If well begun is half done, then Grossmont College’s baseball team is already halfway through what promises to be an exceptional season.
With a 6-5 record in nonconference play, the Griffins have begun adding league wins to their record. Grossmont’s Griffins are currently undefeated in conference.
Grossmont head coach Randy Abshier said the team’s preseason run against some of the nation’s best community college clubs instilled confidence in the team.
If well begun is half done, then Grossmont College’s baseball team is already halfway through what promises to be an exceptional season.
With a 6-5 record in nonconference play, the Griffins have begun adding league wins to their record. Grossmont’s Griffins are currently undefeated in conference.
Grossmont head coach Randy Abshier said the team’s preseason run against some of the nation’s best community college clubs instilled confidence in the team.
“We played a lot of Orange Empire in preseason,” he said. “We lost some games but we lost close games. If we can compete against them maybe we have a little bit of an edge coming into conference.”
For teams like the Grossmont, who are part of the Pacific Coast Conference, playoffs will take them back through the Orange Empire, so preseason is an important glimpse at what a championship run in May will require.
“We had to go play those schools to see where we can compete,” said Abshier.
Grossmont has already pulled in two impressive conference wins. League competition began on February 27 where the Griffins beat Palomar College, 8-6, their first win on Comet turf in several years. They followed up the victory with a win at home, obliterating cross-town rival Southwestern College, 15-2 on March 1.
Abshier said winning against the top conference competitors right off the bat was indicative of a good season, but that the squad cannot afford to get cocky.
“We’ve got to play this way every game,” he said. “I’m not going to predict the future, but I am going to say if this club continues on the path it’s on, we’ll be a force to reckon with.”
Grossmont’s bench certainly seems star-studded. The powerful pitching staff includes two local boys, right-handed hurler Donavon McCrystal from West Hills and starting pitcher Alan Strong from Santana.
“This is right where we want to be right now with pitching and hitting,” said Strong. “If we can just keep this up I think there’s a good chance we can go all the way.”
The Griffins have 14 hits against Palomar and 18 hits against SWC, with 24 runs in the first two games.
“I think a lot of our guys step up a lot against better teams,” said Strong. “I think the guys are excited to play those teams that aren’t afraid of anything. When we play teams that aren’t as good as Palomar, our guys just kind of drool through it.”
Sophomore outfielder Tanner Perry, Conference Player of the Week, said the team is really coming together.
“We don’t have any individual players,” he said. “We say, ‘I’m going to bunt for you,’ or ‘I’m going to base hit for this because you’re my teammate.’”
He said he attributed the club’s success to its chemistry between players.
“We’re gelling as a team right now,” he said. “We’re finding it.”
The Griffins play at Mt. San Jacinto on Saturday at 2 p.m.
