Division II: Scott calling it quits

Shawn Scott announced this week he is retiring from coaching at the end of the season. However, first his Burlingame Panthers will compete in the CCS-Division II tournament.

Scott, who took the job in 2011, guided the Panthers to a PAL-Bay Division championship this spring, won his only CCS crown in 2021.

"It was just a matter of making up my mind and going out," Scott told the Burlingame B, the school's online publication. "Everybody has a shelf life ... whether it's work, a sport, an athlete, a coach, you have a shelf life.

"It's just up to you to figure out when your shelf life is up."

Burlingame clinched the Bay Division and the No. 3 seed by winning 10 of its final 13 games and enters Saturday's 1 p.m. quarterfinal matchup with No. 6 Leigh at Washington Park playing its best baseball of the season.

"It hasn't all sunk in yet," Scott said. "I'm sure when I'm able to sit back and reflect sometime this summer, I'll have some pretty nice thoughts about my time here."

And yet, despite the Bay championship and 18-9 record, the Panthers are considered a longshot to win three games and bring home the CCS-Division II championship that would put an exclamation point on Scott's coaching career.

That might be because on paper, there's nothing that jumps out at you. Their top hitter, senior Slade Flores, hit .338 – good but not other-worldly – while they muscled up on just five home runs all season and their team earned-run average was a modest 3.75.

One of the best things you can say about Burlingame is they make most of the routine plays and play a fundamentally smart brand of baseball. No team in the Division II bracket has made few errors than the Panthers' 26.

Sometimes, a team goes far beyond its statistics or the sum of its parts. They might be overlooked, an underdog, but that could have more to do with the reality that the field is loaded.

Top-seeded Carmel has Matt Maxon, who will be playing at Stanford in the fall. No. 2 Palma won 20 games, while WCAL foes Mitty and Sacred Heart Cathedral lurk on the horizon along. That doesn't even hard-hitting teams like Leigh, Palo Alto and Menlo-Atherton, which bring up the rear end of the bracket.

The Panthers have their work cut out for them, but they've been counted out all year and find themselves playing their best baseball when it counts the most. In other words, don't overlook them.

1. Carmel Padres, Carmel

Record: 21-6 (PCAL-Gabilan Division champion)

Coach: Michael Kelly

Offensive Players to Watch: Matt Maxon (.500 batting average, 46 runs, 14 home runs, 35 RBI, 25 stolen bases); Michael Melnick (.389 batting average, 19 runs, 23 RBI); Dean Briant (.377 batting average, 13 runs, 2 home runs, 19 RBI); Alex Hirschfield (.361 batting average, 20 runs, 19 RBI).

Mound Ace: Matt Maxon (6-1, 2.10 earned-run average, 96 Ks in 60 innings); Lucas Rocha (5-0, 2.54 earned-run average, 28 Ks in 30.1 innings); Kenny Sanchez (5-0, 2.03 earned-run average, 32 Ks in 41.1 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .339; Runs: 226; On-base percentage: .494; Home runs: 32. Slugging percentage: .546; Stolen bases: 101. Earned-run average: 3.06; Strikeouts: 194. Batting average allowed: .237.

What to Expect: Matt Maxon might be the best player in the tournament. Fittingly, he and St. Ignatius Prep's Archer Horn who factors into that argument, will be teammates at Stanford in the fall. Maxon might be worth the price of admission this week.

Opening Act: Menlo-Atherton (14-13)

2. Palma Chieftains, Salinas

Record: 20-7 (second place in the PCAL-Gabilan Division)

Coach: Brian Neff

Offensive Players to Watch: Matt Alioto (.453 batting average, 18 runs, 30 RBI); Rocco Razzeca (.349 batting average, 33 runs, 3 home runs, 24 RBI, 17 RBI); Wyatt Bakker (.303 batting average, 28 runs, 3 home runs, 18 RBI).

Mound Ace: Zach Gonzales (6-0, 1.20 earned-run average, 30 Ks in 35 innings); Austin Rider (4-2, 3.52 earned-run average, 48 Ks in 37.2 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .322; Runs: 207; Home runs: 13; On-base percentage: .436; Stolen bases: 82; Earned-run average: 2.97; Strikeouts: 186.

What to Expect: This is a battled-tested team that played three nail-biters with Carmel, while opening the season with losses to Saint Francis and Soquel. Two weeks later, the Chieftains won at Valley Christian. This season has been filled with plenty of litmus tests. This tourney is just another.

Opening Act: Palo Alto (17-10)

3. Burlingame Panthers, Burlingame

Record: 18-9 (PAL-Bay Division champion)

Coach: Shawn Scott

Offensive Players to Watch: Slade Flores (.338 batting average, 13 runs, 2 home runs, 17 RBI); Mark O'Grady (.278, 16 runs, 19 RBI); Drew Gall (.254 batting average, 11 runs, 2 home runs, 15 stolen bases).

Mound Ace: Nash Trautwein (4-2, 3.00 earned-run average, 33 Ks in 46.2 innings); Daniel MacMillan (5-4, 4.95 earned-run average, 42 Ks in 46.2 innings); Mark O'Grady (1-0, 1.26 earned-run average, 4 saves, 30 Ks in 33.1 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .272; Runs: 139; Home runs: 5; On-base percentage: .396; Stolen bases: 89; Earned-run average: 3.75; Errors committed: 26.

What to Expect: The Panthers are playing their best baseball in May. Since May 1, they are 5-2 and are riding a three-game winning streak. Their stats aren't flashy, but there's something to be said about catching the baseball. No team in the Division II bracket has committed fewer errors than Burlingame's 26.

