Results tagged “CIF Southern Section Division II Baseball Playoffs” from Yucaipa Now

Huntington Beach Oilers' Sean Guite tries to escape the tag of Yucaipa's Matt Davidson during a run down between third base and home.
By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - Check out the photos of the Yucaipa Thunderbirds and Huntington Beach Oilers CIF playoff baseball game on Friday.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

HUNTINGTON BEACH - The 2009 Thunderbirds baseball team shattered school records, won the Citrus Belt League Championship, won the prestigious Millington, Tennessee and Chino tournament championships, and attained lofty state and national rankings.

But the one prize they had their eyes firmly fixed on all season long - a California Interscholastic Federation Championship - will forever remain an unrequited dream. The Huntington Beach Oilers made sure of that by defeating the Thunderbirds, 10-2, on Friday in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division II Playoffs.

Yucaipa simply did not play its "A" game by committing five errors that helped pave the way to victory for the 18-12 Oilers, who finished third in the Sea View League with an 8-7 record and entered the playoffs as a wild card team.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds, one of the finest teams in coach Jeff Stout's 33 years, finish 27-3 and as the Citrus Belt League Champions with a 13-1 record.

"We were ready, but for whatever reason we didn't make the plays," Stout said. "Five errors aren't going to win you too many ball games. Errors have been kind of a nemesis with us all year long, but we've been able to make up for it with our bats."

Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - See the Yucaipa Thunderbirds and Cypress Centurions baseball teams in action during the second round of CIF Southern Section Division II Playoffs, Tuesday, at Thompson Field in Yucaipa.

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By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - For most Thunderbirds games, Yucaipa Head Coach Jeff Stout keeps Matt Davidson patrolling third base. But if the pitching falters, Stout points his big 6-foot-4 right hander toward the mound.

And that scenario played out on Tuesday in the Thunderbirds, 10-4, victory over the visiting Cypress Centurions (19-10) in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II Playoffs at Thompson Field.

Davidson made the trek from third to the pitchers mound in the top of the fourth inning in relief of starter Pedro Cota with no outs and runners on first and second. And Yucaipa clinging to a 3-2 lead. Davidson pitched out of the jam yielding but one run, and went on to finish the game allowing 1 earned run, 4 hits, 1 walk, along with 2 strikeouts.

And not to forget his bat in the #3 spot, Davidson (2-for-2) hit a monster three-run home run deep over the left-center field fence in the sixth inning to give the Thunderbirds their final three runs.

So how did Davidson who was a starting pitcher since his freshman year in 2004-'05 (10-1, 0.76 ERA, 60 strikeouts in 64.2 innings), and the Citrus Belt League's Most Valuable Player, become the team's closer in his senior season?

By simply being asked.

YUCAIPA - We can rest easy. The protest filed by Crescenta Valley coach Frank Torres claiming that Yucaipa catcher Cody Meservey didn't leave the premises promptly after having been ejected in the top of the second inning has been rejected by the CIF Southern Section.

Read SUN sports reporter TJ Berka's entire story about the incident that had Yucaipa baseball fans fearful that the Thunderbirds would be disqualified from the Div. II playoffs...

Click here to read TJ Berka's blog about Yucaipa's continuation in the Playoffs