NEW: PREP SPORTS MAILBAG
The Bay Area News Group is introducing a high school sports mailbag in May. Get your questions in as soon as possible. Our debut edition is an open forum. Got questions about spring sports playoffs, coaching changes, an early peek at football season, etc.? Send them to highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please include “mailbag” in the subject line.
Softball
Sequoia 7, Carlmont 2
The stakes for Carlmont were straightforward: win at Sequoia and claim sole possession of the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division title.
Sequoia appeared poised to contend for that crown at one time but dropped three of its last six games to PAL opponents to end that possibility.
All the Redwood City school had to play for was the satisfaction of being the spoiler against a team riding a seven-game winning streak.
And so on assistant coach Hannah Singh’s birthday, the Ravens played that role to perfection in the 7-2 home victory before enjoying some celebratory cupcakes.
“I’m pretty sure we’ve played a game on my birthday every season I’ve coached and haven’t always won,” said Singh, an alum who has coached at Sequoia for the past four seasons. “And to have our last home game for the seniors against Carlmont … to get the win was awesome.”
Carlmont and Capuchino now share the league championship with 11-3 records, one game ahead of third-place Sequoia (10-4).
The Ravens (18-5 overall) scored five runs in the first inning, with freshman Nisha Mehta batting 2 for 3 and walking once as the leadoff hitter. Jamie Elkington cleared the bases with a three-run triple in that inning, and Ainsley Waddell drove in one run, too.
“I’ve got pretty quick hands, so I can pull inside,” said Mehta, whom her coach described as “dynamite.”
“Just get on base,” Mehta added.
Waddell had another solid start in a season full of them, allowing just three hits and striking out nine. After giving up two earned runs through three innings, both scored by Isabella Wilson, Waddell retired her last 13 batters.
“It’s a dream as a coach,” Sequoia coach Michelle Sarrail said about Waddell’s consistency. “And she knows that when the ball gets put in play, the defense has her back.”
Carlmont (15-8) missed out on winning sole possession of the PAL Bay title, but coach Steve Rianda had a positive outlook as the Scots will now move on to the Central Coast Section playoffs.
“Depending on where we place, I think we can do really well,” Rianda said.
Mitty, St. Francis share WCAL title
The top two teams in the West Catholic Athletic League tied for first place in the standings after finishing their league schedules 9-1, the only losses being to one another. Barring a remarkable upset, the teams will face each other for a third time in a CCS final.
Archbishop Mitty 6, Valley Christian 3
Mitty senior Alyssa Onyeagwa went 2 for 3 and hit a home run while driving in three runs, and Mia Rodriguez and McKenna Woliczko each had one RBI to lead the Monarchs.
Freshman Kyleigh Mace pitched seven innings, allowing no runs and only three hits. Mitty ends the regular season 20-3, and Valley Christian finishes 14-9, 5-5.
St. Francis 16, Sacred Heart Cathedral 0
It took just five innings for St. Francis to put up 16 runs on Sacred Heart Cathedral. Seniors Carly Cummings and Hannah Cushing each hit a home run for the Lancers. Sophomore Hayden Hummel was 2 for 2 and drove in two runs.
Kate Munnerlyn shone on the mound, allowing one hit, and at the plate, where she led the team with three RBIs and tied Jaime Oakland for the most hits with three. St. Francis finished its regular season 24-2.
SHC fell to 11-12, 0-10.
Leigh 10, Lincoln 0
Leigh completed a 10-0 run through the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa West Division with a fitting 10-0 victory over Lincoln-San Jose. The Longhorns, which had already clinched the league crown, needed only five innings to achieve that score.
Junior Sam Vasquez hit a triple and scored two runs, senior Kiersten Low had a double and three RBIs, and freshman Sophia Hooper hit two doubles. Sophomore pitcher Sophia Gandara had seven strikeouts.
Pinole Valley 12, Salesian 0
Kailani Tatro struck out 10 and threw a five-inning no-hitter as Pinole Valley won the Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division playoff tournament final over Salesian.
The Spartans got contributions from a variety of players. Senior Milanya Rosales and junior Jennifer Ramirez led Pinole Valley with two hits each, and Jennifer Ramirez and Kathleen Gonzales led the Spartans with two RBIs apiece.
Pinole Valley improved to 25-1 and Salesian dropped to 13-8.
The NCS playoff seedings come out Saturday.
Baseball
Gilroy 5, Piedmont Hills 0
The Mustangs shut out Piedmont Hills to claim the BVAL Santa Teresa Division title with a 13-1 record. They finished one game ahead of Prospect (12-2).
No single player was more responsible for the victory than senior pitcher Quinn Larson, who struck out 18 of 24 batters faced in one of the best all-around performances of the season.
Larson also went 3 for 3 with a solo home run and stole two bases. Evan Passama and senior Jacob Baker each had two hits and two RBIs for the Mustangs, who improved to 17-6-1.
Piedmont Hills dropped to 12-13, 7-7.
Berkeley 20, Castro Valley 3
Berkeley finished with 18 hits as it overwhelmed Castro Valley to win the West Alameda County Conference championship.
Berkeley junior Manny Selles batted 3 for 5 and drove in a team-high four RBIs. Seniors EJ Cord and Leo Asfar had three RBIs apiece, and junior Trey Johnson had three hits and three RBIs. Senior William Chang had two hits and also scored four runs.
Junior Julian Ito pitched six innings and struck out four. Castro Valley’s Matthew Cormier and Luca Boccasile each had a triple.
Berkeley improved to 18-7. Castro Valley dropped to 10-15.
Boys tennis
CCS playoffs
Cupertino captured the Central Coast Section team tennis championship, defeating Menlo School 4-3 in the final. Cupertino, seeded second, beat San Mateo, Homestead and Gunn en route to the title matchup. Menlo (20-1) entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and defeated Archbishop Mitty, Leigh and Saratoga before falling to Cupertino.
NCS playoffs
The semifinals are set in the NCS Division I team playoffs, with No. 1 seed Mission San Jose facing one of its Mission Valley Athletic League rivals, No. 4 Washington-Fremont. No. 2 California will play No. 3 Amador Valley in the other semifinal. The semifinals and final are Saturday at San Ramon Valley.
Source: www.mercurynews.com