Petersen leads Knights past Cap

SUNNYVALE – Taiyo Petersen wasn't perfect, but he was more than good enough on Wednesday. He had command of the strike zone and that made all the difference in The King's Academy's 12-2 victory over visiting Capuchino.

Petersen allowed just one hit, while walking three and hitting two Mustangs in five innings of work. It wasn't an ideal pitching line, but his performance was far better than the numbers would indicate.

"The slider was on today," said Petersen, who had five strikeouts. "The main thing was throwing first-pitch strikes and getting ahead. That was the biggest thing of all. Then I could just work from there."

Petersen surrendered more than one baserunner in an inning just once – in the fourth when Capuchino scored its only two runs to pull to withing two runs, 4-2.

But the Knights broke it open with five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to end the game early.

The King's Academy jumped to an early lead by taking advantage of some early wildness from Capuchino lefty Jordan Estrella. who walked five batters in the first inning.

After Brandon Kinoshita walked to lead off the bottom of the first, he stole second and, one out later, scored on Peterson's bloop single to right. Three consecutive walks – and a pickoff play at first – loaded the bases for first baseman Max Roberts, who, skied one to deep left field. The ball somehow fell in for a debatable double that cleared the bases and made it a 4-0 game.

"That kind of set the tone, didn't it?" asked Capuchino coach Matt Wilson. "... Things like that happen and that's fine. But then we fell apart. That's what can't happen. I told these guys you can't play a PAL-Bay (Division) game and give runs away. You just can't do it. And that's what we did.

"And once we got down, down, we just kind of folded. That's the result of having a young team."

The Mustangs are young. They have no returning starters from last year's CCS-Division II semifinal team. You get the feeling their best baseball is ahead of them.

We saw glimpses of that on Wednesday, none more dramatic than Cruz Alfaro's catch against the wall on Nate Plata's bases-loaded blast to centerfield in the fifth inning. The outcome of the game was no longer in question, but Alfaro went back and reached for the top of the fence to grab the ball. Just as he caught it, he turned his to see his proximity to the wall. As he did, he smashed face first into a plank on the wall. Still, he maintained control and made the catch, causing Plata to settle for a sacrifice fly. He was forced to leave the game, but is fine, Wilson said.

Dominic Myung ended the game two hitters later with a bases-loaded two-run single.

King's Academy is proving it might have some pieces that could make a CCS run in May.

There is reason to believe that Justin Cho's broken thumb may be healed enough to play in a couple of weeks, while transfer student Wyatt Smith, who was required to sit out the first six games of the season, will lengthen a lineup that already features Plata and Myung, who had three RBI Wednesday.

W: Petersen | L: Estrella | 2 hits- Roberts (TKA). 3 RBI- Roberts (TKA), Myung (TKA). 2B- Roberts (TKA) 2, Myung (TKA).

Riordan 4, Burlingame 2

Santino Williams and Theo Gaenslen combined to hold Burlingame to two runs and four hits as the Crusaders snapped a six-game winning streak at Washington Park.

Williams allowed two runs in three innings, while Gaenslen, just a sophomore, struck out nine over four scoreless innings and allowed just one hit in picking up the save.

Sophomore Greg Hernandez did most of the damage for Riordan by collecting two hits and driving in two runs. Dante Curmi added a double.

Daniel MacMillian took the loss for the Panthers.

W: Williams | L: MacMillian | S: Gaenslen | 2 hits- Hernandez (R). 2 RBI- Hernandez. 2B- Curmi (R).

Saint Francis 6, Central Catholic 0

Brody Larocque struck out 11 and tossed a complete-game shutout for the top-ranked Lancers, who knocked off one of the teams that beat in last year's NorCal playoff run.

Gino Cappellazzo had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, while Landon King and Kyle McMillan added two hits each.

Saint Francis will host Carmel on Saturday before returning to WCAL play on Tuesday when they begin a crucial series with visiting St. Ignatius Prep.

W: Larocque | L: Costa | 3 hits- Walker (CC). 2 hits- King (SF), McMillan (SF), Cappellazzo (SF). 2 RBI- Cappellazzo (SF). 2B- Cappellazzo (SF).

Atascadero 6, Terra Nova 3

The Tigers committed five errors for the second straight game and fell again at the Central Coast Spring Classic.

Sophomore Robby Johnson made his first varsity start for Terra Nova and took the loss.

Cooper Santamato had two hits for the Tigers, who will take on Arroyo Grande on Thursday in San Luis Obispo.

W: Madrigal | L: Johnson | 3 hits- Litten (A), Zepeda (A). 2 hits- Santamato (TN). 2B- Zepaeda (A), Litten (A), Witt (A).

Palo Alto 8, Wilcox 3

The Vikings sent the Chargers to their third straight loss, thanks to Greg Lee, who had four hits, including his third home run of the season, and three RBI.

Jackson Sims had a pair of doubles, while Nate Robinson drove in two runs as Palo Alto won its third straight game and moved above .500 for the first time all season.

That was more than enough offensive support for Ian Johnston, who continued his strong senior season by allowing just two runs and striking out five over six innings of work.

Isaiah Mata, Jordan Slate and Ryan Cabildo had two hits each for the Chargers.

The two teams meet again on Friday in Santa Clara.

W: Johnston | L: Carrasquilla-Cruz | 4 hits- Lee (A). 2 hits- Mata (W), Cabildo (W), Slate (W), Sims (PA). 3 RBI- Lee (PA). 2 RBI- Robinson (PA). HR- Lee (PA). 2B- Pelluzzaru (PA), Robinson (PA), Lee (PA), Sims (PA) 2, Wu (PA), Herrera (W).