Despite loss, San Mateo's season continues

"We've never gone 4-2 up here," said San Mateo manager Mike Chanteloup.

The Orioles (31-12) lost the first game of the tournament 12-7 to Merced Thursday. They then won four straight games, including a 7-6 win over Covina and an 11-10 victory over Napa - both on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Orioles needed to beat Merced twice, which had not lost in the double-elimination tournament.

San Mateo forced a winner-take-all finale by beating Merced 6-4 in a 10 a.m. game Sunday. Pitcher Giorgio Lavezzo was the story in the game. The soft-throwing lefty pitched a complete game, holding a potent Merced squad to just four runs on eight hits. A fly ball pitcher, 17 of 21 outs Lavezzo recorded came on flyouts.

"He's always been part of our 'show 'em something different' (approach)," Chanteloup said. "He has a tendency to have batters put bad swings on pitches where he puts them."

San Mateo forced Merced into comeback mode right away, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning on a Drew Pedersen RBI double and a Pat Whelly RBI single.

Merced tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the second, but the Orioles responded with a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. They scored two unearned runs in the fifth and in the sixth, Bobby Scott unloaded a two-run homer down the right-field line.

Lavezzo and the San Mateo defense did the rest. He held Merced to single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

In the nightcap, things got ugly - both on the scoreboard, on the field and in the stands. It also didn't help that San Mateo was playing its fifth game in three days.

"I guess it was eventually going to cave in on us," Chanteloup said.

Merced led 8-1 after four innings and San Mateo could not mount a challenge.

"We were really on adrenaline in the first game," Chanteloup said. "I think we ran into a better hitting team that made better adjustments (in the second game)."

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for San Mateo, which nearly duplicated its run to the Area 2 championship the previous week. San Mateo lost the first game of the state tournament before winning four straight. The Oriole beat Las Alamitos Friday morning, 12-7.

Things didn't start well for San Mateo pitcher Ryan Peterson, who gave up back-to-back doubles, a walk and a three-run homer in the first inning. But he settled down and allowed only three more the runs the rest of the way as he pitched a complete game.

Bobby Scott led the way offensively, going 4 for 6 with three RBIs, including a two-run triple. Brock Parsons was 2 for 2 with a homer and three RBIs.

Saturday, San Mateo faced two-must win games.

"That was probably the most important day," Chanteloup said. "We were already in the losers' bracket."

Another loss and the season was over for San Mateo.

But the Orioles fought off elimination. They started Saturday with a 7-6 win over Covina. Victor Schramm picked up the win with six strong innings and Eric Robinson earned the save by pitching three innings of scoreless relief.

Scott and Jon Ponzo paced the offense with two RBIs apiece. Pat Whelly, Parsons and Drew Pedersen each had sacrifice flies in the game as well.

The Orioles returned later Saturday afternoon and faced home-town favorite Napa. In a wild game, San Mateo earned its berth in the regional tournament with an 11-10 win over Napa. San Mateo used a seven-run second inning to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 9-4 lead. The Orioles sent 13 batters to the plate with Peterson and Nick Monroe delivering the big blows - they each had a two-run single.