SC, St. Francis, MVC advance into semis
Johann Brooks doubled home Langston Burkett, who reached on a double, for the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, and Santa Cruz High's baseball team made it hold up to beat Menlo-Atherton 3-2 in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division III semifinals Saturday.
No. 2 seed Santa Cruz (16-13) faces No. 3 Burlingame (17-11), a 12-0 winner over No. 6 Homestead on Saturday, in Wednesday's semifinals at Washington Park in Santa Clara at 7 p.m.
Second baseman Preston Pillsbury was the star of the game, Cardinals coach Bubba Trumbull said. And his coach's decision went well beyond the two hits the junior earned.
Pillsbury was clotheslined by Burkett as they both pursued a popup in the third inning. Game officials were forced to call the paramedics and Pillsbury was cleared to continue playing after a lengthy delay.
An inning later, Pillsbury covered first base to record a putout and was floored by Menlo-Atherton's hitter in a collision at first base.
“For a second baseman, he had a great game today at middle linebacker,” Trumbull said.
Pillsbury wasn't done though. In the fifth, he made a sliding stop on a grounder up the middle, and made a blind flip to shortstop Rowan Zeszut to complete the front end of a double play.
“It was one of the most amazing double plays I've ever seen,” Trumbull said.
Myles Reber finished with two hits and a run scored for the Cardinals, Burkett had two hits, an RBI and run scored, and Brooks had a hit and two RBI.
Oscar Knapp threw five innings and earned the win, and Burkett threw two scoreless innings for the save. Both runs that Knapp allowed were unearned.
At St. Francis 11, Sequoia 9
WATSONVILLE — The No. 4 Sharks knocked off the No. 5 Ravens (9-18-1) in the D-IV quarterfinals on Saturday.
St. Francis (21-6) faces league foe No. 8 Soledad (21-7) in Wednesday's semifinals at Washington Park at 4 p.m.
The Aztecs stunned No. 1 Santa Teresa 4-1 in the quarterfinals Saturday.
Junior Ibarra went five innings for the win and Micah Cervantes earned the save.
On offense, Ibarra had two hits and scored three runs. Noel Aquino had a hit, RBI and two runs scored; Kai Price had a hit, three RBI and scored twice; Seth Vazquez had two hits, two RBI, and a run scored; Nash Horton had two RBI, and Cervantes had a hit, two RBI and a run scored.
Sacred Heart Prep 7, at Scotts Valley 0
SCOTTS VALLEY — No. 3 Falcons (11-16-1) gave up five runs in the seventh inning to foil their bid for a come-from-behind win in the D-V quarterfinals Saturday.
Senior Jack Halloran, a 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher, threw a completegame two-hitter with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Luke Renert drove in four runs for the Gators.
Half Moon Bay 3, Harbor 2
SANTA CRUZ — The No. 4 Pirates (16-12) dropped a heartbreaker to the No. 5 Cougars (17-10) in their D-V quarterfinal Saturday.
Gerardo Barrientos had two hits for the Pirates, Luke Hartel doubled, and Ben Castro and Noah Salem had hits.
Losing pitcher Mason Clark struck out four batters and walked four in his 5 1/3 innings of work. He gave up three runs.
MVC 10, Summit Shasta 0, 6 inn.
WATSONVILLE — The No. 1 Mustangs won their D-VI opener on the 10-run mercy rule in the sixth inning Saturday. They'll face No. 5 Stevenson (16-6), a 2-1 winner over No. Terra Nova, in Tuesday's semifinals at Sollecito Field in Monterey at 7 p.m.
Winning pitcher Jojo Keldsen Jr. recorded eight strikeouts over five innings. He gave up three hits and walked six batters. Keldsen and the Mustangs escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second inning.
Mark Spohn was 2 for 4 with a double, two stolen bases and one run scored. Jacob Woods was 2 for 4 with a double and stolen base, Tate Shaw had a hit an two RBI, and Jack Brothers had a double, RBI and run scored.