GILROY—Now that Gavilan has been crowned the Coast South Conference champion, it’s time for the Rams to get back to work.
Head coach Neal Andrade said it’s business as usual for the Rams as they prepare for their first playoff game in 36 years. As the No. 8 seed, they host No. 9 Cosumnes River College from the historically tough Big 8 Conference. The best-of-three series kicks off at 2 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is at 11 a.m. Saturday and, if necessary, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes after that contest ends.
It has been a long time since there has been playoff baseball, let alone the CCCAA Northern California Regionals, played in Gilroy. Despite the magnitude of it, Andrade said the Rams are going to treat this game like any other.
“It’s kind of special to be a part of it and to host it, but the practice plan this week isn’t going to be any different from normal,” Andrade said.
While Andrade admitted not knowing much about the Hawks, he and the Rams do know that getting past them will be no easy feat.
Cosumnes River, he said, plays in the “powerhouse conference”, which historically has teams representing Northern California in the Final Four state tournament. That being said, Andrade doesn’t want the Rams getting wrapped up in the Hawks’ reputation.
“Sometimes you tend to focus on what the other team can and can’t do and sometimes you forget about what the strengths of what your own team are,” Andrade said. “(For us) it’s more about who’s in our dugout and what we do well and the style of baseball that got us here.”
Defense and pitching have been the backbone to Gavilan’s success this season and the team will rely on those two pieces in the postseason, too.
Matt Oxner (7-3) will get the nod on the bump for Game 1. He’s boasting a 2.21 ERA through 77.1 innings of work.
With Oxner pitching, that frees up Erik Barron for the role of designated hitter. Barron has 24 RBIs and has scored 18 runs on 36 hits.
Win or lose Game 1, Andrade is looking at Barron to start on the mound for Game 2. Barron (6-1) leads the pitching rotation in strikeouts with 92 this season. The flamethrower has a stellar 1.36 ERA and has given up only 14 runs this season.
“Game 2 is, from what I know, kind of the big one,” Andrade said. “If you lose Game 1, you’ve got your guy going for Game 2…Whoever wins Game 2, often has the advantage in Game 3.”
Gabe Katich (7-3) will make an appearance for the Rams at some point this weekend, too. If Game 3 is necessary, Katich will most likely get the start for Gavilan. He has a 3.33 ERA, but is second on the team in strikeouts with 55.
Offensively, the Rams have been solid. They scored 178 runs in the regular season, but they’re taking on a team that is just as lethal. The Hawks combined for 236 runs this year and homered 10 times.
Their rotation features pitcher David Smith (7-1), who has given up only 17 runs through 72.2 innings and has a 1.61 ERA.
The stakes are high for both teams as they look to extend their season. Just 16 Northern California teams remain and that number gets cut in half after Saturday. Andrade said the Rams knows the importance of this game and will do what it takes to keep their season alive.
“There’s no tomorrow if you end up losing the series,” Andrade said. “We’re just going to do what we do best and let the chips fall where they may this weekend.”
