One-run games decide three of four opening games in postseason

CCCAA Baseball Championships
Play-in Games

Regional Brackets (thru 5/2): Northern California | Southern California 

Northern California
No. 17 Los Medanos 6, No. 16 Sierra 5
No. 15 Reedley 8, No. 18 Lassen 7

Southern California
No. 17 Southwestern 4, No. 16 Golden West 3
No. 18 Irvine Valley 11, No. 15 Chaffey 2

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The opening games of the California Community College Baseball Championships are sressful enough without having the one-game, winner-take-all showdowns coming down to single runs. But that's what happened in three of the four play-in games on Tuesday afternoon as Southwestern, Reedley and Los Medanos each survived close games to advance, while Irvine Valley posted a more decisive win to also move on.

Of the three, Reedley had the most exciting game, erasing a 5-0 deficit to tie its showdown against visiting Lassen in the seventh, before turning a 7-5 deficit in the top of the ninth into an 8-7 win after first baseman Grant Farris' walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame. 

The matchups completed the matchup for Friday's first round of the Northern California and Southern California Regionals. Southwestern (26-15), seeded 17th in the South, edged host No. 16 Golden West, 4-3, and will travel to top-ranked Orange Coast (31-9) while 18th-seeded Irvine Valley (19-22) upset No. 15 Chaffey, 11-2, and will move on to face No. 2 Grossmont (28-7-1). In the North, No. 17 Los Medanos (25-15) went on the road and slipped by No. 16 Sierra while No. 15 Reedley (26-15) was the lone home team to win on Tuesday and now earns a date at No.2 Santa Rosa (29-7).

A triple from Hunter Reed and a single from pinch-hitter Justin Sparby each scored runs for Southwestern, which used the two-run eighth inninng to erase a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead against Golden West. Los Medanos scored two runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings to account for their six runs against Sierra. Gabe Taylor knocked in two runs while Jason Hare homered. 

Irvine Valley left little doubt against Chaffey, putting up a crooked number with an eight-run fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. The Lasers added three more in the ninth to round out the scoring in their 14-hit attack. 

Friday's eight series in the North and eight in the South will be best-of-three matchups. Single games will be played on Friday while the second game of each series will be on Saturday. A third and deciding game, if necessary, will immediately follow.