Cavalier Moments Carry Cleveland to Dodger Stadium

Fluke is an appropriate word to describe a freakish, strange occurrence. Just don’t use it to explain Reseda Cleveland High beating West Valley League rival Chatsworth for a fourth time this season to earn a spot in the City Championship game at Dodger Stadium.

The No. 15-seeded Cavaliers’ 4-0 victory over the defending champions on Thursday in the City semifinals at Pierce College was convincing and unequivocal.

Byron Grubman, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound senior right-hander, threw a five-hitter and didn’t allow a Chatsworth runner past first base. Three times the Cavaliers turned double plays on assists from All-City shortstop Robert Marcial.

Cleveland (20-11), the fourth-place finisher in the West Valley League, will meet top-seeded Sylmar (27-4) Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium on the 20th anniversary of the Cavaliers’ last City title victory. Bret Saberhagen threw a no-hitter to defeat Palisades that night.

Grubman is Cleveland’s newest version of Saberhagen. Last season, he had a perfect game at Dodger Stadium for 52/3 innings in the City Invitational final won, 5-1, by the Cavaliers. But his win Thursday, with the temperature soaring into the 90s, was more impressive because of the opponent.

“To be the best you have to go through the best and Chatsworth has been that for so long,” Cleveland Coach Joe Cascione said.

Chatsworth was ranked No. 1 in the nation after a 19-0 start. Then the Chancellors lost five of their next nine games, including three to Cleveland. It was mind boggling and exasperating for the Chancellors (25-6), who couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

But the Chancellors always believed they’d regain their winning ways in the playoffs and get revenge against Cleveland. Except they never came close to victory.

“We always play our ‘A’ game against Chatsworth,” right fielder Adam Olbrychowski said.

Cascione, 31, is a big reason Cleveland rises to the challenge when facing four-time City champion Chatsworth. He’s a fiery third-year coach who was nicknamed “Mashcione” when he was hitting home runs as a tiny second baseman for Pierce College and Cal Lutheran. He requires his players to get their uniforms dirty.

“That’s how I played the game and I try to get the kids to follow that lead,” he said.

It’s an intriguing cast of characters that has Cleveland trying to duplicate the feat of North Hills Monroe, which finished fourth in league in 1988, entered as the No. 15-seeded team and won the title.

Grubman (8-3) has won 21 games during his career but hitters still don’t know how he gets them out.

“I learned early on I wasn’t going to be big or overpowering,” Grubman said. “I make guys ground out and pop out.”

Marcial is one of the best defensive shortstops in Southern California. He has signed with Nevada and is a pitcher’s dream.

“I take a sigh of relief when the ball is hit to him,” Grubman said.

For six years, Marcial’s grandparents have been in a coma because of an automobile accident. He speaks to them often even though they don’t react and he doesn’t know if they can hear him.

“I wish they were here,” he said.

Olbrychowski is a 6-2, 170-pound sophomore with a magical arm who could be throwing 90 mph fastballs by next season. His father came to America from Poland. He made two acrobatic catches on the run in Cleveland’s first-round upset of second-seeded Roosevelt.

Against Chatsworth, Olbrychowski missed a squeeze bunt in the fourth inning. He fought back in the at-bat to hit a two-run single. He takes yoga lessons from Alan Jaeger, who instructs Oakland A’s pitcher Barry Zito.

Instead of getting mad after the missed bunt, Olbrychowski remembered that yoga taught him to stay focused.

“I stayed calm and drove the ball,” he said.

Afterward, Olbrychowski was trying to comprehend what it will mean to start in right field at Dodger Stadium.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve waited to play there all my life.”

Freshman center fielder Trevor Arroyo will become the third family member to reach Dodger Stadium. Arroyo was so nervous that he was discovered walking the hallways at home in the early morning hours Wednesday by his older brother. But he’ll be ready for Dodger Stadium.

“It’s the best feeling ever,” he said. “It’s my dream.”

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at [email protected].