GRACE CLAIMS CROWN; SECOND-CHANCE LANCERS WIN : GRACE BRETHREN 3, LAVERNE LUTHERAN 1.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

The coach who had guided Grace Brethren to the No. 2 seed in the Southern Section baseball playoffs was in the grandstand.

The pitcher who recorded the final out for the Lancers - Danny Buckley - started the game at catcher and also played second base.

And there was also an impromptu graduation ceremony conducted for the Lancers' two seniors, who wore cap and gown over their baseball uniforms.

Unusual? Of course. But there was nothing usual about this past week for Grace Brethren, which beat LaVerne Lutheran 3-1 on Friday to win the Southern Section Division VI championship at Blair Field.

The Lancers (23-2) were handed the championship plaque just one week after they were beaten on the field by Arroyo Grande Pacific Coast Christian. But Grace Brethren was awarded a forfeit three days later after it was discovered that PCC pitcher Andy Collup made too many appearances that week.

``It was just awesome that we got a second chance,'' said Grace Brethren pitcher Tim Thompson, who threw three scoreless innings and improved to 13-0. ``We hope that we'll be back for the next two or three years.''

The Lancers had just two seniors - outfielders Robby Oster and David Stephenson. The rest of the lineup featured one junior, five sophomores and a freshman, Buckley. Stephenson and Oster missed Grace Brethren's formal graduation, which was being held at the same time on Friday afternoon. However, they were awarded their diplomas in front of the rest of the team after the game.

``I had no idea,'' Stephenson said. ``It was a little bit harder for me . . . to come to the game. Our senior class is so close. But I chose what would be more memorable.''

Buckley had a game to remember. He doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on Thompson's RBI groundout. He moved to second in the third when Thompson came in to pitch and starter Jackson Beauchamp moved behind the plate, and then struck out the side in the seventh.

``I love to play the game,'' Buckley said. ``I'll go anywhere they want me.''

Pitching was the difference. The Lancers gave up just four hits, and Thompson struck out six.

Originally, assistant coach Jim Thompson, who has been running the team in lieu of Dan Pierce, who resigned last week, wanted Beauchamp to pitch the first two innings, his son Tim to pitch the next three and Buckley to throw the final two.

Instead, Beauchamp pitched three and Thompson, who was named player of the game, shut down the Trojans over the next three.

``I figured that no matter what, I had to pitch well,'' Thompson said. ``I had the confidence. I just wanted to get the job done.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--2) Grace Brethren's Tim Thompson, bottom photo, was tagged out during the Div. VI championship, but his team celebrated, top, after the win.

John Lazar/Special to the Daily News