2006 STATE CHAMPIONS
Championship Box Scores:
Game 1 | Game 2
May 29, 2006
Baseball:
Vikings are state champions for first time since 1976, conclude record-setting season with 8-1 win over Sacramento City College
#2N Sacramento City Panthers (28-21) vs. #2S Long Beach City Vikings (40-9)
May 29, 2006 – 11:00 a.m. – John Euless Field – Fresno, CA
State Championship Game
SACRAMENTO CITY FORCES
WINNER-TAKE-ALL GAME
Not ready for their season to come to an end, Sacramento City College fought back from an early 3-0 hole and scored six runs in the fourth inning to propel them to a 12-4 win over Long Beach City College on Monday morning at the California Community Colleges Commission on Athletics Baseball State Championships presented by U.S. Bank.
The win at John Euless Field in Fresno by the Panthers (29-21) propelled them into a winner-take-all game against the Vikings (40-10), who saw their 13-game winning streak and perfect post-season record halted.
Sacramento City, making their state-leading 16th appearance in the state finals, will be looking for their sixth championship, while Long Beach City will be seeking their fifth title in their eighth try.
Even after their six-run outburst in the fourth inning, highlighted by two-run doubles from outfielder Tyler Warmerdam and designated hitter Doug Thennis, the Panthers continued their hitting barrage, as they added three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Sac City starting pitcher Corey Weglin, who surrendered three runs on four hits in the second inning, limited the Vikings to just four more hits, including a solo home run by outfielder Chris Cordova to earn his fourth win of the season. It also marked the first complete game of the season by Weglin, who struck out four and walked four.
In their three-run seventh inning, Sac City outfielder Domonique Rodgers doubled in third baseman Brian Lucas, who led off the inning with a double. Thennis was then hit by a pitch, which set up a two-run double by shortstop Austin Morgan. Of the 14 hits by the Panthers, seven of them were doubles, with Warmerdam clubbing two.
Long Beach City sent reliable Steve Conradi to the mound, and was hit hard in his 4 2/3 innings and allowed seven hits and seven runs (five earned), with Xavier Munoz and Jesse Costelow finishing up the game. Conradi (8-2) entered the game with impeccable command, as he issued just eight walks in 96 1/3 innings of work but walked two and struck out seven in this outing.
Cordova, hitting in the ninth spot, gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly before outfielder A.J. Bancroft drove in two with a double.
But that was all the offense Long Beach City would generate, as they had just three singles and the solo home run by Cordova for the remainder of the game. Catcher Derek Junghanel collected two hits to lead the Vikings.
For Sac City, Rodgers had three hits and scored three runs, while Warmerdam (2-for-6, two RBI), Morgan (2-for-5, 2 RBI), first baseman Matt Bitker (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and outfielder Chris White (2-for-6, RBI) all had multiple-hit games.
-COA-
#2S Long Beach City Vikings (40-10) vs. #2N Sacramento City Panthers (29-21)
May 29, 2006 – 2:30 p.m. – John Euless Field – Fresno, CA
State Championship Game
LONG BEACH CITY WINS FIFTH
STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Let the dogpile begin! In what has become a tradition for the winner of the California Community Colleges Commission on Athletics Baseball State Championship presented by U.S. Bank, the Long Beach City College (41-10) players were a mass after defeating Sacramento City College (29-22), 8-1 at John Euless Field in Fresno on Monday.
The Vikings won their fifth state championship in school history, and first since 1976, with the win over the Panthers. The win by LBCC also prevented the Panthers from a remarkable turnaround, as they were 8-14 at one point in the season and made their way though the playoffs as the #11-seed in the Northern California Regional Playoffs and worked their way to the championship game after losing their first game on Saturday.
Sacramento City forced a winner-take-all situation after they recorded a 12-4 win over Long Beach City earlier in the day.
Making his first start and pitching appearance since April 25, Viking starter Randy Serrato was cruising along through the first five innings allowing one run on five hits. But coming out for the sixth inning, Serrato was forced out of the game because of back spasms.
Sophomore closer Shane Minor, who saved the fist two innings for the Vikings, came on in relief and collected his 19th save of the year after pitching the final four innings.
Providing the offense for LBCC was shortstop Jovanny Bramasco, who hit a solo home run in the second inning and drove in two runs with a double in the third inning to help the Vikings out to a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning. He went on to go 4-for-5 with four RBI and concluded the tournament with three home runs and 10 RBI and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Long Beach City put the game out of reach with three more runs in the sixth inning, thanks to an RBI single by second baseman Ryan Averkieff followed by a two-run single from outfielder Chris Cordova.
The 41 wins by the Vikings were a new school record and it marked the 30th anniversary of their last title, in which the team was coached by Bob Myers, who served as an assistant coach under Casey Crook this season.
-COA
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