Long Beach Wilson beats Temescal Canyon

Long Beach Wilson moved into the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinals with a 6-1 win over Temescal Canyon on May 22, behind a complete-game performance from left-hander Cooper George. The Bruins built their margin in the first three innings and gave George enough room to work through seven innings in the quarterfinal. George struck out 11 batters, according to The562, and Wilson advanced to the semifinal round scheduled for Tuesday, May 26. ### How did Wilson take control so early? Wilson scored all six of its runs in the first three innings, The562 reported, and put runners on base in all but one frame. The early push started with two walks in the first inning before Russell Centanni lined a single to center field that drove in both runners for the game’s first two runs. (presstelegram.com) The Bruins finished with eight hits and struck out only twice at the plate, according to The562’s game report. Press-Telegram’s account likewise said early clutch hitting supplied the margin in the quarterfinal win. ### What did Cooper George do on the mound? George, a junior and TCU commit, carried the game for Wilson from the start, The562 reported. (the562.org) He struck out six of the first eight batters he faced, including a three-strikeout second inning, and later added another three-strikeout frame in the sixth. The562 said George allowed five hits and one earned run in the 6-1 victory. “I’m super competitive and I hate coming out of games, so I just wanted to go one more and show that I can do it and get the complete game,” George said after convincing coach Andy Hall to let him finish the seventh inning. (the562.org) ### What did Wilson’s coach say mattered most? Wilson coach Andy Hall pointed to the fast start as the key to the playoff win. “I think it’s really nice that we were able to get a good lead early and not surrender it,” Hall told The562. “That’s how you win a playoff game.” (the562.org) Hall said the early runs changed the shape of the game for his team and pitcher. “Our pitcher could settle in and make some pitches, and we played some good defense,” he said, according to The562. ### Where does this fit in Wilson’s playoff run? The May 22 result put Wilson into the CIF-SS Division 5 semifinals after the Bruins had already moved through the earlier rounds of the bracket. (the562.org) MaxPreps and other playoff listings showed Wilson entering the Temescal Canyon game with a 20-15 overall record, while Temescal Canyon was listed at 18-13. CIF Southern Section’s 2026 baseball bracket shows Division 5 advancing from quarterfinals on May 22 to semifinals on Tuesday, May 26. The CIF-SS bracket says playoff game times are set for 3:15 p.m. unless schools agree to another start time and receive clearance from the section office. ### What comes next for Wilson? The CIF-SS Division 5 bracket lists the semifinal round for Tuesday, May 26, following Wilson’s quarterfinal win on May 22. (maxpreps.com) Press-Telegram’s playoff roundup also reported that Wilson was among the local teams moving on to the CIF-SS semifinals. Wilson’s next opponent was not clearly visible in the bracket excerpt available through search results, but the section bracket confirms the semifinal stage and date. (cifss.org) The next confirmed milestone for the Bruins is a Division 5 semifinal game on May 26 at 3:15 p.m., unless the schools arrange a different first pitch with CIF-SS approval.