Saddleback Baseball wins the final 23-24 3C2A State Championship

WALNUT – After coming as close as can be in 2023, the Saddleback College Bobcats would simply not be denied in 2024 as they wrapped up their championship season with an 8-5 win over San Joaquin Delta College on Monday in the finals of the 3C2A Baseball State Championship at Mazmanian Field on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College. 

The Bobcats (34-17), who wrapped up their first state baseball championship since 2004, took advantage of a Mustangs' pitching staff that battled all four games, but just ran out of gas after a long inning of baseball against the best teams in the state.

The turning point of the championship game came in the top of the fifth inning when Saddleback (designated visiting team) sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 advantage. Saddleback took advantage of a SIX free baserunners (four hit batters and two walks) to grab the lead and from there, the Bobcat pitching and defense took over from there.

The middle of the Bobcat batting ordrer – J.C. Allen, Jacob Beauchaine and Rodrigo Barajas combined for five hits, four runs and six RBI, with Makani Tanaka scoring three times with a pair of hits from the No. 2 spot.

For the Mustangs, Drew Giannini went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI, while Braeden Schnabel added two hits, a run and two RBI.

Delta used an inspired starting performance from Scotty Bauman to give Delta a 2-1 lead through the first four innings before the Bobcats began their rally. An infield single from tournament MVP Ben Castelli was followed by three straight hit batters from Tanaka, Allen and Beauchaine, tying the game a 2. 

Barajas followed with a two-run single to center, giving the champs the lead for good. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Castelli capped off the five-run frame. 

Delta battled throughout the entire game and it stayed a four-run game heading into the seventh inning, which for this week's finals, was not an overwhelming task.

But Allen -- Saddleback's heart and soul of the lineup – delivered the knockout blow with a two-run shot over the left-field fence, putting the Bobcats up 8-2.

The Mustangs made things interesting in the bottom of the eighth when they plated three runs to make it 8-5. RBI-hits from Giannina, Schnabel and a sacrifice fly by Gabe Natividad helped bring the Delta fans to their feet.

The Mustang bullpen, anchored by Logan Drummond and Robert Orr, kept the Bobcats off of the scoreboard over the final two innings, giving Delta a chance for one final comeback attempt.

But Saddleback's Dylan Blakey earned his third save of the season to wrap things up. After allowing a bloop single to pinch-hitter Ian Guanzon, he regrouped and struck out Mateo Garcia and Dominic Rodriguez before coaxing a game-ending ground out to send the Bobcats into "dogpile mode".

Castelli earned Tourney MVP honors with his all-around play and spark atop the Saddleback batting order, going 7-for-15 (.467) with three doubles, a triple, six runs scored and three RBI.

The win was the fourth straight state championship for the Orange Empire Conference, joining Orange Coast (2019), Riverside (2022) and Santa Ana (2023). No state titles in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Sommer McCartney (Saddleback Head Coach)

"We were fortunate, and our guys just stepped up and played their best baseball towards the end," said Sommer McCartney, who is in his 13^th year as head Saddleback coach. "I'm kind of speechless and my emotions are flying. This group has been amazing. Never in a million years I thought this group would come together like they have.

"When you're in the losers bracket like we were last year, it depletes your pitching and it's a real grind to get out of that. I attest, we were there last year."

Saddleback lost in the 2023 championship to Santa Ana.

ADDITIONAL QUOTE BY MCCARTNEY

"We felt really prepared going into the playoffs because of how tough our conference (Orange Empire) is. I think the OEC is where it's at." 

McCartney on MVP Ben Castelli

"He's (Castelli) worked so hard to become a (NCAA) Division I second baseman," said McCartney, of the tournament MVP. "He's such a good player and a good teammate."

MVP

Ben Castelli

"After my injury last year, I came back in the state tournament, but this year we started off pretty slow and got really hot at the end of this season," said Castelli, of his injury last year and this years' success. "I don't really have any words, but after we came up short last year, this was real special to win."