EL CAJON – Excitement abounded before the game on Thursday, Feb. 9 for the Griffin baseball team. It was the home opener for the 2023 season.
Freshman Luke Mansy continues his scorching hot start to his collegian career. In his first six games for the Griffins (4-2), the infielder from Saint Augustine High has a team-high nine hits in 21 at-bats (.429 average), good for the fourth-best average in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.
Speaking of the top of the leaderboard members, Caleb Harris got the start against the Eagles (2-5) and threw a spectacular gem. The right-hander went seven strong innings allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three. The seven-inning, two-run performance lowered his ERA to a miniscule 0.75.
After a scoreless first inning, the Griffins got on the board in the bottom of the second. Brodie Romero opened the inning with a single to left and advanced to second on one of the four Eagle errors on the day that allowed Juan Nunez to reach safely. Skyler Agnew walked after Romero was picked off second. Weston Clark singled through the left side to drive in Nunez for the first run of the day. Ethan Caschetta reached on the second error of the inning to load the bases. A force out and a mental error by the Griffins brought the promising inning to a screeching halt.
An inning later opened with UCONN signee Zavien Watson singling up the middle. Mansy followed the leader and singled up the middle. Nevin Noonan sacrificed himself to allow Watson and Mansy to be both in scoring position. Nicholas Rocha came up as a pinch hitter and coaxed a walk from the Eagles pitcher (one of five given up on the day) to load the bases. Nunez had a two-run single through the right side to bring in Watson and Mansy and moving Rocha to third. Agnew followed with an RBI ground out to put the Griffins up 4-0. But that is how the inning would finish.
A pair of runs would be conceded in the top of the fourth to narrow the lead to 4-2.
That is where it would stay until the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and two out, relief pitcher Ethan Heider allowed one run to score to close it to 4-3 Griffins.
Coach Randy Abshier subscribes to the "Closer by committee" philosophy and today's closer was Bradley Brinkley. The sophomore transfer from Iowa Lakes Community College came in and allowed a hit while striking out one.
Grossmont will be off until Tuesday when they travel to Long Beach City College for a 2:00 p.m. first pitch. The Green and Gold will return to Noel Michelsen Field on Thursday, Feb. 16 for the return game against Long Beach at 1:00 p.m.