When Cosumnes River College takes the field this evening in the four-school California Community College Championships in Bakersfield, the 25-16 Hawks will have played the entire season without a home game.

Remarkably, coach Tony Bloomfield’s guys have remained focused, and may be the tightest-knit ensemble the veteran skipper has ever sent to battle.

“They are not the best team I’ve ever had, talent-wise. But they are a team,” Bloomfield, a Davis resident, told me this week. “They are resilient. They dealt with having no home. It’s a team to be proud of.”

Cosumnes didn’t expect to be orphaned this spring. Judging from the way Bloomfield was talking a couple of seasons back, CRC didn’t expect to have their manager for a 14th season.

Strange how some things work out.

The Hawks, which feature former DHS standouts Luke McDonald and Alec Miramontes, expected to be playing in a renovated facility this year.

But district officials renegotiated a facilities contract, pushing construction back, forcing its baseball team out on the streets.

Well, across town to Franklin High.

Kevin Keefer, father of former Blue Devil and current UCLA star Cody Keefer, assists Bloomfield and says having earlier practices at the prep facility hasn’t been a big problem.

In wading through squirrely workout times and travel arrangements for 41 away games, the Hawks have flown high.

Bloomfield and Keefer said the folks in the Elk Grove School District and at FHS have been spectacular and being in the state finals is a reward for keeping it together, not only against solid day-in, day-out competition, but in pushing back against their environment.

Both coaches have said there is little doubt no other collegiate team will ever make their state finals having played every game on the road.

About Bloomfield leaving …

He told me a couple of years ago that watching his daughter Brittany or son Brett play ball at Davis High was a consideration. But district hiring restrictions forced Bloomfield to keep on keeping on. He didn’t want to leave and have his Hawks taken over by just anybody.

Brittany has graduated. Brett has been called up permanently by the Blue Devils for the current playoff run.

While Brett was with Davis beating Oak Ridge, 5-2, on Thursday in the CIF playoff opener at Sacramento City College — a place the elder Bloomfield knows oh so well — dad was in Bakersfield with his Alamo defenders. All 19 of them.

“We not a big squad. But these guys want it and, like I said, they are so resilient.”

Cosumnes opens play at 6 p.m. Friday against powerhouse Rio Hondo College (38-3).

While I Have You Here: Miramontes (2-1) has 2.58 ERA and has been effective in his ever-increasing role for the Hawks.

Lately, McDonald has refueled a once-potent bat.

Troubled for three years by a knee injury, the former infielder has turned to left field for peace of mind and renewed confidence at the plate.

In the final two games in a Super Regional win against San Mateo, the right-handed hitter went 5-for-8 with two RBIs and a couple of runs scored.

In 14 years at CRC, this is Bloomfield’s first trip to the state tourney. He went once with Harbor College (San Pedro).

The other game Friday pits Sierra (25-15-1) against Orange Coast (36-5-1).

— Bruce Gallaudet is a staff writer for The Davis Enterprise. Reach him at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047.

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