Daeley’s Grand Slam Helps Power Cypress Into the State Finals

FRESNO — Scott Daeley, Cypress’ right fielder and lead-off hitter, isn’t the kind of guy who thinks about home runs.

Although it isn’t supposed to be his role, Daeley has taken it on for Cypress in the postseason, hitting three in the past four games.

His latest blast was a grand slam that helped Cypress beat Sacramento, 11-7, and launch the Chargers into the state community college baseball title game today at Fresno College.

Cypress (40-11-1) meets Sacramento, an 8-4 winner over Cuesta, at 11 a.m. today. It needs one victory for its third state championship since 1991. Sacramento would need to beat Cypress twice to be champion.

Daeley was asked if he was thinking about hitting a home run when he came up in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and one out.

“Not at all,” said the sophomore from Mater Dei High. “I was thinking about maybe a bloop single.”

Instead of a single, he turned on Brandon Bowe’s high fastball and sent it towering over the left-field fence. The homer, Daeley’s fifth of the season, scored Matt Roman and Junior Rodriguez, both of whom singled, and Lance Williams, who was hit by a pitch. The homer put Cypress ahead, 7-0.

It was the first loss of the season for Bowe (12-1), who has signed with Louisiana State. He gave up 13 hits and 10 runs, seven of which were earned, in 6 2/3 innings. The 11 runs also were the most Sacramento had given up in a game this season.

Daeley, 5 feet 8 and 170 pounds, hit a home run in about the same spot in the Chargers’ 8-6 victory over the College of the Sequoias on Friday.

Cypress also got a strong offensive performance Sunday from first-baseman Brian Flanagan, who had three singles and a double after being moved from the fourth to the fifth sport in the lineup.

Not only was he moved in the lineup, he has a sore the size of a dime on his left hand because of a blister that popped last week.

Flanagan singled and scored Cypress’ first run in the second on a ground out by Lance Williams. He lined to the pitcher in the third but singled and scored in the fifth and again in the seventh.

“I don’t know,” said Flanagan, when asked if he was affected by the lineup change. “I’m in a zone I guess.”

Randy Case, who took over Flanagan’s No. 4 spot, had a run-scoring single and also played another strong game at third base. Case broke an 0-for-12 streak with two hits Friday and had a strong game defensively, with six assists and three putouts.

On Sunday against Sacramento, with runners on first and second in the third inning, he dived well to his left to get a grounder and threw out Dom Correa at first to end the threat.

He started the fourth by charging a ball, getting it on a short hop, and throwing out Michael Hartman by a step. He also snared a bouncing throw from shortstop Junior Rodriguez for another key out in the inning.

“For two days,” Pickler said, “[Case] has been outstanding at third. He just knows how to play the game.”