Busy day shakes up MCAL playoff picture

Marin Catholic takes over as baseball lead

Marin Catholic climbed to the top of the MCAL baseball standings, while San Marin's playoff standing took a slight hit with the Wildcats' 7-4 victory over the Mustangs on Tuesday.

The win pushed Marin Catholic (12-3 MCAL) over rival Redwood (10-3), which lost to Tam (10-3). San Marin (7-6) is in the midst of a three-way fight for the final MCAL playoff berth with Novato (8-5) and Archie Williams (7-6), which played head-to-head Tuesday.

The Wildcats' Jayden Lee powered up for a first-pitch three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie.

San Marin answered with two runs in the top of the sixth inning behind solo home runs by Cole Chamberlin and Josh Martin. However, Marin Catholic came right back with two more runs as Brad Burnes hit an RBI-triple and Jake Lyall singled to drive in another run.

Wildcats ace Kody Perry picked up the win as he allowed eight hits and four innings through 5 1/3 innings, while striking out seven batters and walking none. Carl Schmidt closed out the game as he recorded the final five outs.

Perry helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Marin Catholic finished with eight hits, including two each from Burnes and Lee.

Riley DeSilva was 2-for-2 with a double for the Mustangs, who finished with eight hits.

• Novato earned a big boost to its MCAL playoff credentials with Tuesday's 8-0 victory over Archie Williams.

Hornets ace Derek Bartram scattered four hits across seven shutout innings, while striking out three and walking one.

Novato broke through with a run in the bottom of the third inning, then scored four runs in the fourth inning for a commanding lead.

Hannes Gerber and Andy Gates were both 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Hornets, who had 12 hits. Nate Dito was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Bartram also doubled. Novato collected seven stolen bases.

The Peregrine Falcons were coming off an 11-inning victory over San Marin on Saturday, during which coach Taber Watson used all but two of his eligible players.

Watson used four pitchers against Novato, with starter Elliot Joslin going 3 1/3 innings. He allowed seven hits and five runs, while striking out three batters and walking one. Alex Jigalin, Zach Castrajon and Asaf Cohen each contributed in relief.

Owen Benson went 2-for-3 at the plate, and Charlie Scola and Cal Amborn each singled for the Falcons.

• Tam threw the playoff picture into disarray with a 3-2 victory over Redwood on the final play of the game.

The game was tied at two in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tam's Tyler Buxton drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring one run.

Redwood scored first in the top of the second inning on Rory Minty's sacrifice fly, but Tam came back with runs in the third and fifth innings for a 2-1 lead. Charlie Welch's RBI-single for the Giants tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning.

Tam ace Jack Fierstein claimed the win in relief as he scattered three hits and one run across three innings, while striking out two and walking none.

Redwood's Rex Solle allowed one hit and one run over 1 1/3 innings, striking out one.

Tam moves into a tie with Redwood for second place in the MCAL, while Marin Catholic takes over the league lead.

• Max Hattenbach's tworun walk-off homer propelled San Rafael to a dramatic victory over crosstown rival Terra Linda, 8-6.

Terra Linda rallied to a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning, before San Rafael tied the score in the bottom of the fourth. A four-run outburst in the fifth inning seemed to give the Trojans a solid lead. A Terra Linda error allowed three Bulldogs to cross the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, however, and San Rafael tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch.

Hattenbach was credited with the win as he went four innings in relief, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out four.

The Trojans' Chris De Langis surrendered five runs on three hits over six innings, striking out nine.

Jack Healy was 2-for-3 with a triple for the Bulldogs, who tallied five hits.

Terra Linda racked up eight hits in the game. Henry Herrara and J.D. Monge each had two of the Trojans' eight hits.

Prep softball

Rose Malen had two hits and allowed two hits, helping lead Marin Catholic to a 2-1 victory against Archie Williams on Monday.

Malen pitched a complete game, striking out 15 hitters and allowing one unearned run. Malen went 2 for 2 with a walk at the plate and singled ahead of Selena Pena's game-winning hit in the sixth inning. Sammy Horn went 2 for 3 at the plate for MC (14-2, 9-1 MCAL), which sits a halfgame behind Redwood (16-4, 10-1) for first place.

Redwood and MC are set to clash again on Wednesday. The Giants won the first meeting, 1-0, in 10 innings.

Badminton

San Domenico beat Lick Wilmerding, 8-1, on Tuesday, to clinch the league crown.

Eric Liu and Scoot Wang finished undefeated in league play in boys and girls singles, respectively, for the Panthers (11-1).

Stanley Ma worked hard for a 21-12, 18-21, 21-19 victory at No. 1 boys singles for the Panthers and Cici Lin won 21-6, 21-6 at No. 1 girls singles.

San Domenico swept boys doubles and won a three-set mixed doubles match.

Boys tennis

The ball was bouncing the Hawks' way as Tam finished the MCAL regular season with a 7-0 victory over Marin Catholic at the Dominican University campus on Monday. However, four of those matches went to tiebreakers.

Tam (14-2) took a quick lead with singles victories by Luke Bulger, Diego Castillo and Tyler Byrne, but then the tension set in as all three doubles matches went to tiebreakers.

The Hawks' No. 2 doubles team of Andy Park/Dylan Boon rallied for a 2-6, 6-1, 10-7 win that clinched the day for Tam. Asa Moore and Jack Robbins held on for a 6-3, 4-6, 10-6 victory at No. 3 doubles to keep the momentum rolling for Tam. The Hawks' No. 1 duo of Carson Harrell and Witt Bulger wrapped up doubles play with a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 10-6 victory over Nickawn Namdar and Tate Gilpin.

The Hawks' Emmet McEvilley wrapped up the shutout with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-6 win over the Wildcats' Jack Millar.

Tam is scheduled to host Branson in the semifinal round of the MCAL playoffs on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Archie Williams faces Redwood in the other semifinal.

Boys golf

Five teams have qualified for Monday's MCAL championship tournament at Indian Valley Golf Club. Branson finished atop the regular season standings, followed by qualifiers Redwood, Marin Catholic, Tam and Terra Linda. The other four teams can send one individual to compete.

Tee time is 11:50 a.m.