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What We Saw: Week 13

May 20, 2023
Matt Monk

New Episode LIVE now!-At The Yard Podcast

What We Saw: Week 13

Tons of semi-final and championship action as California is in full playoff swing. Extremely close games, gutsy performances, and comebacks prove why California high school baseball is some of the best in the country. 

JSerra vs. Corona

This matchup was the semi-final of D1 CIF. Corona was fresh off a tenth-inning walk-off against Notre Dame and JSerra was off of a win against Sierra Canyon. 

This game was all JSerra from the beginning, starting with ‘24 RHP Matthew Champion (LSU) who held Corona to no runs during his outing.

With a progression from small ball with a squeeze all the way up to a massive homerun, JSerra made it 4-0 in one inning. ‘23 UTIL Andrew Lamb (USC) and ‘23 3B Trent Caraway (Oregon State) both contributed RBIs to the cause with Lamb doubling and Caraway hitting a home run.

Caraway stayed hot with a double, making it his third hit of the day. He added another hit with a bunt single.

JSerra punched their ticket to the championship with a 6-0 victory ending it with a clean double play up the middle.

Corona ‘24 RHP Jake Skelskey (Uncommitted) impressed even in the loss.


Santa Margarita vs. Orange Lutheran

Santa Margarita won 5-1 against Orange Lutheran on Tuesday to seal their spot in the final against JSerra. They did this off of exceptional pitching as well as key-hitting contributions. 

The action started in the bottom of the first with Santa Margarita putting up three runs. ‘23 MIF Blake Wilson (Washington) doubled to score the first run.

In the fifth inning, Blake Wilson came through again to bring Santa Margarita to their five-run tally with a ground ball to the right side. Originally a fielder's choice bringing in one run, the ball coming out of the catcher's glove allowed the second run to score.

In the fourth inning, Orange Lutheran attempted a comeback with ‘26 Brady Murrietta (Texas) driving in a run. They’d end the inning with two runners on.

‘23 LHP Sammy Cova (Oregon) was dominant all day. Here he finishes the inning with a strikeout, preventing Orange Lutheran from scoring more than one run.

Cova tossed a complete game to clinch Santa Margarita’s spot in the D1 championship game, only allowing two hits and one run to a very strong Orange Lutheran side.


Santa Margarita vs. JSerra

‘23 RHP Ben Reimers (Stanford) showed off nasty stuff in the first inning of the championship game.

On the other side, ‘23 RHP Collin Clarke (Uncommitted) also battled early.

‘23 1B/RHP Dom Smalldino (Cal) was the only one to get on base in the first with a line drive up the middle.

Pitching on only two days rest, ‘24 RHP Matthew Champion (LSU) got a clutch double play and started the sixth inning with a strikeout.

In a 0-0 game entering the seventh inning, ‘25 INF Jordan Marian (UCSB) got a ball to fall, getting on base with one out.

‘24 UTIL Dmitri Susidko (Uncommitted) walked it off for JSerra to get their second consecutive D1 championship.


South Hills vs. Crespi

This matchup was a rollercoaster, South Hills jumped into an early lead with a bases-loaded double making it 3-0 in the first inning.

South Hills had ‘23 LHP Sterling Patick (UCSB) on the hill showing a lively fastball and nasty slider.

A groundout and a squeeze by ‘23 RHP/1B Isaiah Magdaleno (Hawaii) brought Crespi within two in the fourth inning.

Crespi’s pitcher ‘25 RHP Tyler Walton looked great in his outing.

‘25 SS/RHP Diego Velazquez (USC) knocked a single up the middle in the fifth.

‘23 OF Ethan Kodama (Cal) came in clutch with a game-tying single up the middle in the seventh inning.

Crespi ended up walking it off when a swinging bunt was misplayed, sealing their D2 title.


Canyon won the D4 championship with some great performances. ‘24 RHP Cohen Gomez (Stanford) kept Cream Lutheran scoreless.

Canyon added two runs on one play after a pick-off gone wrong allowed runners to advance into scoring position. ‘26 OF Camden Goetz (Uncommitted) got both the runners in with a single to right.

The winning moment after a hard-fought 3-0 win.


‘23 RHP Cole Schoenwetter (UCSB) looked great for San Marcos, running up the velocity and working with four pitches.

‘25 C Jarrett Sabol (USC) handled a Schoenwetter fastball and pulled it into right field.


Enroute to De La Salle’s 15-4 thumping of Castro Valley, they obviously had many offensive contributions, ‘23 OF Kai Smith (Uncommitted) and ‘25 OF Alec Blair (Uncommitted) got the job done in the first helping De La Salle take a 4-0 lead.

‘26 SS Tyler Spangler (Stanford) had a knock to make it 8-3.


A three-run bomb was all Carlsbad needed to advance in open division playoffs vs. Torrey Pines. ‘23 3B/RHP Henry Gibson cleared the fence to get the job done.


Castaic won the D6 championship after a CG from ‘23 RHP Tyler Hahn.


‘24 OF/LHP TP Wentworth (Uncommitted) continued his monster season this week with multiple bombs and dominant pitching.

Wentworth’s teammate ‘24 INF Seth Van Dyk (Uncommitted) tattooed a ball to drive in two for Central Catholic.

Wentworth had a pair of knocks in their playoff game where they won by a massive margin.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
CA FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT CA 06/03 Fullerton College
NorCal ProCase CA 06/04 Chabot College - Hayward
SoCal-NV-AZ-ProCase CA 06/04 University of Southern California - Dedeaux Field
NorCal Rising Stars Game CA 06/06 Islanders Field (morning)
Team CA Future Games ID CA 06/06 Islanders Field (afternoon/early evening)
Bay Area�State Gamess Open ID CA 06/14 College of San Mateo
OC State Games Open ID CA 07/11 Hart Park


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