NEW: PREP SPORTS MAILBAG
The Bay Space Information Group is introducing a highschool sports activities mailbag in Could. Get your questions in as quickly as attainable. Our debut version is an open discussion board. Received questions on spring sports activities playoffs, teaching adjustments, an early peek at soccer season, and so forth.? Ship them to highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please embrace “mailbag” within the topic line.
Baseball
EBAL playoffs
With “velo” being the secret for pitchers these days, it makes some sense Granada left-hander Joshua Morano hasn’t had main league scouts flattening his door this season.
“Velo” is brief for velocity, and if the radar gun isn’t popping within the 90s, many pitchers shall be informed to go off to varsity earlier than they are going to be thought-about for the major-league draft, which this summer time shall be held in July.
Morano appears to be OK with that. He has signed a letter of intent to pitch subsequent season at Arizona, the place former Campolindo star Chip Hale is the top coach. Hale, who performed on some nice groups at Campo and has loads of big-league expertise, will get to mentor a pitcher who appears to be missing just one factor. Mid-90’s velocity.
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Morano ran his report to 8-2 Wednesday by throwing a two-hitter in a 6-0 victory over De La Salle, which is ranked second within the Bay Space Information Group’s prime 20.
The lefty walked three and struck out six whereas pitching No. 6 Granada into the East Bay Athletic League ultimate Friday in opposition to host San Ramon Valley.
“I’ve talked to some scouts,” Morano mentioned over the telephone Wednesday evening. “My plan is to play at Arizona for a few years. I need to placed on some weight. I can rise up to 91, 92 with my pitches, however to get to 95 in school can be good.”
Morano lowered his ERA to 0.53 whereas blanking the Spartans in an EBAL semifinal match. It was his fourth shutout of the season.
He needed to wait till the fourth inning for some run assist, when Riley Winchell belted his second homer of the season. Winchell additionally had three hits. Granada (20-6) outhit the Spartans 11-2.
Whereas Winchell’s homer was the one run Morano would wish, the Matadors scored one other run within the fifth, three within the sixth and yet one more within the seventh.
Morano carefully watches Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner. “Lefties who can transfer the ball round,” he mentioned.
“He locates, he modifies speeds, he’s very snug on the mound,” Granada coach Corrigan Willis mentioned of his ace. “He’s a pitcher. He’s not a thrower.”
The season isn’t over for De La Salle (20-5), which can assuredly be invited to the North Coast Part playoffs when they're seeded on Saturday.
No. 9 San Ramon Valley 4, No. 5 Amador Valley 3 (8 innings)
After falling behind 3-1 within the second inning, San Ramon Valley scored single runs within the fifth, seventh and eighth to earn a spot within the East Bay Athletic League championship sport on Friday.
The Wolves will host Granada. The Matadors had the higher common season and league report, however SRV got here out on prime in head-to-head competitors, and that was the tiebreaker.
San Ramon Valley (17-9) knotted the sport at 2-2 on a single by Luke Baker within the seventh. Colin Linteo received the rally began with a single and steal of second.
Within the eighth, Lucas Glazier doubled, then Joseph Coupland bunted him to 3rd. Glazier, was in a position to carry on working after the bunt due to an Amador Valley (18-5) error. As is the case with De La Salle, the Dons can anticipate an NCS playoff invite.
Amador’s early lead was constructed on the power of Ross Kobayashi’s two-run double in a second inning that included Braden Whitworth’s run-scoring double.
WCAL playoffs
No. 17 Bellarmine 2, No. 15 Serra 1
The Bells scored two runs within the first inning, and that was all they wanted in a playoff contest involving the 4 groups who tied for fourth place within the West Catholic Athletic League being positioned in a single bracket.
Within the different playoff sport Wednesday, St. Ignatius slipped previous Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral 6-4 to complete fourth, behind Valley Christian, Archbishop Mitty and St. Francis.
Bellarmine (15-11-1) now hosts Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral at present for fifth place.
The winner will mechanically qualify for the Central Coast Part playoffs. At present’s dropping crew ought to get an at-large bid. Serra (14-11) might be out of the playoffs
Bellarmine senior right-hander Paul Montgomery threw a three-hitter, solely giving up an unearned run within the third inning. He walked one and struck out three. Sawyer Stout and Thomas Trombatore every drove in a run.
St. Ignatius 6, Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral 4
SI scored twice within the prime of the sixth to interrupt a 4-4 tie. Leonard Beatie doubled, singled and drove in three runs for the winners.
SI improved to 16-11.
The CCS brackets shall be introduced Monday.
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’
13-game win streak.
The Vikings (13-11, 7-6 SCVAL De Anza) scored two runs within the third, then added single runs within the fourth and fifth. Los Gatos (19-7, 12-1) has already clinched the common season title.
Donaker, a right-hander, improved his report to 7-2 and lowered his ERA to 1.75.
Palo Alto had 11 hits. Zachary Thom blasted his second homer of the season and was one among 4 Vikings with two hits. Others had been Russ Filter, Charlie Bates and Joey Kessler.
No. 10 Menlo-Atherton 11, Aragon 2
Aragon took a fast 1-0 lead with a run within the backside of the primary, however the Bears scored 4 within the second and 7 within the fourth, turning the sport right into a rout.
Texas-bound senior George Zaharias drove in 5 runs with a double and homer. Davis Phillips added two RBI. Adam Chane had two hits and scored twice.
Menlo-Atherton (17-7 general) clinched the PAL Bay Division. The Bears are 11-1 in league play with two video games left. Second-place Burlingame is 9-4.
