2016 PCBL Major-Division Spring Championship
August 27-28, 2016 @ College of the Canyons
CBA Tigers (14-6) -vs- Blue Jays (14-6)
Photos
The finals games of the 2016 Spring season were between the top 2 teams in the major division - the CBA Tigers vs. the Blue Jays. The Jays were looking for their 3rd title, while the Tigers were in search of the first.
Game 1
The first game featured a pair of aces. Cy Young winner Eric Anderson took the mound for the Jays, and worked a mostly quiet first two innings (picking off the same runner twice at first base in the same inning - quite an amazing feat!) On the Tigers side, JR Bromberg took the hill and struck out 3 over his first 2 innings.
In the top of the 3rd, the Tigers bats showed up. Nick Kaid singled to lead things off, and Robert De Santiago walked. Jaime Dorade laid down a perfect sac bunt, and with 2 outs, Ivan Gonzalez singled home both runners, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
Both pitchers kept things quiet into the 5th, when the Blue Jays got onto the board. Luis Rivas led off with a single, and Alex Avlas sacrificed him to second. A balk moved him to third, and Alain Mora singled him home, making it 2-1 after 5.
In the 6th, Blue Jays veteran Garrett Behnke singled to lead off the inning, and took second on a throwing error. One out later, Danny Casey doubled him home to tie the game at 2.
Fast forward to the 8th, where Robert De Santiago reached on a fielding error. Jaime Dorado followed by reaching on another error, plating De Santiago and giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, after back-to-back walks, Bromberg had to leave the game with an injury, bringing in David Lira, who retired the side.
Anderson worked around 2 hits in the top of the 9th, keeping the Blue Jays within striking distance. Leading off the bottom of the 9th, Erick Melara walked, and made way for designated runner Dominic Hanna. Jaco Risinger was hit by a pitch, and Luis Rivas worked a full count before walking to load the bases with nobody out. A wild pitch tied things up, and Alex Avlas walked, marking the end of the day for Lira. Nick Kaid came in to try to send the game into extra innings, but 1 out later, Jarrod Schwartz lifted a fly ball JUST deep enough to right to score Risinger and send the Jays home with a 1 game lead in the series.
Blue Jays
Garrett Behnke - 1-3, R, BB
Erick Melara - 1-3, R, BB
Luis Rivas - 1-3, R, BB
CBA Tigers
Ivan Gonzalez - 1-4, 2RBI
Robert De Santiago - 0-2, 2R, BB
Nick Kaid - 1-4, R
Game 2
While the Tigers were in control until the very end of game 1, the same wasn't true for game 2. The Blue Jays got on the board early and ran away with this one.
David Lira started for the CBA Tigers, hoping for better results than the day before. After 2 quick outs in the top of the 1st, the Blue Jays' Eddie Baeza singled, and a few pitches later, Danny Casey hit a 2-run home run to give the Jays a 2-0 lead. Lira lasted only 2 innings before making way for Nick Kaid.
In the top of the 3rd, Garrett Behnke singled with 1 out. Eddie Baeza doubled him to third, and Danny Casey walked to load the bases. Erick Melara walked to bring home 1, and Jacob Risinger doubled home 2 more. Yoankis Turino singled home 2 more (off the wall), and after 3, the Jays led 7-0.
On the other side of the ball, Blue Jays starter Eric Allen was cruising. He only allowed 2 hits through the first 4 innings, taking us to the top of the 5th when the Blue Jays bats kept putting on the pressure.
Danny Casey led off with a single, and Erick Melara got hit by a pitch. One out later, Yoankis Turino hit a 3-run home run to give the Jays a 10-0 lead.
With a mercy looming, the Tigers' bats finally woke up. In the bottom of the 5th, Robert De Santiago reached on an error, and Angel Nunez mashed a 2-run home run to put the Tigers on the board, now trailing 10-2. Then in the bottom of the 6th, manager Tony Cabrera singled, taking second on an error, and scoerd on Justin Kaid's double, cutting the Jays' lead to 10-3.
Victor Banuelos came in to throw for the Tigers. In the top of the 7th, Jaco Risinger walked, eventually scoring on a passed ball to make it 11-3.
From there, the pitchers took over and the Blue Jays would take home their third title.
Congratulations to the CBA Tigers on a great regular season, but this weekend belonged to the Blue Jays!
Nick Kaid (CBA Tigers) 3.1IP, 8R (8ER), 8H, 0K, 4BB, HBP
Blue Jays
Eddie Baeza - 3-5, 2B, 2R
Danny Casey - 3-4, HR, 3R, 2RBI, BB
Luis Rivas - 3-4, 2B, BB
Jacob Risinger - 2-3, 2-2B, 2R, 2RBI, 2BB
Yoankis Turino - 2-5, HR, R, 5RBI
CBA Tigers
Juan Guerrero - 2-4
Tony Cabrera - 2-4, R
Justin Kaid - 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB, HBP
Angel Nunez - 1-3, HR, R, RBI