Stringing together a balanced team effort with contributions up and down the lineup, the Serra Cavaliers, maintaining a decent 5-0 advantage after six innings, were far from done, manufacturing an additional five run insurance buffer in the top of the seventh en route to routing Diamond Bar 10-2 and earning a business trip to Dodger Stadium this Friday afternoon for the CIFSS division III championship.
Serra laid down its first big offensive output of the game in a three run fourth inning that began on a Duncan McKinnon (1-4, 2 RBI, SacF) sacrifice fly before Dominic "Domo" Smith (1-3, 2 RBI, 3B) capped it by shattering a shot down to the end of D-Bar's lengthy right field for a two run triple.
Trent Hammond continued on a rampage at the plate, and batted 2 for 5 with a triple and two RBI's to hit for the 13th time in his last 15 games and extend his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games.
Marcus Wilson roared to life out of a rough six game spell (where he went 2 for 12) by going 2 for 4 with two triples. Denzl Chapman poked out his third multi-hit game in a row (2-5, RBI, 2 R). Tim Ravare (1-1, RBI), Rob Hunt, and Morgan Lomax each lodged base hits for the Cavaliers.
Solomon Bates gave up a leadoff triple to Casey Kernohan (3-3, 2B, 3B) and walked two batters in the third, only to escape unharmed as he and the Cavaliers held D-Bar at bay with flyouts to left and center before finishing with a strikeout. Bates pitched five shutout innings with two K's yielding just three hits and three walks to collect the win, aiding himself as well by hitting 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Khalil Denson (1-3, RBI) wheeled.the final two frames and allowed a mild two run scramble before abruptly terminating Diamond Bar's season by helping serve a game-ending double play.
