Gators come from behind for ninth straight

Sacred Heart Prep rallied from a one-run deficit by scoring two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to beat Aragon, 8-5, for its ninth straight victory.

The Gators remain atop the PAL-Ocean Division, while Aragon, one of the surprise teams on the Peninsula this spring, fell two games back in the standings with a game against Sacred Heart on Thursday in San Mateo.

"Every win is a good win," said Gators coach Sean McMillan, whose team found a way to win in a game when Rallin Covey wasn't as dominant as he's been over the last month.

The senior right-hander allowed five runs and seven hits. He walked four and strive out five.

"He didn't have his best stuff), but good pitchers always compete for their team and find a way," McMillan said.

Covery hung around long enough to see the Gators rally in their last two innings. They took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth when Kyle Sweeney led off with a walk, moved to second when Brayden Berta was hit by a pitch and scored on Isaac Avilas' pinch-hit single.

Berta scored to break a 5-5 tie on a sacrifice fly by Chase Affrunti, who closed things out in the seventh by striking out the side.

Keith Mayte and Alex Gosselin had two hits each for the Dons, who outhit the Gators, 9-8. Gosselin added two RBI.

W: Covey | L: Ruiz | S: Affrunti. 2 hits- Mayte (A), Gosselin (A), Pollioni (SHP), Durrett (SHP). 2 RBI- Gosselin (A), Durrett (SHP). 2B- Tam (A), Durrett (SHP).

Saint Francis 7, Valley Christian 0

The Lancers regained sole possession of first place in the WCAL thanks to a 15-hit attack and the right arm or senior Brody Larocque.

Larocque, who sustained his first loss of the season and gave up his first earned runs against St. Ignatius Prep, showed Tuesday that last week's setback was just a blip on the screen. He went the distance and allowed just one hit, while striking out 10 in improving to 8-1.

The Lancers posted their 13th shutout of the season.

Offensively, Saint Francis was led by Aaron Bonini and Kyle McMillan, who had three hits each. Bonini added two RBI and two doubles.

Tanner Wall, Jack Leeper and Gino Cappellazzo had two hits each.

The two teams will play the final game of their series on Friday in Mountain View.

W: Larocque | L: Felix | 3 hits- Bonini (SF), McMillan (SF). 2 hits- Wall (SF), Leeper (SF), Cappellazzo (SF). 2 RBI- Bonini (SF). 2B- Bonini (SF) 2, McMillan (SF).

Terra Nova 3, Mills 0

Junior Jesse Martinez tossed his first career no-hitter, and the Tigers found enough offense to beat Mills.

Martinez came within a seventh-inning walk of a perfect game. He struck out eight and threw just 74 pitches in his best outing of the year.

Terra Nova had just six hits, but three of them were triples. Evan Wilson, Joey Donati and Martinez, who had two hits, had three-baggers. Sophomore Dominic Paulsen, playing in his first varsity game, had two hits.

Tino Janke had a quality start for the Vikings. He went six innings and struck out two, while allowing three runs.

W: Martinez | L: Janke | 2 hits- Martinez (TN), Paulsen (TN). 3B- Wilson (TN), Martinez (TN), Donati (TN).

San Mateo 2, Woodside 0

Christian Louie struck out 14 over six scoreless innings for the Bearcats. He allowed just four hits and threw 105 pitches in a game that was moved onto the turf and under the lights at Aragon High.

The game featured rain, but San Mateo got just enough offense to remain tied for first in the PAL-Ocean Division with Sacred Heart Prep.

Tyce Copus earned the save by striking out three in the seventh inning as the rain fell.

Jesus Olivas had two hits for the Bearcats, while Jeremiah Arias-Torres had a double for the Wildcats, who will try to salvage a series split on Thursday in San Mateo.

W: Louie | L: Ball | S: Copus | 2 hits- Olivas (SM). 2B- Arias-Torres (W), Louie (SM).