Canyon baseball team aiming for program’s fourth CIF title Saturday vs. Crean Lutheran

Canyon players celebrate a semifinal victory over Linfield Christian. (Photo courtesy Canyon Athletics).

Canyon High School’s baseball team is out to bring home the fourth CIF title for the program Saturday at 10 a.m. when it faces top-seeded Crean Lutheran in the CIF Division 4 championship atat Blair Field.

Coach Jason Smith’s Comanches (19-12) earned an at-large berth in the playoffs and rolled through to earn a spot in the finals against the Saints.

It will be Canyon’s first appearance in the finals since 2007, when the Comanches lost to Long Beach Wilson 5-1 in the Division 1 final.

“It’s exciting for our players, parents, alumni, school and fans,” Smith, the second-year coach, said Thursday. “We’re grateful and looking forward to the opportunity; should be fun.”

Canyon’s top players include Cohen Gomez, who has a .357 average with five doubles, five home runs, 26 RBI, 18 runs scored and on the mound has seven wins and 62 strikeouts in 54 innings and an ERA of 1.29; Austin Duarte, who has a .386 batting average with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 24 RBI and 21 runs scored; and Christian Tapia, who has a .410 batting average and 16 runs scored.

Also, Brycen Brunswig, who has a .321 batting average, three doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI, 12 runs scored and five stolen bases; and Johnny Lopez, who has a .274 batting average, 26 hits, six doubles, two triples, four home runs, 19 RBI and 14 runs scored.

Other top pitchers for Canyon are Jackson Chastain who has four wins and in 45 innings, 41 strikeouts and a 2.02 ERA and JP Sova, who in 34 2/3 innings has struck out 41 and has a 3.63 ERA.

It will be the second meeting between Crean Lutheran and Canyon this season. Canyon defeated Crean Lutheran 11-3 on Tuesday, April 11 at Canyon.

The key to the rematch, according to Smith:

“Execution … whichever team can execute their game plan the best will come out on top,” he said.

Canyon defeated Linfield Christian 7-3 Tuesday in the semifinals. The Comanches opened the playoffs by defeating Oak Hills 11-2, then topped Northwood 3-0 and Barstow 13-3.

Canyon has been to the CIF finals six times, according to Athletic Director Nate Harrison.

Canyon took CIF titles in 1984 (Division 3A), 1996 (Division II) and 1997 (Division III) and was the runner-up in 1991, 2003 and 2007, he added.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com