Ganesha shuts out Bloomington in semifinals

BLOOMINGTON >> Ganesha’s pitching has the Giants going for it.

Three pitchers combined on a one-hitter, and Noah Alvarez had the game-winning hit and earned the save as Ganesha shut out Bloomington 2-0 Thursday in a CIF SoCal Regional Division V semifinal playoff game.

“We’ve gone pitcher-by-committee all year to save arms for CIF and for this, and it’s paid off for us,” Ganesha coach Tony Green. “Pitching is so key and it shows on days like today.”

Brandon Gutierrez struck out six over the first three innings, and Jorge Solares allowed a hit and two walks over the next three before Alvarez closed it out for Ganesha (20-0 overall), which recently won its first CIF-Southern Section Division 7 title.

The Giants advance to play Castaic, the CIF-SS Division 6 champion, in the CIF State Division V championship game on Saturday.

“We want to go out and play like we don’t have tomorrow because tomorrow’s not guaranteed,” Alvarez said.

Bryce McAnich and Thomas Giandomenico had two hits each for Ganesha, which had previously won every game this season by three-or-more runs.

The Giants put two runners on in the third before Alvarez dumped a liner into right field to score Adrian Lopez and Gabriel Smith.

“The hit to put us in the championship, it couldn’t be sweeter,” Alvarez said.

A 6-foot-3 right hander, Alvarez entered to begin the bottom of the seventh and struck out the last two Bloomington hitters to end the game. Junior righthander Richie Sanchez was able to stay focused and pitched into the sixth inning for Bloomington (265) before leaving after hitting a batter with one out.

“I felt good about it and to keep them off-balance like that, it’s going to help me in the long run,” said Sanchez, who scattered eight hits and walked three.

Shortstop Robert Barrera (0 for 1) reached base twice in his final game for the Bruins, who graduated only four seniors and have their entire pitching staff returning next year.

“We’re excited about next season,” Bloomington coach Carlos Contreras said. “We don’t lose any pitchers. They’re all coming back.”

Bloomington, a CIF-SS Division 6 semifinalist, captured its first San Andreas League title this season.