The Signal: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 : Ryan Lambert

Onward to Edison

For the remainder of this week, the popular title “The Happiest Place on Earth” will be transported in the direction of Edison Field— all apologies to Disney and Co.

At least, as far as the Canyon baseball team is concerned.

The Cowboys advanced to the CIF-SS Division II championship at Edison Field on the formidable left wing of Jake Coash who shutdown Mission Viejo in a relief appearance Tuesday during Canyon’s 8-4 semifinal win.

“I wanted to get to Edison,” Coash said. “I wanted to get something the school’s never done.”

Coash (9-3) earned his third win of the playoffs going 3 2/3 innings in relief striking out five and walking one. The senior left-hander struck out 11 in his complete game Friday against Canyon of Anaheim and has allowed only one hit in his last 10 1/3 innings.

“I think he wants the ball in any situation,” Canyon coach Adam Schulhofer said. “He’s able to just focus on each pitch. He’s a strong kid and he wants to be in there.”

Sergio Almanzar started the game for the Cowboys (24-5) and held Mission Viejo hitless until the fourth when the Diablos caught a second look at the senior left-hander.

Mission Viejo (20-9) touched Almanzar for five hits including a two-run double off the wall in center by sophomore Chris Jones. The blast cut Canyon’s lead to 5-3 and spelled the end of Almanzar’s day on the mound.

Joe Gault, who played most of the regular season with the JV squad, came in relief. A passed ball cut the Canyon lead to 5-4 and Gault issued two walks to load the bases.

Canyon was forced to once again call on Coash who answered by striking out lead-off hitter David Hudgins and getting Clark Hardman to tap out to Josh Schreck at second.

After sending 10 batters to the plate, chasing two Cowboy pitchers from the game and scoring four times, the Diablos first and only threat was averted.

“I was pumped. I knew I could beat a lot of teams with my fastball,” Coash said. “I am just happy to be back to where I was... throwing hard and my mechanics are back.”

Canyon began preparations for the hectic fourth when Schreck deposited a Travis Herwehe offering on to Nadal Street beyond the wall in left-center during the second inning.

The Cowboys broke things open further in their half of the third punctuated by Eric Ashbrook’s three-run launch into the shrubbery over the center-field fence.

“I’m pretty sure every one is going up ready to swing. I don’t know how (Herwehe) snuck by us the first time through,” Ashbrook said. “I got a fastball up and I was just trying to move the runner over. That was the hit that started the rally.”

Ryan Burke promptly followed by taking the second pitch from Herwehe over the wall in right-center and Canyon lead 5-0.

Herwehe seemed to settle down after his tumultuous third. He didn’t run into trouble again until the sixth when he walked Clay Britton to begin the inning and was lifted. Herwehe finished going 5-plus innings allowing six runs on six hits, including three home runs, and walking four.

Jones, a sophomore, entered in relief and became the victim of a run-and-hit executed when, with Britton breaking toward second, Schreck punched a single into gap on the right side of the infield. Britton scored from third on wild pitch shortly after which also moved Schreck third.

Cody Leavitt, the Canyon designated hitter, scored Schreck on a rolling single into the void between the mound and first base. Canyon scored its final run later in the inning when center fielder Ryan Pipho lined a single into right that was misplayed allowing Kyle Zieler to score from first.

Zieler scored by bowling over Mission Viejo catcher Jake Brennan, who was impeding the basepath. Brennan became the second Diablo to leave the game to leave the game due to injury. Junior second baseman Taylor Holiday left the game in the fourth after taking an awkward swing.

Leading 8-4, Canyon was three outs away from a return visit to Anaheim after winning its quarterfinal game in that neighborhood Friday. It also meant the team was poised to become the first of three Cowboy squads to make it past the semifinals this year. The girls’ soccer team and the boys’ basketball team were eliminated from the semifinals on the same day in late winter of this year.

“We’d been pumped up to come out here all day. To get a chance to play in the championship game is great,” Ashbrook said. “Let’s just pick it up and get one step further.”

Since stumbling its way through the latter half of Foothill League play and being forced to play for only a share of the title, Canyon, winners of five straight, have returned to form in the playoffs.

“We knew we had to step up big,” Ashbrook said. “At the end, we got sick of not playing to our ability.”

Facing the top of the Diablos’ lineup, Coash got Hudgins on a comebacker before walking Hardman on four pitches. Justin Schwartz battled a sturdy breeze in front of the Mission Viejo dugout to corral a pop foul for the second out.

With two outs, Coash worked an 0-2 count on clean-up hitter Kyle Mura arousing the Cowboys faithful which filled the stands and hugged the fences. Mura worked the count to 2-2 before grounding to Schreck at second and sending the Cowboys south for the weekend.

“For this team, that was the goal,” Schulhofer said, “and it wasn’t just talk.”

Coash is figured to be the starter for Saturday’s championship game if Schulhofer’s current playoff rotation stays intact. However, because of his 3 2/3 innings of relief this week, he will only be available to pitch 6 1/3 innings at Edison before he hits the weekly 10-inning maximum.

Despite the limitations, Coash will be one of the few in uniform who have a playing history at Edison Field. Coash pitched there twice before during the summer in workouts with the Anaheim Angels.

“It’d be great to get a championship for baseball,” Coash said. “It’d be nice to set a name for Canyon High School.”