Half Moon Bay runs streak to 13

Junior Riley Jackson had three hits, including his fifth home run of the season, drove in two runs, scored twice and pitched the last two innings to pick up the save in Half Moon Bay's 3-0 NorCal Division IV victory over visiting Sonoma Valley on Tuesday.

He also took time to sign autographs along with pitcher Kai Kung for the Little Leaguers in attendance, which ought to tell you the rock-star status this baseball team has taken on in recent days in this tiny coastal town.

The Cougars, four days removed from their first CCS championship in program history, have now won a school-record 13 straight games – a streak that dates back to late April.

Half Moon Bay will host No. 4 West Valley of Cottonwood, a 12-1 winner over Amador on Tuesday, in Thursday's semifinal round. First pitch will be at noon to accommodate the school's 6 p.m. graduation ceremony.

Half Moon Bay wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Jackson singled in the first innings. He was bunted to second by Ian Ehrhardt, one of the heroes in Friday's 1-0 extra-inning victory over San Mateo in the CCS title game and scored when Paxton Holden's grounder to the right side was booted.

Jackson had a solo home run in the third inning to make it 2-0 and the Cougars added an insurance run in the fourth when Jackson singled home Cole Giannini who had doubled two batters earlier.

That was more than enough offense for Kung, who pitched five scoreless innings and allowed three hits while striking out eight. Kung has pitched 20 innings this postseason without allowing a run and now boasts a 13-1 record this season.

Jackson allowed two hits in his two innings of work but kept Sonoma Valley off the scoreboard. He struck out two.

Clark Colucci had two hits for the Cougars.

W: Kung | L: Johnson | S: Jackson | 3 hits- Jackson (HMB). 2 hits- Colucci (HMB), Waldrop (SV). 2 RBI- Jackson (HMB). 2B- Colucci (HMB). C.Giannini (HMB).

Division I

De La Salle 3, Saint Francis 2

In the span of seven days, Saint Francis saw its season come to a crashing halt with a pair of one-run defeats, the latest coming Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to top-seeded De La Salle.

The Spartans, the defending Northern California champions, broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Kyle McMillan, the WCAL Pitcher of the Year, pitched into the fifth inning before giving way to Brody Larocque. McMillan allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out four.

W: Bartosh | L: McMillan | S: Jones | 3 hits- Hayden (DLS). 2 hits- Manivong (DLS). 2B- Dommer (SF), Manivong (DLS), Freeman (DLS). (DSL).

Valley Christian 4, Bullard 0

The Warriors spun their third straight shutout victory and will now travel to Concord to play a semifinal showdown against top seeded De La Salle on Thursday.

Rahul Patel, who shut out Los Gatos seven days earlier in a CCS seminal game, went five innings and allowed just three hits, while striking out three. Alex Kim pitched the final two innings to close out the victory.

The Warriors, who won their 12th CCS championship under coach John Diatte on Saturday night, scored two runs in the first inning. Colton Hadfield and Logan Mull started the inning with walks. A Christian Nevarez single plated one run and a safety squeeze bunt from Alex Moutzouridis chased Mull home.

W: Patel | L: Cooper | 2 hits- Miller (VC), Choi (VC). 2 RBI- Mull (VC). 3B- Graham (VC).

Division II

Mitty 7, Clayton Valley Charter 2

Felix Chang, who had three hits in the Monarchs' CCS championship win over Palma last week, had three more hits, including two doubles, as eighth-seeded Mitty advanced to the Division II semifinals by knocking off the bracket's top seed.

Mitty scored three runs in the first inning and took control with four in the fourth inning. Ethan Chase had two hits, including a three-run homer, while Andre Lopez-Monsivais had a two-run double.

Senior Jonah Ferrell turned in another strong postseason outing for Mitty. He went the distance by scattering eight hits. He struck out two in an efficient 69-pitch effort.

Mitty will travel to Fairfield on Thursday to take on No. 4 Rodriguez, which beat Northgate, 14-4, in its quarterfinal game on Tuesday.

W: Ferrell | L: Benner | 3 hits- Chang (M). 2 hit- Chase (M), Morris (CVC), Reyes (CVC). 3 RBI- Chase (M). 2 RBI- A.Lopez-Monsivais. HR- Chase (M), Morris (CVC). 2B- Chang (M) 2, A.Lopez-Monsivais (M), Campbell (CVC).

Los Gatos 8, Rio Americano 3

Gavin Seiler spotted Rio Americano a 2-0 lead in the first inning and then proceeded to slam the door on the Raiders the rest of the way.

He went the distance and allowed just one more run by scattering six hits and a walk. He struck out five.

The Wildcats, who had their problems hitting with runners in scoring position in a 3-0 loss to Valley Christian in last week's CCS semifinals, rediscovered their run-scoring prowess on Tuesday.

The took the lead for good with four runs in the second and added insurance with two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

Hawaii-bound senior shortstop Beau Musser led Los Gatos with two hits, while Josh Carlisle had a two-run single.

Chase Frolich had an RBI double, bringing his season total to 49. He'll try to become the first Los Gatos player ever to reach 50 RBI in a season when the Wildcats travel to Elk Grove on Thursday to play No. 2 Frankin, which beat Chico, 8-1, on Tuesday.

W: Seiler | L: Dormann | 2 hits- Musser (LG). 2 RBI- Carlisle (LG). 2B- Smith (LG), Musser (LG), Frolich (LG), Rolli (RA), Parilo (RA)

Division III

Menlo School 6, James Logan 4

The Knights, who have now won three straight CCS titles, won their 13th straight postseason game and are two wins away from back-to-back Northern California championships.

No. 2 Menlo will host No. 3 Alameda in the semifinals on Thursday. The Hornets edged El Capitan, 5-4, on Tuesday.

Trailing 4-2, the Knights scored four runs in the fifth inning. Menlo got hits in the inning from Jack Freehill, Liam Widner, Matthew Majalya and William Larson, while Chuck Wynn was hit by a pitch and Renner Barnett drew a walk.

Widner, Majalya and Zach Roeder had two hits each for the Knights.

Jackson Flanagan pitched the first four innings and allowed three runs before Reid Plamondon came on in relief and went the final three innings to pick up the victory.

W: Plamondon | L: Vega | 2 hits- Roeder (MS), Widner (MS), Majalya (MS). 3 RBI- Vega (JL). 2 RBI- Widner (MS). HR- Vega (JL). 2B- Freehill (MS), Majalya (MS), Stevens (JL).