Padres claim Atherton again

ATHERTON – One week in the books and here's what we think we know about Serra after a 7-3 victory over Los Gatos that wrapped up the Battle for Atherton for the second straight year:

• The Padres have retooled at some vital positions on the infield and the players who started last week as unknows – guys like third baseman Brody Crudeli, second baseman Donovan Friedland, designated hitter Carter Peak and catcher Aiden Beal – are destined to become household names in the baseball community.
• Young pitcher like sophomore Rocco Zirelli and freshman Michael Ohman have proven themselves ready for the rigors of varsity baseball. Against a hard-hitting Los Gatos squad, they combined to allow just one run over six innings – three each – while striking out six and walking just one.

"I'm really proud of our sophomore and freshman arms today going against a really good offensive club," said coach Mat Keplinger. "Rocco came out, he pitched to contact, which is a beautiful thing. He wasn't scared. That was a young guy making his first start at the varsity level. And, you know, he pitched out of some jams. And then Michael was pretty dominant."

• But when needed, it was the veterans who did the things necessary for Serra to run its record to 3-0. Senior shortstop Nate Hui continue his torrid start by collecting three doubles and stealing his fifth base of the season.

Centerfielder Aaron Minton made the key play of the game with two out in the second inning when he fielded a Chase Frolich single up the middle and one-hopped a throw to the plate that nailed Brady Simon by 10 feet to keep the Padres ahead, 2-0. Simon showed no signs of impact from Thursday's beaning. He collected three hits in the loss.

Serra added to its lead in the second on Peak's long home run off the scoreboard in right field that gave Serra a 4-0 lead.

The Wildcats tried to chip away at the lead, but Aaron Maier made a diving catch of Max Thomas' line drive to left field. A runner at third tagged and scored on the play, but the damage could have been worse.

Each time Los Gatos seemed to have something going, the Padres made a play or Ohmert delivered a big strikeout.

"We are where we thought we would be at this time," said Los Gatos coach Mike Minkel. "Ending (the week) with a tough loss where we didn't play up to our potential is a lesson we aim to fix next week as we prepare for our league season."

W: Ohmert | L: Oberthier | 3 hits- Hui (S), sImon (LG). 2 hits- Walbridge (S), Peak (S), Frolich (LG). 2 RBI- Peak (S), Frolich (LG). HR- Peak (S). 3B- Frolich. 2B- Simon (LG), Mordaun (LG). Hui (S) 3, Crudeli (S).

James Logan 5, Menlo-Atherton 4

If Jordan Paroubeck is concerned about an 0-3 start to the season, he isn't showing it. Menlo-Atherton will be just fine, he says. The high school baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.

And the Battle for Atherton is not an easy tournament. The Bears dropped games to Los Gatos, Serra and James Logan.

Ryder Kelly had his first big game of the season, collecting three hits, including a double and a triple and driving in two runs.

W: Viray | L: Ho | 3 hits- Kelly (MA). 2 hits- Moreno (JL). 2 RBI- Williams (JL), Kelly (MA). 3B- Kelly (MA). 2B- Kelly (MA).

Sacred Heart Prep 2, Menlo School 0

Nico Pollioni bent but never broke on Saturday, scattering six hits but coming through with the big out whenever needed as the Gators shut out their rival next-door neighbors.

"This is big for us," said Pollioni, who stuck out eight in five innings of work after Kyle Sweeney struck out five in two innings. "This is one we wanted."

The Knights loaded the bases in the seventh on a leadoff base hit by pinch-hitter Jackson Flanagan, a booted ground ball and a full-count walk to Fletcher Cahill, but Pollioni struck out Liam Widmer to win the game.

"I went into that inning a little low on gas," he admitted. "I just knew what I had to do. ... I tried to let me get my defense work. I just happened to get that last strike out. If felt really good."

The first person out of the dugout in celebration was senior pitcher Rallin Covey, who struck out 10 Serra Padres in a loss Wednesday. He was out of the dugout first every inning, high-fiving the pitcher at the first-base line after every goose egg was posted.

In the fifth, Pollioni worked out of another bases-loaded jam by striking out Cahill and Widner to escape.

The Gators, the visiting team on their home field in this one, scored their only runs in the top of the first on a two-run single by Collin Beim.

"That's Gators baseball," said coach Sean McMillan. "Two runs on one hit and a win. It's good to win a game like this one."

W: Pollioni | L: Widner | 2 hits- Roeder (MS). 2 RBI- Beim.

The King’s Academy 10, Fremont 8

Nate Plata picked up three hits to reach the 100-hit plateau at The King's Academy. The senior catcher, who has been at the varsity level all four years, notched six hits this week for the Knights, who remained unbeaten with the win over Fremont.

Justin Cho added three hits, while Taiyo Peterson continued his hot start with two more hits.

Tyler Huff, Oliver Emtzminger and Plata each drove in two runs for The King's Academy

W: Kinoshita | L: Tang | 3 hits- Plata (TKA), Cho (TKO). 2 hits- Petrson (TKA). 2 RBI- Plata (TKA), Huff (TKA), Emtzminger (TKA), Binnings (F). 3B- Myung (TKA). 2B- Plata (TKA).

Woodside 15, Washington 3

The Wildcats remained undefeated by collecting 16 hits, including five home runs. Anderson Comfort, who had five RBI, along with Charles Dalrymple, Colby Fernandez, John Tinson and Hunter Taylor had home runs.

Cruz Torres had three hits, while Comfort added a double.

W: Fernandez | L: Seudah | 3 hits- Torrez (W). 2 hits- Comfort. 5 RBI- Comfort. HR- Comfort (W), Dalrymple (W), Fernandez (W), Taylor (W), Tinson (W). 2B- Comfort.

Burlingame 5, San Mateo 4

Drew Gall smashed his first home run of the year, added a double and drove in two runs as the Panthers topped their nearby rivals to remain perfect in their first two games.

Nash Trautwein picked up the victory for the Panthers. He allowed two runs over three innings and struck out three to outduel left-hander Christian Louie.

Tyce Copus had two hits for the Bearcats.

W: Trautwein | L: Louie | 2 hits- Gall (B), Copus (SM). 2 RBI- Gall (B). HR- Gall (B). 2B- Gall (B)