Editor’s note: New MaxPreps.com correspondent Bill Dickens, who has covered sports in the San Diego region for more than 40 years, reviews the San Diego Section baseball season, starting with four title games.
By Bill Dickens
MaxPreps.com
Division I
Folks around this neck of the woods kept waiting for the state's top-ranked Poway Titans to fold. When that didn’t work, the critics accused the Titans of recruiting. Bottom line here is Poway (31-6) punched out Palomar League rival La Costa Canyon for the fourth time this season 8-3 at San Diego State’s Tony Gwynn Stadium. Donovan Dooney delivered a pair of two-run doubles to set the pace for the Titans, who finished No. 8 nationally according to MaxPreps.
Division IIDivision II
For years Grossmont critics have been convinced that the Foothillers’ success has been due to its short-fenced home ballpark – Joe Gizoni Field. Granted, the home lot does include a short porch in right field that is unmarked yet those who have walked it off claim it is only 282 feet to right field. That is not the case at San Diego State where the Foothillers captured a section record fourth straight Division II championship. Unheralded 5-foot-8 Cash McClellan ripped a tape-measure three-run home run to stake the Foothillers (29-7) to an 8-2 lead in the second inning. Robert Reyes ripped a two-run home run into the street beyond the fence in left center field to push Grossmont’s advantage to eight runs in the third inning.
Division III
Hit-happy Cathedral Catholic, a team many believe to be the top team in the section, can thank junior Casey Husband for providing the game-winning stroke in a 5-3 championship victory over perennial power Montgomery. Husband, a part-time player a year ago, hammered home runs in three consecutive playoff games, helping Cathedral collect its fourth section title in eight years.
Division IV
The Islanders of Coronado, who have grumbled about being worthy of a top 10 ranking, claimed the division title behind the crafty pitching of junior Bryan Crabb. Avenging a regular season loss to Christian, Crabb carried Coronado to a 5-1 conquest in the section championship. Crabb collected his sixth complete game and his eighth win in 11 decisions. Justin Parsons laced a two-run single and Alex Rowan clubbed a three-run double to support Crabb’s pitching.
Standouts
Grossmont senior catcher DEREK BAUM: A solid receiver with an uncanny ability to deliver in the clutch, Baum blasted a two-run double giving the Foothillers a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the Division II section final. Baum has a scholarship to the University of Pacific.
Cathedral Catholic pitcher JONATHAN MEYER: Despite finding himself locked in jams the majority of his six innings of the Division III championship game, the junior right-hander posted his ninth win in 11 decisions.
Poway’s DOONEY brothers, senior DONOVAN and sophomore DILLON: The Titans siblings were a combined 4-for-8 with 4 runs and 4 RBI.
Bon Voyage Rob
Grossmont coach Rob Phillips, who compiled 328-153-3 record during a 15-year coaching stint that began with a three-year tenure at Monte Vista (1988-90), announced his retirement following the Foothillers’ record victory over Oceanside.
“It seems like my 12 years at Grossmont went so fast,” Phillips said. “I rarely had problems with parents, and that made things go so smoothly. I feel like I need a break right now, but I plan to get back into the game some day.”
Phillips directed the Foothillers to six section championships overall.