberg's RBI single that brought home Sepulveda in the eighth made it a 6-4 score but proved to be the game winner.

Saddleback started a two-out rally during its turn in the eighth with a walk and single ahead of an RBI double from Isaiah Morales, making it a one-run game once again at 6-5. 

With Bobcat baserunners now on second and third COC reliever Xavier Stoker entered the game and was able to prompt a crucial groundball out that ended the inning. 

In the ninth it was Stoker back on the hill, this time closing things out with a strikeout to put game one in the best-of-three series in the books.

Top Performers

• Andy Ambriz — 2-for-5, RBI
• Dane Flashberg — 3-for-4, R, RBI
• Gavino Rosales — W (6-0), 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
• Jake Schwartz — 2-for-5, 2 RBI
• Xavier Stoker — SV (2), 1.1 IP, H, K
• Colin Yeaman — 2-for-5, R, RBI

Upcoming Schedule

Canyons and Saddleback are set to go again at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 20 in game two of the CCCAA SoCal Regional Final in Mission Viejo.

The Saddleback live stream broadcast is available here.

If necessary, a third game would be played at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 21.

Friday's other SoCal Regional Final action included No. 4 Santa Ana (32-15) as a 9-5 winner over No. 13 Fullerton College (26-21). 

In the Northern California Regional Final iit was No. 5 Sierra (33-12) claiming a 9-4 win over No. 1 Santa Rosa (33-11). No. 3 Folsom Lake was also a 12-6 winner over No. 2 San Joaquin Delta (36-10).

The two series winners from both the South and North regions will advance to play at the four-team CCCAA State Championship tournament May 27-29 at Folsom Lake College.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.