-Blade Contributing Writer Central Arizona College Baseball

(Grand Junction) - It wasn't the shortest game of the 2022 JUCO World Series so far, but it was the second shortest.

In two hours and eleven minutes, Central Arizona College scored sixteen runs, and Shane Spencer held the San Jacinto North bats to four runs, as Central ambushed the Gators 16-4 Tuesday morning. The shortest game was a one-hour and forty-six minute game when the number two seed Wabash Valley beat the number nine Snead College 12-1 on the first day.

This was the second round elimination game and the season ends for San Jacinto. Central, however, moves into the third round with a matchup against the loser of the Wabash Valley/Crowder winners bracket game tonight at 7:30.

The game ended on the first pitch to Tyler Griggs in the bottom of the fifth when he barreled one way over the right field fence.

And believe you me, he knew it right away.

-Tyler Griggs rounds first base on walk-off grand slam

Starting with a 9-0 early lead is just about the best medicine you can take after a very tight opening day loss.

Four of the six first-inning runs came with two outs on a Dusty Garcia single and stolen base, a Tyrese Johnson double, a Griggs double and Chase Valentine's first homer of two.

In a four-for-four day, Griggs hit two homeruns, the first, a solo homerun, leading off in the bottom of the third. Shortstop Chase Valentine hit the very next pitch over the fence for his second homerun of the day. Griggs, hitting seventh, drove in six runs. Valentine, hitting eighth, drove in three while going two-for-two with a walk.

That's the kind of day it was, Vaqueros on base in every inning, and scoring in every inning except the fourth, but even there, they left the bases loaded.

Jaylin Rae had three hits, and they were all on tough pitches, this centerfielder can hit any pitch into open space. Kiko Romero also hit a three-run homerun in going three-for-four, and Central just beat the ball around for seventeen hits.

This was San Jacinto's third game and as of today, it's very close to becoming clear who's got the pitching to make it to the end. Spencer threw all five for today's win, throwing strikes the whole time.

The next Central game in round three will start at 2pm Arizona time on Wednesday.