D1: Valley rolls as Soquel ousts Lancers

SAN JOSE – Rahul Patel chose the right time to have what he calls his best game ever.

The senior right-hander limited Los Gatos to four hits, while striking out 10 as Valley Christian advanced to the CCS-Division I championship game for the second straight year with a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats at Excite Ballpark.

"I think it was everything, the environment, the big game, all of the adrenalin that was pumping throughout," he said after closing the game with his 10th strikeout and a swarm of high-fives from teammates. "I think this is a special place. Every time you get to play here, it's an amazing moment."

The Warriors will be back at Excite on Saturday night when they face Soquel, who pulled off their second straight stunner of the tournament by blanking top-seeded Saint Francis in the nightcap, 1-0. The title game is set for 7 p.m.

Patel's biggest moments came when he escaped two big jams unscathed. In the second inning, Los Gatos had runners on second and third with none out, but Patel struck out the next three batters to keep the game scoreless.

"I think at that time, you're trying to minimize runs, try to get the out, but honestly, you know, I got a great defense behind me," he said. "I know they're gonna take care of me no matter what, and it's just throwing the next pitch with confidence and conviction."

In the fourth, the Wildcats had runners on first and second and no one out. A strikeout and two infield popups ended the threat.

The inability to cash in on those opportunities was fatal for the Wildcats, said Mike Minkel, their coach.

"Second and third with no one out in the second and pushing nothing across after striking out three times is very uncharacteristic of this team and gut wrenching." he said. "You can't expect to win a tight playoff game when you fail to score in that situation."

Give credit to Patel for finding a way out. Los Gatos was 0-6 with four strikeouts with runners in scoring position. Much of that had to do with Patel's curveball, which had a knack for finding the corners.

"I pray for opportunities for our seniors to get moments that they can relish and cherish," said Valley coach John Diatti. "That was one he's going to look back on in his life. I don't care what he does for the rest of it. He'll and remember that he pitched like that tonight."

Valley scored in the bottom on the third when Hilbert Chen singled and moved to third on a Colton Hadfield double down the left field line. Logan Mull then singled up the middle to score Chen, but Hadfield was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw from centerfielder Sully Roberts.

The Warriors broke it open with two in the fifth in much the same way. A Chen single, a Hadfield double – this time to right field – and an RBI single by Mull that made it 2-0. Nathan Miller's bunt plated the second run of the frame.

W: Patel | L: Oberthier | 2 hits- Fitzpatrick (LG), Hadfield (VC), Mull (VC), Chen (VC), Miller (VC). 2 RBI- Mull (VC). 2B- Hadfield (VC) 2, Simon (LG).

Soquel 1, Saint Francis 0

Of Saint Francis' four losses this year, three of them were by 1-0 scores. Two of them, including Wednesday's season-crushing loss, were at the hands of Soquel, which has now gone 14 innings without giving up a run this tournament.

Those are shutout wins over the Lancers and St. Ignatius Prep, which should tell you this pitching staff is operating at a high level this week.

With the exception of Jack Leeper, who had three hits and stole four bases, Saint Francis had no answers. The Lancers struck out nine times and when they needed a hit, they came up short.

Kyle McMillan lined out in the first inning with Leeper on third base. Tanner Wall struck out with Leeper at third base in the third. In the fourth, they put two runners on via base hits by Gino Cappellazzo and Aaron Bonini, but two fly outs ended the threat.

In the fifth, Leeper beat out a two-out grounder to shortstop and then proceeded to steal second and third bases, but Cappellazzo got caught looking at a 3-2 pitch. The Lancers never threatened again.

Meanwhile, Brody Larocque was solid, going the distance and allowing just four hits. He struck out six and didn't walk a hitter. His only blemish were a hit batter and two singles – the second, a base hit by Luke Santee that plated Sam Whelan with the game's only run.

W: Hull | L: Larocque | S: Shoemaker | 3 hits- Leeper.

Division II

Palma 8, Burlingame 3

Palma scored a run in the first inning and never trailed in the contest, breaking it open with three RBI from Cesar Mercado and a two-run homer by Dylan Rocchi.

The loss marked the end of the season for the Panthers, who fell a game short of the Saturday's CCS-Division II title game. It also closes the book on Shawn Scott's 16-year coaching career.

Palma will face fifth-seeded Mitty in Saturday's Division II title game.

W: Rider | L: Trautwein | 2 hits- Rocchi (P), Gonzales (P), Mercado (P). 3 RBI- Mercado (P). 2 RBI- Rocchi (P). HR- Rocchi (P). 2B- Mallen (B), Valez (P), Mercado (P)

Division V

San Mateo 8, St. Francis 4

The top-seeded Bearcats advanced to the Division V championship game against Half Moon Bay by scoring four runs in the first and cruising to the victory in a game played at Santa Clara University.

Jesus Olivas threw 110 pitches and game within an out of the complete game. Tyce Copus needed just two pitches to record the final out. Olivas surrendered just five hits and two earned runs. He struck out four and walked just one.

Offensively, the Bearcats were led by junior Julio Calderon, who had two hits, including a triple, and three RBI. Christian Louie had two hits and drove in two runs.

Apollo Lee and Travis Okimura had doubles for San Mateo.

W: Olivas | L: Madrigal | 2 hits- Louie (SM), Calderon (SM), Drake (SF). 3 RBI- Calderon (SM). 2 RBI- Louie (SM), Madrigal (SF). 3B- Calderon (SM), Drake (SF). 2B- Lee (SM), Okimura (SM), Madrigal (SF).

Half Moon Bay 6, Ann Sobrato 2

The Cougars won what is believed to be a school-record 11th straight game and advanced to the CCS-Division V championship game by scoring five runs in the first two innings and cruising to the victory.

Half Moon Bay was led by sophomore Paxton Holden, who scattered seven hits over seven innings. He struck out four and allowed just two earned runs to continue his strong second half of the season.

Clark Colucci had two hits and drove in three runs and Was Flawless At Third base, while Ian Ehrhardt had two hits and two RBI and Lane Giannini added two hits both Doubles for the Half Moon Bay, which will now set its sights on PAL-Ocean Division foe San Mateo in what Should be the Making of a Kai Kung Vs. Christian Louie Pithers Duel.

The Bearcats swept a series from Half Moon Bay in early April.

W: Holden | L: Tover | 2 hits- Rubbo (AS), Brown (AS), Ehrhardt (HMB), Colucci (HMB), L.Giannini (HMB). 3 RBI- Colucci (HMB). 2 RBI- Ehrhardt (HMB). 3B- Rubbo (AS). 2B- L.Giannini-2 (HMB), Ehrhardt (HMB).