Lancers remain perfect in WCAL

SAN JOSE – It's been 55 innings since the Saint Francis pitching staff has allowed an earned run. That streak was tested a number of times on Friday, but Kyle McMillan was always able to make a big pitch or lean on his defense in a 6-1 victory over host Mitty.

The Monarchs had their chances. They loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh innings but came away with just an unearned run. Their best chance oof getting back into the game came in the fourth when, trailing 3-0, Derek Allen was hit by a pitch for the first of three times in the contest.

He stole second and barely beat Tanner Wall's throw to third base on Sano Takahashi's fly ball to down the right-field line. Felix Chang than lofted a fly ball to medium-deep right field. Wall caught the ball, curl hopped and fire a one-hop strike to catcher Bennett Simon, who applied the tag on a sliding Allen to keep Mitty off the scoreboard.

"A play like that brings up the energy insanely," Wall said. "I think it brings up the whole team. I know it brought up my energy. . I think it brings up a team, even when, like, after getting a hit off, off the pitcher. Like, it definitely brings up the pitcher as well, and then, and also, it brings up, like, my energy as well, because it felt amazing."

McMillan, who allowed five hits while striking out two, said he got a boost from the out at the plate.

"It really hypes you up," he said. "Just being able to trust your defense, knowing that they got your back, lets you get out on the mound and do your thing without worrying, especially that play. I mean, the play before, where Tanner almost got the out at third.

"It helps you gain trust."

The Lancers took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the second. Sione Tulua walked and moved to second on an errant pickoff play. He scored on Henry Dommer's single up the middle.

Aaron Bonini doubled to put runners at second and third. Siali Tulua then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Dommer and Bonini crossed the plate on Simon's infield grounder.

The Lancers will spend next week in Sacramento at the Boras Family Classic, while Mitty will host Menlo-Atherton on Wednesday.

W: McMillan | L: Kim | 3 hits- Bonini SF). 2 hits- Chang (M). 2 RBI- Dommer (SF). 2B- Wall (SF), Bonini (SF), Chase (M).

Menlo School 3, Menlo-Atherton 2

The Knights salvaged the series split with a one-run victory over the Bears.

Chuck Wynn had a solo home run, while Fletcher Cahill, Jack Freehill and William Larson had doubles.

Menlo-Atherton got two hits each from Ryder Kelly and Jake Scott.

Cahill picked up the pitching victory for Menlo School.

W: Cahill | L: Tenn Vaanholt | 2 hits- Kelly (MA), Scott (MA). 2 RBI- Scott (MA). HR- Wynn (MS). 2B- Tenn Vaanholt (MA), Coupe (MA), Cahill (MS), Freehill (MA), Larson (MS).

St. Ignatius Prep 7, Riordan 1

AJ Wineinger blasted a three-run homer, while Ryan Rosenthal had two hits for the Wildcats, who completed the sweep of the winless Crusaders.

Tycco Giometti pitched four scoreless innings and struck out seven to earn the victory. RJ Church pitched two innings and struck out two.

Jason Balmy drove in two runs for St. Ignatius, which will also be at the Boras Family Classic in Sacramento.

W: Giometti | L: Williams | 2 hits- Rosenthal (SI). 3 RBI- wineinger. 2 RBI- Balmy (SI). HR- Wineinger (SI). 2B- Horn (SI).

Valley Christian 4, Serra 2

Nathan Choi hit a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning, the only runs surrendered by freshman Michael Ohman, who went five innings in his first high school start.

Choi's blast gave the Warriors the lead for good and was the big blow in completing the series sweep and sending the Padres to their third straight WCAL loss.

Christian Nevarez added an insurance run with solo homer in the top of the sixth.

That was more than enough offensive support for Colton Hadfield, who allowed two runs over 4 2/3 innings before giving way to sophomore Jack Graham, who kept Serra off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

Aaron Minton had a home run for Serra, which will be at the Boras Family Classic in Sacramento next week. The Warriors will host Folsom on Thursday and Carmel next Saturday.

W: Hadfield | L: Ohman | S: Graham. 2 hits- Hui (S), Minton (S), Choi (VC). 3 RBI- Choi (VC). HR- Choi (VC), Nevarez (VC), Minton (S). 2B- Hui (S).

Bellarmine 3, Sacred Heart Cathedral 2

The Bells accomplished the sweep by scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.

Elijah Vu's RBI single proved to be the game winner as Vincent Kim came out of the bullpen to pick up the victory.

Jacob Vines struggled with his control. He walked six and struck out seven in five innings of work. He allowed just two runs on two hits.

Sacred Heart had its chances by collecting 10 hits. Chasin Deninger had three hits for the Irish, while Vines and Max Nylander had two hits each.

The Bells had just four hits in the game, three of them doubles by Isaiah Beyah, Nathan Chew and Kim.

W: Kim | L: Tiopine | 3 hits- Deninger (SHC). 2 hits- Vines (SHC), Nylander (SHC). 2B- Beyah (B), Chew (B), Kim (B), Fung (SHC).

Terra Nova 3, Sequoia 1

The Tigers collected just three hits but found a way to come out on top in the first night game played on Terra Nova's newly refurbished diamond.

Cooper Santamato allowed just one run in five innings of work. He struck out five to earn the victory. Giovanni DeFilippis pitched the final two innings to earn the save.

Garrett Johnson was a hard-luck loser for the Ravens. Their only good news was that Morgan Winfield, who injured his right elbow while pitching in a game against The King's Academy last week, was back in the lineup and picked up two hits.

W: Santamato | L: Johnson | S: DeFilippis. 2 hits- Winfield (S)

Los Gatos 8, Palo Alto 4

Brady Simon had three hits, including a double and his first home run of the season, as Los Gatos continued its assault on the De Anza Division standings.

The Wildcats now boast a 2 1/2-game lead over second-place Los Altos and the lead over the rest of the division is even bigger.

Los Gatos will be in Sacramento for the Boras Family Classic next week before taking another road trip – this one to Nashville, Tennessee, the following week.

Beau Musser, Chase Frolich and Trenton Welsh had two hits each, while Frolich drove in a pair of runs.

Dylan Robinson had his first home run of the season for the Vikings.

W: Schaffer | L: Newman | 3 hits- Simon (LG). 2 hits- Musser (LG), Frolich (LG), Welsh (LG), Robinson (PA). 2 RBI- Frolich (LG). HR- Robinson (PA), Simon (LG). 2B- Simon (LG), Fitzpatrick (LG), Sims (PA).

Homestead 10, Los Altos 1

The Mustangs won their fourth straight game, thanks to a 15-hit attack that was led by Will Hsu's three hits.

Hsu had two doubles and drove in two runs, while Ajay Lohitsa had two hits in four RBI.

Drew Hamburger had two doubles, while Ivan Hwang, Jayden Duong and Howard Cheng had two hits each for Homestead.

The Eagles, who were swept in the series and suffered their first De Anza Division losses, were Cooper Very and Mason Morgan, who had two hits each.

W: Duong | L: Wood | 3 hits- Hsu (H). 2 hits- Hamburger (H), Hwang (H), Lohitsa (H), Duong (H), Cheng (H), Very (LA). Morgan (LA). 4 RBI- Lohitsa (H). 2 RBI- Hsu (H), Hamburger (H). 2B- Hamburger (H) 2, Hsu (H) 2, Very (LA), Morgan (LA).