Arroyo Grande tops Paso Robles in CIF baseball semifinal: ‘Amazing group’
Arroyo Grande High’s baseball team had posted a stellar 25-3 recording coming into a big semifinal matchup Wednesday against Paso Robles, after earning the top spot in the Mountain League.
But the Bearcats who came in 19-8 and took third in league were one of only two teams to beat the Eagles this year (San Luis Obispo High also beat the Eagles twice in Mountain League play).
In a game that packed the Eagles’ stadium with fans, including some who watched from beyond the outfield in the football bleachers, Arroyo Grande kept the Paso Robles offense at bay in a 9-2 victory, tallying clutch hits with runners on.
“This is an amazing group of kids,” said Arroyo Grande Coach Steve Tolley. “They’re competitive, they put pressure on the teams we play all game long like today, and they really take care of each other.”
Junior right-hander Marc Byrum led the Eagles on the mound, giving up only the two earned runs, which came in the third inning when Paso Robles’ Carson Turnquist smacked a two-run double to left field to even the score 2-2.
But Byrum settled in and struck out seven and walked five over six innings before handing the ball off to Aiden Ostrov who pitched a scoreless seventh to close out the game.
The win sends the Eagles to the CIF-Central Section Division 2 finals against Madera High (16-16). Arroyo Grande will host the championship game Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Tolley said he was confident in Byrum, whose fastball reaches the low 80s, because of how he handles himself with poise and confidence under pressure.
“I know you can give him the ball and you’re never out of a game,” said Tolley, who also coaches the San Luis Obispo Blues summer league team of college players. “He’s not afraid to make competitive pitches.”
Byrum said that he knew that if he just kept the Bearcats from walking too many times, they’d weather any kind of offensive attack from Paso Robles.
“I feel like I have the best defense in the nation behind me,” Byrum said. “I was sure that if I just threw strikes, and made them put it in play, we’d make the plays. Getting to the finals was our goal all season, but we had to change our mindset and really be ready come postseason, and we have.”
Arroyo Grande offense builds big lead
The Eagles manufactured their first two runs off Turnquist, a 6-foot-5 junior right-hander committed to play baseball at the University of Oklahoma.
Arroyo Grande deployed aggressive running in the second inning to go up 2-0, forcing Turnquist into overthrowing the first baseman in a rundown situation with runners on first and third, leading to the game’s first run, followed by the Eagles’ Tyler Hamilton scoring on a wild pitch.
Turnquist, who can reach 90 to 93 mph on his fastball, displayed impressive velocity on the mound Wednesday, but the Eagles were able to take a 6-2 lead in the third after Turnquist lost his control and hit three batters in one inning.
Arroyo Grande senior Carson Gomes capitalized with the based loaded, smashing a ground ball double down the right field line to clear the bases. Gomes went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored in the game.
Eagles’ star Justin Trimble added two RBIs as part of his 2-for-4 performance at the plate.
Trimble is committed to play at UCSB and has posted a .411 average with eight home runs and 27 RBI this season. He started in right field after seeing action at first and pitcher throughout the season.
“This was so awesome,” said Trimble, a 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter. “It was a true team effort and no one individual won this game today. Everyone contributed. We’d lost to (Paso Robles) before, but we were able to really stay ready and focused today.”
Trimble said the team has benefited from good practices and batting cage repetition. He’s likely to get drafted by a Major League team, his coach said.
“Our practices can be harder than the games and that really prepares us well for when we face good pitching,” Trimble said.
Paso Robles to return key players
Next year, the Bearcats will return players such as juniors Turnquist and reliever Tony Garcia, who limited the Eagles offense in the latter innings Wednesday.
Junior Chris Climer threw a scoreless seventh inning for the Bearcats, showing a strong arm and sharp breaking pitches in relief.
Turnquist said he plans to play this summer in the Perfect Game national showcase, for talented high school players heading into their final year of high school, and the Area Code summer ball games, where top high school players compete in front of scouts from Major League Baseball teams.
“I felt good out there,” Turnquist said of the semifinal outing. “I felt solid. They were just able to hit the ball in places we couldn’t get to. ... This motivates me for summer baseball and to get back at it.”
Jakob Wright, Paso Robles’ center fielder, walked in each of his four at-bats Wednesday, as Byrum pitched him carefully.
Wright has committed to play for Coach Larry Lee at Cal Poly next year.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 9:15 PM.
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