Three runs in the top of the first inning Tuesday night were enough to give the baseball team a legitimate shot at something that has eluded the program up until now: a CIF championship.

The Wolverines defeated Los Alamitos 3-2 at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif. in the semifinal round of CIF Div. I playoffs to advance to Friday’s CIF Finals.

Los Alamitos ran out to a quick lead, scoring on a wild pitch off Conor Cuse ’13 in the top of the first inning. The Wolverines were quick to respond, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning with a Joe Corrigan ’13 two-run single followed by a Brian Ginsberg ’14 RBI single.

The Wolverines would score no more runs the rest of the game, though it ultimately didn’t matter. Cuse held Los Alamitos largely at bay until the top of the fifth inning when wild pitches and a single brought Los Alamitos to within one of the Wolverines with runners on first and third and two outs. Hans Hansen ’13 was brought in to pitch and safely maneuvered the Wolverines not only out of the fifth inning but out of the game, allowing no more runs and notching the save.