The Colony Titans run onto the field to celebrate after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
LAKE ELSINORE — The Colony baseball team used a big sixth inning to beat Village Christian 8-3 on Friday afternoon at Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 final.
The Crusaders had plenty of support behind them as they embarked on their third appearance in a championship game.
Students of all ages lined up outside of the school the morning of the game to send off the team with lines of high-fives. The team also received video messages of support from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and relief pitcher Blake Treinen through a connection with a Village Christian parent.
The Village Christian Crusaders receive the runner-up plaque after the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game. They lost to Colony 8-3 on Friday, May 17th. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s Dylan Worrell slides into second base during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s starting pitcher Joshua Popjes pitches in the first inning during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s Ryan French is safe after sliding into second base during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Adrian Rodriguez slides into second base during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans celebrate after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Jacob Castro slides into home plate to score during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s Gavin Chase crosses home plate to score during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans celebrate after their win at the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans pose for a photo after their win at the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans celebrate after their win at the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Jacob Castro dives back to first base during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s Ryan French scores a run during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Carlos Barba crosses home plate to score during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Village Christian’s Ethan Tibert pleads to the official for an interference call, but didn’t get it during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Jacob Castro scores the first run of the game for the Titans during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans run onto the field to celebrate after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans coaches accept the championship plaque after their CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship win against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Jeremy Guadian attempts a bunt during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans coach accepts the championship plaque after their CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship win against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony High’s winning Pitcher, Steven Gonzales, holds up the championship plaque after his team won the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Jacob Castro slides into home plate to score during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s Connor Rangel scores a run during a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
Colony’s starting and winning pitcher Steven Gonzales pitches in the first inning of a CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game between the Colony Titans and the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
The Colony Titans pose for a photo after their win at the CIF Southern Section Division 6 baseball championship game against the Village Christian Crusaders on Friday, May 17th. Colony won the game 8-3. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
“My mom was like, ‘Johan, Johan, look at this video,’” Village Christian third baseman Johan Pelayo said. “My school has our back and now I saw this video — everything building up to this game felt so special.”
Words of encouragement for VCS Baseball from Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen and manager Dave Roberts before the Crusaders take on Colony tomorrow in the CIF-SS D6 finals!
Ethan Tibert (2 for 4) doubled to left field in the first inning, but the Crusaders (19-7-1) were unable to bring in any runs in the opening frame.
Colony (25-6-1) scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an early lead. Ricardo Zazueta drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly, then Carlos Barba had an RBI single and James Cook closed out the frame with an RBI double.
Village Christian battled back to tie the game in the third inning. Pelayo changed the momentum of the game when he hit a bases-clearing triple with two outs to left field and scored Ryan French, Wyatt Mikels and Gavin Chase.
Johan Pelayo ties the game with one hit in the third inning. He triples with two outs to drive in Wyatt Mikels, Ryan French and Gavin Chase.
“I was just thinking, get out of your head, have fun,” Pelayo said. “Don’t do anything crazy. Keep it nice, simple and smooth.”
The go-ahead run for Colony was scored in the third inning when Connor Rangel’s RBI triple pushed Jacob Castro across home plate.
The Crusaders made a pitching change to start the bottom of the sixth inning and brought in Ryan French to relieve Joshua Popjes.
The Titans added four more runs in the sixth inning to finish out its scoring efforts.
Popjes struck out four hitters and gave up four runs in four innings and French logged one strikeout.
Colony pitcher Steven Gonzales threw a complete game and gave up eight hits while recording 11 strikeouts.
“He kept his fastball down,” Village Christian coach Carl Gschwender said of Gonzales. “We did what we could, we did a good job and we hit pretty well. You had to wait and jump on him and that’s basically what we did.”
Village Christian will lose seven seniors to graduation, but the returners now have championship experience going into next season — and the support they gained in this postseason run will likely remain.
“Leaving the school was awesome,” Gschwender said. “It was the best thing I’ve ever been a part of as far as coaching and I’ve been coaching for almost 30 years.”