Opening Act: Leigh (17-10)

4. Sacred Heart Cathedral Fighting Irish, San Francisco

Record: 12-15 (sixth place in the WCAL)

Coach: Gregg Franceschi

Offensive Players to Watch: Jacob Vines (.333 batting average, 11 runs, 2 home runs, 10 RBI); Johnny Nepomuceno (.288 batting average, 12 runs, 11 RBI); Max Nylander (.247 batting average, 10 RBI).

Mound Ace: Jacob Vines (2-1, 1.64 earned-run average; 63 Ks in 51.1 innings); Cooper Rogers-Lewis (3-1, 0.91 earned-run average, 59 Ks in 46.1 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .240; Runs: 94; Home runs: 5; On-base percentage: .339; Earned-run average: 2.95; Strikeouts: 226.

Opening Act: Archbishop Mitty (15-12)

5. Archbishop Mitty Monarchs, San Jose

Record: 15-12 (seventh place in WCAL)

Coach: Brian Yocke

Offensive Players to Watch: Elijah Kroenung (.372 batting average, 18 runs, 3 home runs, 19 RBI); Andres Lopez-Monsivais (.317 batting average, 19 runs, 15 RBI); Felix Chang (.297 batting average, 22 runs, 14 RBI); Austin Mak (.304 batting average, 16 runs, 16 RBI).

Mound Ace: Jay Kim (5-1, 3.00 earned-run average, 21 Ks in 35 innings); Derek Allen (2-2, 2.23 earned-run average), 18 Ks in 15.2 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .283; Runs: 168; On-base percentage: .430; Home runs: 6; Earned-run average: 3.49; Strikeouts: 131. Fielding errors: 30.

What to Expect: We saw this series last week when the Irish took two from Mitty to claim sixth place in the WCAL. Expect another close game. The Monarchs will play in their "Gritty Mitty" way. If they can get past Sacred Heart, the Monarchs should like their chances. They are 11-0 against non-WCAL schools this year.

Opening Act: Sacred Heart Cathedral (12-15)

6. Leigh Longhorns, San Jose

Record: 17-10 (second place in Mount Hamilton League)

Coach: Drew Marino

Offensive Players to Watch: Aiden Phillips (.462 batting average, 29 runs, 4 home runs, 28 RBI); Grady Beaudoin (.400 batting average, 14 runs, 21 RBI); John Arevalo III (.321 batting average, 21 runs, 3 home runs, 14 RBI, 19 stolen bases). Cooper Low (.324 batting average, 18 runs, 13 RBI).

Mound Ace: Grady Beaudoin (6-3, 3.45 earned-run average, 44 Ks in 44.2 innings); Cooper Low (5-3, 2.83 earned-run average, 31 Ks in 34.2 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .305; Runs: 169; Stolen bases: 73; Home runs: 11; On-base percentage: .413; Earned-run average: 3.04; Batting Average allowed: .247. Fielding errors: 43.

What to Expect: The Longhorns have won a lot of games in recent years. Last year, they were the top seed in the Division II tourney and were upset in the first round by Capuchino. They haven't forgotten that loss. Leigh will look to retain its momentum after losing four of their final six regular-season games.

Opening Act: Burlingame (18-9)

7. Palo Alto Vikings, Palo Alto

Record: 17-10 (second place in SCVAL-De Anza Division)

Coach: Pete Fukuhara

Offensive Players to Watch: Jackson Sims (.350 batting average, 19 runs, 3 home runs, 20 RBI; Justin Fung (.322 batting average, 31 runs, 13 RBI, 26 stolen bases); Albert Pellizzari (.436 batting average, 18 runs, 5 home runs, 17 RBI); Greg Lee (.345 batting average, 25 runs, 4 home runs, 15 RBI); Rex Martin (.329 batting average, 15 runs, 25 RBI); Carter Bader (.302 battings average, 32 runs, 3 home runs, 25 RBI).

Mound Ace: Nate Robinson (6-1, 2.43 earned-run average, 26 Ks in 40.1 innings); Sho Newman (4-3, 3.16 earned-run average, 39 Ks in 51 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .307; Runs: 197; Home runs: 18; Stolen bases: 82; Left on base: 391; On-base percentage: .415; Earned-run average: 2.53; Fielding errors: 50.

What to Expect: The Vikings can hit. The lineup they put on the field Saturday will be as good offensively as any team in the Division II bracket. If they can find enough pitching and cut down on their defensive errors, they can make a run.

Opening Act: Palma (20-7)

8. Menlo-Atherton Bears, Atherton

Record: 14-13 (second place in PAL-Bay Division)

Coach: Jordan Paroubeck

Offensive Players to Watch: Ryder Kelly (.362 batting average, 32 runs, 17 RBI, 15 doubles, 18 stolen bases); Masataka Shudo (.462 batting average, 16 runs, 12 RBI), MJ Ellazar (.356 batting average, 10 runs, 17 RBI); Owen Coupe (.366 batting average, 21 runs, 15 RBI); Lucas Ten Vaanholt (.305 batting average, 14 runs, 2 home runs, 19 RBI); Jack Scott (.408 batting average, 11 runs, 4 home runs, 21 RBI).

Mound Ace: Caden Lewis (6-1, 4.03 earned-run average, 38 strikeouts in 50.1 innings).

Noteworthy team stats: Batting average: .320; Runs: 171; Home runs: 14; Left on base: 232; On-base percentage: :421; Earned-run average: 5.45.

Opening Act: Carmel (21-6)