CSM Bulldogs knock off Cañada to lock up postseason bid

Bowen was 2 for 4 with two RBIs on the day, but with the game tied 4-4 in the fourth, the sophomore earned the game-winning RBI by virtue of a bases-loaded walk to force home JoJo Cardinale. The Bulldogs tied the game earlier in the inning on Cardinale’s RBI single.

Cañada (9-9, 21-17) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, capped by an RBI single from Carson Vance in the top of the second. CSM tied it in the bottom of the inning. Aidan Taclas got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI single, and Charlie Welch later squeezed home Taclas with a bunt.

The Colts took the lead twice more over the next two innings, but CSM kept firing back. Cañada took a 3-2 advantage on the third with Bittner scoring on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the inning, Bowen — ranked third in the Coast North with a .397 batting average — doubled home Rowan Felsch to tie it 3-3. In the fourth, Cañada went up again on a Max Ross sacrifice fly.

CSM led from the bottom of the fourth on, but Cañada got to within a run in the seventh. Dom Avila drew a bases-loaded walk to close the deficit to 6-5. But, true to form, the Bulldogs responded with runs in the bottom of the inning when Cardinale recorded a two-run double to make it 8-5. Cañada closed to within one run in the eighth on a two-run home run by Ross.

CSM closer Chase Yocum weathered the storm though, retiring the side in order in the ninth to record the save, his third of the year. Yocum worked three innings, allowing two runs on two hits in relief of starting pitcher Danny Peters. Peters worked six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks, while striking out two to earn the win. His record improves to 6-4.

As a testament to how important the game was for Cañada, freshman pitcher Devin Bettencourt recorded his first relief appearance since February, breaking a streak of 11 straight starting appearances. The right-hander took the loss, entering in the third inning in relief of starter Drew Parenti, allowing three runs on four hits over 2 2/3 innings. His record falls to 6-5.

Bittner led all hitters with a 3-for-5 day, while Ross totaled three RBIs for Cañada. Cardinale racked up three RBIs for CSM, and Vicente Feliciano added two hits.

Cañada previously won a three-game series from CSM. The Bulldogs’ win Saturday earns them a split in the season series against their rivals to the south. The Colts will finish the season in fourth place in the Coast North and must now rely on hopes of an at-large bid to the CCCAA playoffs.

Skyline 23, CCSF 0

With modern community college baseball archives going back to 2012, the Skyline Trojans (15-3 Coast North, 26-11 overall) did something Saturday they haven’t done in all that time, banging out 27 hits in a rout of City College of San Francisco (2-16, 8-27) at Trojan Diamond.

Each of the Trojans’ starting nine recorded hits, paced by cleanup hitter Gabriel Melara, who went 5 for 5 with a double, a triple, a walk and three RBIs. Team Ethan added four hits apiece, with leadoff hitter Ethan Reader going 4 for 5 with a double, a homer and three RBIs, while Ethan Bergan was 4 for 7 with a solo homer.

Billy Mrowka added three hits and three RBIs, while Ryan Choi had two doubles and five RBIs.

Starting pitcher Will Hansen fired three scoreless innings to earn the win, upping his record to 7-0. Hansen, Jake Cilia, Nikau Heeney and Tyler Pechetti combined on a five-hit shutout. CCSF leadoff hitter Junior Madera totaled three of those hits.

With the win, first-place Skyline maintains a one-game lead over second-place Chabot in the Coast North standings with two regular-season games to play. The Trojans have to go through two tough customers this week in order to win their first conference championship since 2022. Skyline hosts CSM, Tuesday, at 2:30 p.m. before wrapping up the regular season Thursday at Chabot.