Sequoia High School

After a disappointing sweep at the hands of Ocean Division champ El Camino, the Sequoia HS Cherokees' goal was simple - win one of their final two games against Capuchino and earn the Ocean Division's second automatic birth into the CCS playoffs. The team didn't wait around, taking care of business on Tuesday in a 9-1 victory over the Mustangs.

Sophomore Carl Wasserman was the story both on the mound and at the plate yesterday for Sequoia. Wasserman (4-2) went five strong innings surrendering just one unearned run and striking out 8, but Sequoia has come to expect strong outings like this one from their sophomore right-hander. What they haven't come to expect was the offensive display that Wasserman put on. The game was Wasserman's first shot in the starting lineup and he made it count, ripping a pair of RBI doubles in the third and fourth innings to fuel the Cherokees 9 run, 10 hit attack.

With the weight of the CCS birth hanging in the balance, the Cherokees struck early to break the ice in the top of the first. Danny Kocjan drew a walk and Matt Eastman followed Jake Mauldin's pop-out by earning another free pass. After Eastman moved to second on a wild pitch, senior catcher Nick Davenport hit a ground ball up the middle to score both runners. After a quiet second inning, Eastman grounded back to the pitcher to start the third, but Davenport and junior Designated Hitter Alex Kinder each drew walks. Nick Brown then bounced a ball to second baseman where the Mustangs forced out Kinder. Brown then stole second setting the table for Wasserman who delivered his first hit of the season, ripping an 0-1 fastball just inside the third base line and into the left field corner scoring two more runs for the Cherokees. The in the fourth, Sequoia broke the game open, and they did it all with two outs. Sophomore Matt Elliott flied out to center to start the inning and Kocjan followed with a strikeout, but then Mauldin singled to left and took second on another wild pitch, and Eastman singled to left to bring him in. Davenport then followed with another single, seding Eastman to third, and Kinder brought both runners in with a booming double to left-center. Brown then doubled home Kinder and Wasserman followed with another RBI double, his second in as many innings. Senior Kyle Luttrell flied out to right to end the inning, but the 9 runs would be more than enough for Sequoia. Senior right-hander Nolan Wilson followed Wasserman's strong performance with two scoreless innings, senior second-baseman Peter Murphy earned a pinch hit single in the seventh and right-fielder Taylor Del Bono made a fantastic running catch to preserve the margin of victory in the final inning. Sequoia (16-7-1, 9-2 PAL) will wrap up their regular season against Capuchino at home on Thursday before making preparations for the CCS tourney.