Granada's Morano hurls shutout of De La Salle in EBAL semifinal

With “velo” being the name of the game for pitchers nowadays, it makes some sense that Granada left-hander Joshua Morano hasn't had major league scouts knocking down his door this season.

“Velo” is short for velocity, and if the radar gun isn't popping in the 90s, many pitchers will be told to head off to college before they will be considered for the major league draft, which this summer will be held in July.

Morano seems to be OK with that. He has signed a letter of intent to pitch next season at Arizona, where former Campolindo star Chip Hale is the head coach. Hale, who played on some great teams at Campo and has plenty of big league experience, will get to mentor a pitcher who seems to be lacking only one thing — mid90's velocity.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Morano ran his record to 8-2 Wednesday by throwing a twohitter in a 6-0 victory over De La Salle, which is ranked second in the Bay Area News Group's top 20.

The lefty walked three and struck out six while pitching No. 6 Granada into the East Bay Athletic League final today against host San Ramon Valley.

“I've talked to a few scouts,” Morano said over the phone Wednesday night. “My plan is to play at Arizona for a couple of years. I want to put on some weight. I can get up to 91, 92 with my pitches, but to get to 95 in college would be nice.”

Morano lowered his ERA to 0.53 while blanking the Spartans in an EBAL semifinal match. It was his fourth shutout of the season.

He had to wait until the fourth inning for some run support, when Riley Winchell belted his second homer of the season. Winchell had three hits. Granada (20-6) outhit the Spartans 11-2.

While Winchell's homer was the only run Morano would need, the Matadors scored another run in the fifth inning, three in the sixth and one more in the seventh.

Morano closely watches Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner, “lefties who can move the ball around,” he said.

“He locates, he changes speeds, he's very comfortable on the mound,” Granada coach Corrigan Willis said of his ace. “He's a pitcher. He's not a thrower.”

The season isn't over for De La Salle (20-5), which will assuredly be invited to the North Coast Section playoffs when they are seeded on Saturday.

NO. 9 SAN RAMON VALLEY 4, NO. 5 AMADOR VALLEY 3 (8 INN.)

After falling behind 3-1 in the second inning, San Ramon Valley scored single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth to earn a spot in the East Bay Athletic League championship game today.

The Wolves will host Granada. The Matadors had the better regular-season and league record, but SRV came out on top in head-to-head competition, and that was the tiebreaker.

San Ramon Valley (17-9) knotted the score at 2-2 on a single by Luke Baker in the seventh. Colin Linteo got the rally started with a single and steal of second.

In the eighth, Lucas Glazier doubled, and Joseph Coupland bunted him to third. Glazier, was able to keep on running after the bunt because of an error by Amador Valley (18-5). As is the case with De La Salle, the Dons can anticipate an NCS playoff invite.

Amador's early lead was built on the strength of Ross Kobayashi's two-run double in a second inning that also included Braden Whitworth's run-scoring double.

WCAL playoffs

NO. 17 BELLARMINE 2, NO. 15 SERRA 1

The Bells scored two runs in the first inning, and that was all they needed in a playoff contest involving two of the four teams which tied for fourth place in the West Catholic Athletic League being placed in one bracket.

In the other playoff game Wednesday, St. Ignatius slipped past Sacred Heart Cathedral 6-4 to finish fourth, behind Valley Christian, Archbishop Mitty and St. Francis.

Bellarmine senior righthander Paul Montgomery threw a three-hitter, giving up only an unearned run in the third inning. He walked one and struck out three. Sawyer Stout and Thomas Trombatore each drove in a run.

ST. IGNATIUS 6, SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL 4

SI scored twice in the top of the sixth to break a 4-4 tie. Leonard Beatie doubled, singled and drove in three runs for the winners.

PALO ALTO 4, NO. 4 LOS GATOS 0

Junior Nate Donaker fired a three-hitter and struck out 10 as Palo Alto ended Los Gatos' 13game win streak.

The Vikings (13-11, 7-6 SCVAL De Anza) scored two runs in the third, then added single runs in the fourth and fifth. Los Gatos (19-7, 12-1) has already clinched the regular-season title.

NO. 10 MENLO-ATHERTON 11, ARAGON 2

Aragon took a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Bears scored four in the second and seven in the fourth, turning the game into a rout.

Texas-bound senior George Zaharias drove in five runs with a double and homer.

Menlo-Atherton (17-7 overall) clinched the PAL Bay Division.

Softball

NO. 1 ST. FRANCIS 8, NO. 16 VALLEY CHRISTIAN 0

Lancers junior right-hander Shannon Keighran struck out 20 of the 23 batters she faced in one of the more dominant performances of the season.

The Boise State commit also homered, one of four long balls hit by St. Francis. Alexis O'Gorman went deep twice and Chloe Cummings hit a solo shot. O'Gorman had five RBIs.

The Lancers (23-2 overall) are tied for first with Mitty in the West Catholic Athletic League standings. Both teams are 8-1 in league play.

Keighran allowed one hit and issued two walks. St. Francis was comfortably ahead for most of the game after a five-run second inning.

Valley Christian (14-8, 5-4) had won three of four before meeting up with St. Francis.

NO. 2 ARCHBISHOP MITTY 5, ST. IGNATIUS 0

Freshman Kyleigh Mace allowed four hits and one walk as the Monarchs improved to 19-3.

Sara Pina had three hits and Corri Hicks drove in two runs.

St. Ignatius (11-7, 4-5) kept the game close in the early innings, trailing 3-0 after four. A two-run fifth by the Monarchs gave them breathing room.

NO. 6 PINOLE VALLEY 10, ST. PATRICK ST. VINCENT 0

The Spartans (24-1) were never threatened in this Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division playoff game.

Pinole Valley had 10 hits in all, including triples by Melina Mendoza, Ayla Serrano and Aneesa Brewer.

SPSV fell to 12-11 and will now wait to see if it gets a North Coast Section playoff bid.

NO. 15 WESTMONT 5, LOS GATOS 0

The Warriors improved to 18-7 in this late-season nonconference game. Westmont scored four runs in the third inning.

Elise Roy threw a four-hitter for the Warriors. She walked one and struck out six.

Brianna Chambers-Lee had four hits for the winners.

Los Gatos slipped to 14-10.

NO. 17 JAMES LOGAN 18, NEWARK MEMORIAL 1

Newark Memorial (10-3) came in only one game behind the Colts (12-1) in the Mission Valley Athletic League standings, but a five-run first inning and an 11run second quickly put this contest out of reach.

Shannon Garcia had a huge game, going 4 for 4 with four runs, three RBIs and a home run. Gabriella Garcia had three hits and four RBIs, and she also pitched, allowing two hits and striking out four.

James Logan had eight doubles.