Down 2-0 in the top of the fourth with a runner on, Grant High School baseball senior Kaeden Cruse had a 3-0 count.

Normally, that’s the count where every high school hitter gets the signal from their coach to take the next pitch no matter what, especially in a 6A state semifinal game on the road at No. 5 Jesuit like the Generals were on Tuesday, June 3.

Instead, head coach Matt Kabza gave the red-hot Cruse the green light to swing away.

And swing away he did.

The ball was crushed into the tall, left-field netting at Jesuit to tie the game up a two. Next inning, Cruse was up again, this time with two runners on and facing a 2-0 count.

And swing away he did, again.

This time the ball cleared the netting and provided the Generals all the runs they needed in the 8-2 victory over Jesuit, sending Grant to the 6A state title game for the first time since 1958.

“My coach gave me a 3-0 green light after two years, felt pretty good and had to take advantage of it,” Cruse said. “I was just thinking, ‘Find my pitch,’ and obviously I did and it worked out great.

“I’m just living life out here, might as well have another one,” Cruse said of the second homer. “Shoot, why not two?”

For the first time since 1958, @GrantBSB will play for a state title with an 8-2 win over Jesuit in the semifinals #opreps https://t.co/Uh52zNPTxv pic.twitter.com/8OBknNk1Tp

— Austin White (@ajw_sports) June 4, 2025

Jesuit grabbed the early lead after leadoff hitter Kainoa Santiago doubled off the wall and advanced to third on a balk. Jake Rolling hit a grounder to shortstop to bring home the run and put the Crusaders up after one.

Meanwhile, Jesuit starting pitcher Chase Kelly worked through the Grant order well the first time, giving up only two hits and one being a close play at first on a two-bunt from Martin Elardo.

Jesuit added another run in the third after Dylan Ruchaber led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Santiago single to center.

Grant junior starter Jinki Tomita hung tough though and kept letting his defense work, which was rewarded with a couple of sliding catches in the outfield by Tre Hoffert in right and Elardo in center.

“Little bit of a slow start, but once (Tomita) settles in, it seems like he gets better as the game goes along,” Grant head coach Matt Kabza said. “Really proud of him for how he stepped up today after giving up that run in the first inning and not letting it get to him, staying focused and going back and executing his game plan.”

Grant, playing in its first state semifinal game since 1968, was hanging around and waiting for the offense to find its groove, and it finally did in the fourth.

Junior Elliot Raiton singled to center to start the frame, bringing up Cruse with no outs. Cruse, who had a three-run home run in the first inning the round prior in a stunning 12-0 upset of No. 1 South Salem, worked the count to 3-0 as he remained patient.

He got his green light and got his pitch to change the course of the game.

“Not this hot,” Kabza said when asked if he’s ever seen Cruse this hot at the plate. “He’s put a lot of good swings on balls over the course of the year and season, but to do what he did today under the bright lights, just shows he’s a different kind of ball player and a guy that you love to have up in a big moment.”

A couple ground outs and that sliding catch by Elardo got Grant right back into the dugout to open up the fifth frame. Elardo got the rally going too with a double to left field.

Senior catcher Brady McCarthy followed behind with a single to put runners on the corners. Raiton singled to right to bring home a run and put Grant ahead 3-2.

But then it was Cruse time once more, and he left no doubt in home run No. 2 that made it 6-2 Grant heading to the bottom of the fifth.

“He’s just amazing,” Tomita said of Cruse. “Just watching from the dugout, first one hit the net and the second one went over the net. It’s just crazy and unbelievable and gets us momentum every single time.”

No lead is safe against Jesuit, especially on the road, but Tomita kept pitching to contact and was rewarded by his defense. He got the first two outs of the fifth, the third batter reached on an error but Tomita struck out the next guy to end the frame.

The sixth inning was quiet for both sides with just a walk to Hoffert, giving Grant a chance to snag some insurance runs in the seventh.

McCarthy doubled to start the seventh and Raiton was hit by pitch, bringing up Cruse.

After a wild pitch moved the runners over, Jesuit intentionally walked Cruse to load the bases with no outs.

Senior Diego Martinez Griffin didn’t let the move go unpunished, hitting a sacrifice fly to left to score a run. A couple batters later, junior Luke Caron singled to right to score one more and make it 8-2.

Jesuit was able to load the bases with two outs thanks to a single, walk and an error. But a pop up from Santiago was caught by shortstop Grant Snidow behind third base, ending the game and sending Grant to the title game.

“It feels great, kind of made history,” Cruse said. “Takes a lot of weight off my shoulders considering we’ve now made it there. But I’m excited and I think our team will persevere and obviously just hope we get the W (in the state title game), we’re excited for sure.”

Cruse finished the game 2-for-3 with five RBI, meanwhile Raiton was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. McCarthy was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Elardo was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Tomita pitched all seven innings and gave up two runs on four hits along with four strikeouts and one walk.

After the final out, the players naturally flooded the field while the giant crowd on hand for the game decked out in blue cheered and chanted like it was 1958.

Seeing the atmosphere and the support from the community was an essential part of the upset win.

“The fan turnout was incredible,” Kabza said. “I really think it helped us as a ball club to see that our community was rallying behind us and believing in us.”

Most importantly, this Grant team has seven seniors on it and a trove of juniors who have all been playing together for years.

That’s been the magic for Grant’s Cinderella run to the final game of the year.

“I think just us being so close and also we have nothing really to lose if you think about it, everyone doubted us saying we’re not going to win,” Cruse said. “It’s kind of just been what’s helped us get over the top.”

“The guys really love each other, they are in it for each other,” Kabza said. “It’s a really special group, they’ve played a lot of baseball together and they’ve stuck together. And I think that’s the magic ingredient, just caring about each other and really loving each other.”

The opponent will be No. 11 Sunset after the Apollos took down No. 7 McMinnville in the other semifinal 5-1.

Sunset fell in the state title game last year, so it will be hungry to get over the top this time around.

Grant senior and PIL Pitcher of the Year Cooper Yudhishthu is the likely starter for Grant, meanwhile Sunset’s ace in Kruz Schoolcraft pitched Tuesday and is only eligible to throw 25 pitches on Saturday.

No matter who the Generals see though, the process remains the same as they go for the title at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at Roto Rooter Park in Keizer (Volcanoes Stadium).

The run is coming to an end one way or another, and now that Grant is there, the feeling is why not win it all?

“Just amazing, a lot of pressure now huh?” Tomita said of making program history. “We gotta win it now, it’s gotta happen and we’re excited.”