Ganesha’s baseball team lines up for the award ceremony after Wednesday’s Ryan Lemmon Invitational final. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
It was close for two innings, but Ganesha’s baseball team broke through for four runs in the third inning and rolled to a 17-0 victory over St. Paul in the championship game of the Ryan Lemmon Invitational at the Great Park Stadium in Irvine Wednesday night.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
Both teams went 3-0 in pool play to earn a trip to the final. Linfield Christian was the only other undefeated team going into the final.
Ganesha (11-0) was led by tournament MVP Bryant Loo, who went 2 for 3 at the plate with a run scored and three RBI and pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief of starter Gerson Hoebing. Loo allowed two hits and struck out three for the team from Pomona.
The top of the order was very productive for the Giants.
Leadoff hitter Gavin Smith had a single, scored three runs and had two RBI, the second hitter Ford Stoen had three RBI, including two sacrifice flies and the third hitter Logan Schmidt had five RBI, including a bases loaded triple in Ganesha’s four-run fifth inning.
After the big third inning, Ganesha scored six runs in the fourth inning. The Giants cashed in four walks in the bottom of the sixth inning to add three more runs.
Ganesha is the defending CIF Division 4 champion and extended its winning streak to 31 games over two seasons. The Giants were 20-0 last year.
“The kids did a good job all week, we played some close games and I feel like we build momentum every time they play,” said Ganesha Coach Jared Sandler. “Bryant Loo never pitches and he came in and just threw the ball over the plate and did a good job.”
Sandler was also pleased with the play of back-up catcher Guy Kipness, who scored three runs and had an RBI.
“Our starting catcher Dyson Grant, an Oregon State commit, hurt his back and we had a freshman Guy Kipness starting and he had a big slash early in the game,” Sandler said. “He caught really well.”
St. Paul (8-9) threatened in each of the first three innings.
The Braves had the bases loaded in the first inning but could not score. In the second inning, they loaded the bases again but Ganesha turned an inning ending double play following a lineout to left field.
St. Paul stranded 14 runners.
“It was a tough one tonight, we had a good week,” said St. Paul Coach RJ Lan. “We played some tough teams early on, El Modena, Irvine and Canyon, the boys came out and played a good offense and played a good defense, the pitching was exceptional.
“This last game we just ran a little bit low on pitching, had a lot of free bases here and there and the defense didn’t make as many plays as we wanted and offense didn’t show up today. It’s baseball, you’re going to have days like that.”
Right fielder Noah Sato had two hits, first baseman Logan Noh reached base three times and shortstop Tristan Blood had a hit for the Swordsmen.
After the game, Rex Lyon of the Ryan Lemmon Foundation presented the championship and runner-up plaques and the MVP trophy to Loo.
The event was sponsored by Guy Lemmon’s Ryan Lemmon Foundation. Dick Owens of the foundation was the tournament director of the game, which has been played annually for more than 30 years.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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