No. 14 Burlingame 4, The King’s Academy 2
The Panthers assured themselves of second place. Stout pitching by Luca Scatena and Tyler Lachance was the important thing for Burlingame.
Scatena was the winner, working 5 innings. He allowed simply three hits however surrendered 5 walks. Lachance struck out one in his two innings of labor and earned the save.
No. 16 James Logan 13, American 7
The sport was shut till the underside of the sixth, when the Colts scored six runs to interrupt open a 7-4 contest.
Jesus Vasquez had an enormous evening for James Logan (17-6, 13-0 MVAL). He was an ideal 3 for 3 on the plate, drove in 4 runs, scored two and belted a triple.
James Logan has already clinched the MVAL crown.
Elsewhere
Gilroy and Prospect proceed to wage a good pennant race within the Santa Teresa league. Prospect (11-2) received in dramatic vogue when sophomore Ethan Roth drilled a walk-off homer within the tenth inning for the sport’s solely run in a 1-0 win over Evergreen Valley. The homer was Roth’s first of the season, in keeping with the MaxPreps stats. He's hitting .339. Jake Sangalang and Kevin-Joseph Rieden mixed on a seven-hitter. … Gilroy (12-1) maintained its one-game lead over Prospect by beating Piedmont Hills 5-1. Sam Guerrero had three hits and scored three runs. Evan Passama and Ryan Villanueva every drove in a pair.
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 confronted in one of many extra dominant performances of the season.
The Boise State commit additionally homered, one among 4 lengthy balls hit by St. Francis. Alexis O’Gorman went deep twice and Chloe Cummings hit a solo shot. O’Gorman had 5 RBI.
The Lancers (23-2 general) are tied for first with Mitty within the West Catholic Athletic League standings. Each groups are 8-1 in league play.
Keighran allowed one hit and issued two walks. St. Francis was comfortably forward for many of the sport after a five-run second inning.
Valley Christian (14-8, 5-4) had received three of 4 earlier than assembly up with St. Francis.
No. 2 Archbishop Mitty 5, St. Ignatius 0
Freshman Kyleigh Mace allowed 4 hits and one stroll because the Monarchs improved to 19-3.
Sara Pina had three hits and Corri Hicks drove in two runs.
St. Ignatius (11-7, 4-5) saved the sport shut within the early innings, trailing 3-0 after 4. A two-run fifth by the Monarchs gave them respiration room.
No. 6 Pinole Valley 10, St. Patrick St. Vincent 0
The Spartans (24-1) had been by no means threatened on this Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division playoff sport.
Pinole Valley had 10 hits in all, together with triples by Melina Mendoza, Ayla Serrano and Aneesa Brewer.
SPSV fell to 12-11 and can now wait to see if it will get a North Coast Part playoff bid.
No. 15 Westmont 5, Los Gatos 0
The Warriors improved to 18-7 on this late-season non-conference sport. Westmont scored 4 runs within the third inning.
Elise Roy threw a four-hitter for the Warriors. She walked one and struck out six. Brianna Chambers-Lee had 4 hits for the winners.
Los Gatos slipped to 14-10.
No. 17 James Logan 18, Newark Memorial 1
Newark Memorial (10-3) got here in just one sport behind the Colts (12-1) within the Mission Valley Athletic League standings, however a five-run first inning and an 11-run second rapidly put this contest out of attain.
Shannon Garcia had an enormous sport, going 4 for 4 with 4 runs, three RBI and a house run. Gabriella Garcia had three hits and 4 RBI, and he or she additionally pitched, permitting two hits and placing out 4.
James Logan had eight doubles.
No. 20 Alameda 13, Bishop O’Dowd 7
The Hornets trailed 7-1 after they rallied for 12 runs within the house half of the sixth on this West Alameda County Convention Foothill Division playoff match.
Ashlie Nakano had 4 RBI and three runs for Alameda. Her three hits included a double and homer.
Amaya Heard had an enormous evening for Bishop O’Dowd with 4 RBI.
Alameda is 16-4. Bishop O’Dowd is 13-11.
Fremont-Sunnyvale 9, Monta Vista 6
The Firebirds put the of completion on one of many extra spectacular turnarounds after they beat Monta Vista. Fremont is 11-0 within the El Camino League standings with one sport to go. Second-place Gunn is 9-2. They wrap up the common season in opposition to one another on Friday.
What makes this season miraculous is that Fremont was 0-12 in league play in every of the final two seasons. In all, Fremont was 5-31 the previous two seasons. Now the Firebirds are 14-4. Hector Zuna has been the coach all three years.
McKenna Johnson led Fremont’s offense in opposition to Monta Vista. She had two hits together with a double and 4 RBI. Freshman Jiyah Caban had three hits, drove in three runs and scored 3 times.
The Firebirds received off to a fast begin in opposition to Monta Vista, main 4-1 after one. However Monta Vista scored 4 runs within the prime of the second to make it 5-4. Fremont then answered with 5 runs earlier than Monta Vista scored once more.
Elsewhere
Serenity Temoche went 4 for 4 with 4 RBI as Mt. Eden routed Hayward 11-1 within the WACC Shoreline playoffs. … Menlo-Atherton took over first place within the PAL Ocean Division by beating Terra Nova 9-1. M-A (8-2) now has a half-game lead over Terra Nova (8-3). Angelina Edwards knocked in 4 runs for the Bears. Hannah Blunt had three hits and two RBIs.