Tough ending for Woodbridge baseball but coach proud of squad’s season

Woodbridge coaches talk to the players during a game in May. (File photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Woodbridge High’s baseball season came to an last week when the Warriors lost to Charter Oak 3-2 on the road in the second round of the CIF Division 4 playoffs.

But Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker, reflecting on the season that included a Pacific Coast League title, said he was proud of what his team had accomplished.

The league title was the first for the Warriors since 2016. Woodbridge finished the season 22-4 and opened the playoffs with a 13-0 victory over Fullerton before losing in the second round.

“I was extremely proud of the way our team competed against Charter Oak,” Brucker said Saturday.

“Obviously it is not the way we wanted the season to end, but we gave ourselves a chance to win the game against a very good team on the road. We had opportunities to put runs up on the board throughout the game but we just couldn’t seem to string together hits when we needed them. You have to credit Charter Oak’s pitcher for keeping us off balance.

“The disappointment that I feel personally is not in the outcome of the game, we played hard and were in position to take the lead, it just wasn’t our day. My disappointment revolves more around the fact that the season has come to an end and there won’t be practice with this group anymore.

“When you go 22-4 and win the league you can’t really be disappointed with your team. They were in every single game, and had opportunities to win every game. Our four losses came on a combined total of four runs and three of the four osses came via walk off from the other team on the road.”

“As a coach, you can’t ask for much more than that from your players. I am so proud of this team, it was a privilege to be their coach, and I am especially grateful to this group of seniors. They have set the bar high for the underclassmen within our program. We get to enter the 2022 season with the opportunity to defend a PCL championship.”

The seniors on the team will compete for the Pacific Coast League in Friday’s Ryan Lemmon Showcase at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.  The game against the Empire League begins at 7:15 p.m.

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