College World Series draws local talent

The College World Series is reserved for the top teams in collegiate baseball. Like its counterpart in basketball, the event involves a series of regional qualifying tournaments.

Much to the delight of a pair of South County high school products, pitchers Troy Cruz (Bonita Vista) and Adrian Orozco (Otay Ranch) found themselves playing for a national championship while representing the UC San Diego Tritons.

The Tritons qualified for the elite gathering of eight teams in Grand Prairie, Texas, May 27 to June 4, after winning the West Region championship tournament held May 18-22 at Azusa Pacific University.

While in Texas for Division II College World Series, UC San Diego (44-19) played a full schedule of games while coming through the elimination bracket to meet the West Chester Rams in the championship game on June 4.

The Tritons opened the tournament by dropping a 6-5 decision in 12 innings to St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), the East Region champion. The San Diego team then was forced to win four consecutive elimination games to earn a berth in the championship game. Included in that run were a pair of payback wins against St. Thomas Aquinas — 10-0 and 7-3 — on June 2.

UC San Diego eliminated Quincy, 10-8, in its first elimination game and then sent home Lindenwood University by a score of 11-6. That set up the two double-elimination games against St. Thomas Aquinas.

West Chester, well rested over the span of the tournament’s seven days, defeated the Tritons, 5-2, in the championship game.
The trip to the College World Series was the third for UC San Diego. The Tritons previously advanced in 2009 and 2010. The San Diego team finished runner-up to Southern Indiana in 2010.

Both Orozco and Cruz helped close out the Tritons’ 8-6 championship game victory over Dixie State at the West Region tournament.

Orozco, who pitched a one-hitter in a 14-9 win over Azusa Pacific on May 19, entered the regional title game in the fifth inning in relief of starter Jack Rupe (Mission Hills). Orozco, who admitted he was pitching mostly on adrenaline, had a somewhat rocky outing as the UC San Diego lead shrunk from 6-0 to 6-4 by the eighth inning.

Brandon Shirley (Loyola) provided two insurance runs for the Tritons when he belted a home run in the eighth inning.
UC San Diego needed those two extra runs as Dixie State rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning and placed two more runners on base as the potential go-ahead batter stepped up to the plate.

Cruz, a senior, was on the mound for the final inning as UC San Diego closed out the tournament with a win.

Orozco faced 13 batters in two-and-two-thirds innings of work, allowed five hits and two earned runs and struck out two batters.

Cruz faced seven batters in his one frame of duty. He allowed four hits and two earned runs, and struck out one batter.
Rupe was charged with two runs, none earned, and struck out six batters in five-and-one-third innings on the hill. He received credit for the win to improve to 4-2 on the season.

The NCAA West Region tournament featured six teams. Besides UC San Diego, Dixie State and host Azusa Pacific, Chico State, California Baptist and Cal Poly Pomona also were included.

Chico State was seeded first, followed by second-seeded Azusa Pacific, third-seeded Dixie State and fourth-seeded UC San Diego.

The Tritons finished 4-0 at the regional tournament.

UC San Diego opened the event with a 5-2 win over Dixie State on May 18. Cruz hurled a complete game, throwing 137 pitches. He gave up 10 hits and struck out six hitters in the nine-inning effort to improve his season record to 8-2.

Orozco fanned 11 batters in the Tritons’ May 19 win over Azusa Pacific. He threw 117 pitches in the complete nine-inning effort.

UC San Diego eliminated Azusa Pacific, 11-3, in a game on May 20 to draw a championship rematch against Dixie State.
Cruz started the Tritons’ opening game at the College World Series, going the first seven innings while allowing six hits and three runs. He did not figure in the decision.

Orozco got the start in UC San Diego’s elimination game against Quincy but left in the third inning after allowing seven hits and six runs. He did not figure in the decision.

Cruz got the start in the Tritons’ third matchup against St. Thomas Aquinas. He pitched a complete game, scattered eight hits and allowed three runs while striking out 11 batters on 133 pitches. The win, which improved his record to 9-2 on the season, catapulted UC San Diego into the championship game.

Orozco received the call in the championship game. He pitched six-and-two-thirds innings and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out four batters. He was charged with the loss to drop to 9-1 on the season.

Despite the teary-eyed runner-up finish, UC San Diego head coach Eric Newman said there was much his team could feel proud of this season.

“I don’t think that anybody that’s ever put this Triton uniform on, anyone watching the way the team this competed the last three weeks would feel anything but a tremendous amount of respect for these guys the way the carried themselves and handled themselves,” Newman told the media following the championship game. “The way that they fought and were resilient, they were pretty awesome to watch. As a coach, they made me really proud.”

Orozco finished 9-1 on the mound with a 3.27 earned-run average. He allowed 99 hits in 96.1 innings with 77 strikeouts against 19 bases on balls.

Cruz finished 9-2 with a 3.96 ERA. He gave up 81 hits, struck out 62 batters and issued 20 bases on balls in 77.1 innings. He finished the season with three saves.

The Tritons were formally recognized by the Padres June 12 at Petco Park. Cruz threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
A 2012 BVHS grad, Cruz was an All-Mesa League selection as a junior and senior. He helped the Barons capture league championships in 2010 and 2011.

Orozco, a 2012 ORHS grad, earned the Mustangs team MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards as a junior when he hit .385 with a 2.30 ERA. He compiled a .319 hitting average as a sophomore in 2010.

Bonita Vista head coach Vince Gervais called Cruz “a great individual and a golden example of Barons pride.”

“He has always been a contributor to our program from his playing days to his days with the Tritons,” the BVHS coach explained. “Troy has worked through the years in the offseason with other alums at our school, including Oscar Sanay, Esteban Velasco and Daniel Schneemann. In fact, in the winter of 2013, we had five generations of shortstops working out together on the field in December, adding Guido Knudson to this group.

“Troy is also known to show up at our games through the season when his schedule allows. You can find him sitting on the fence beyond the third base dugout. I know he is around when I hear the word “quality” yelled out from that area to the Baron pitcher on the mound.

“For the Barons baseball program, Troy is the example of playing  for the love of the game; He is a Bonita legend. We were very excited for Troy’s team and for him to have this opportunity to play in the World Series this year.”