GARDEN GROVE – It’s one of the better high school baseball rivalries and Chad Gurnea was feeling it.
The Pacifica right-hander, who has been the Mariners’ top starting pitcher this season, struck out five in three innings of relief Tuesday to help secure a 4-2 win over Cypress.
Pacifica celebrates a run by Ryland Chastain (11) against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’s Abbrie Covarrubias (29) during their loss to Pacifica in their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Matthew Morrell (19) delivers a pitch against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ John Short (23) fields a fit by Pacifica’s Nolan Caira (1) during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Tristin Brinkman (24) slides back in to first base against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Tristin Brinkman (24) fields the ball against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Zack OCampo (1) delivers a pitch against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Nolan Caira (1) goes after a hit from Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Tristin Brinkman (24) slides at home against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica celebrates a run by Ryland Chastain (11) against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Victor Cardona (7) chases after a hit against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Chad Gurnea (3) delivers a pitch against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Ryan Anema (13) lays down a bunt against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Chad Gurnea (3) celebrate a strike out in the last inning of their win over Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Logan Brady (12) delivers a pitch against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Matthew Morrell (19) delivers a pitch against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Gabe Cobian (3) heads towards third base against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Tristin Brinkman (24) celebrates with Ryan Anema (13) after Brinkman scored against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Adrian Bernal (7) delivers a pitch against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Nick Montgomery (27) bobbles the ball against Pacifica during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cypress’ Myles Fendrick (18) slides under Pacifica’s Victor Cardona (7) at second base during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Aiden Marquez (5) and Nolan Caira (1) go after a fly ball against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pacifica’s Aiden Marquez (5) fields the ball against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The win clinched a share of the Empire League championship for Pacifica. It is the school’s seventh Empire League championship. The last one came in 2021 when the Mariners were co-champions with, of course, Cypress, which won last year’s league championship by one game over second-place Pacifica.
Pacifica racked up several Garden Grove League baseball titles before moving to the Empire League in 2006.
Gurnea, a senior, is 8-2 with four complete games, three shutouts and a 0.35 ERA. He was beyond ready for the moment when he entered the game with a two-run lead in the fifth inning.
“Coming in late I had a little more adrenaline there,” said Gurnea, who signed with Cal State Fullerton. “Getting those last three outs was huge.”
Cypress still can get a share of the league championship. The Centurions are home against Pacifica on Thursday, the final regular-season game for both teams.
If Cypress wins and the teams are tied for first place a coin flip would decide which team goes into the CIF Southern Section playoffs as the Empire League’s No. 1 playoff representative, an important distinction that almost certainly guarantees a first-round game at home.
Tuesday’s win extended Pacifica’s Orange County-leading winning streak to 16 games. The Mariners are 21-2 overall and 9-0 in league. They are No. 7 in the Orange County Top 25 and No. 9 in the CIF-SS Division 1 Top 10.
Cypress, No. 6 in the county rankings and No. 7 in CIF-SS Division 1, is 20-7 overall and 8-1 in league.
Pacifica junior third baseman Aiden Marquez was 3 for 4 with an RBI double and a run scored. Senior center fielder Ryan Anema sent home a run on a squeeze bunt and junior right fielder Jacob Zanaboni pushed across a run with a bases-loaded walk.
Senior right-hander Logan Brady, right there with Gurnea as an effective starting pitcher, started Tuesday and got the win. He is 8-0.
Cypress had a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the first inning junior left fielder Gabe Cobian, who committed to Long Beach State, pulled a one-out double to the right-field corner and scored on Nick Montgomery’s ground out.
Centurions junior designated hitter Justin Tillar opened the second inning with a single and scored on junior third baseman Jackson Pohl’s single to make it 2-0.
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Pacifica tied it in the bottom of the second when senior DH Ryland Chastain scored on a wild pitch and Zanaboni’s bases-loaded walk plated the second run.
Marquez’s double in the fourth inning drove in senior second baseman Tristin Brinkman to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead and Marquez scored on Anema’s bunt.
The CIF-SS baseball playoff brackets will be released Monday at 11 a.m.