Luck of the Padres: Serra downs Sacred Heart Cathedral Irish in St. Patrick’s Day WCAL opener

The Padres, ranked No. 7 in the state, have now won five straight, a streak that includes non-league victories over 2025 CIF Nor Cal Division I semifinalist St. Mary’s-Stockton, and College Park-Pleasant Hill, currently No. 8 in California. As any WCAL coach will tell you, though, ramping up for league play is an entirely different animal.

“Every week is a unique rivalry,” Padres manager Mat Keplinger said. “There’s so much familiarity between players and the coaching staffs. I think everybody is a little more heightened.”

Serra used its heightened emotion to unleash the running game in the first inning. Hui set the table with a leadoff triple. Later in the inning, Jack Wessell sent a towering popup into shallow center. A brief window of confusion before the SHC center fielder called off the second baseman was all Hui needed, and the senior capitalized by low-flying home to beat the throw for the game’s first run.

“That ball hung up there for a long time,” Keplinger said. “We have a really good athlete there on third base. We’re going to play aggressive. Whatever the outcome is we’re going to live with it. ... We apply pressure and good things happen.”

Then came the power show. In the third, Minton connected for a soaring shot to left-center for a solo home run. Then, leading 3-1 in the sixth, Hui and Walbridge went back-to-back solo jacks.

Lim and the Serra defense took it from there, with a display of defensive brilliance in the sixth to preserve the complete game. Minton — who had already made a diving catch in center field earlier in the game — highlighted the inning by throwing out an SHC runner at second trying to stretch a single into a double.

The Irish (3-4) scored one run in the inning on a solo home run by senior Jacob Vines, but it would have been much worse if not for what Keplinger cited as the three consecutive and critical defensive plays.

“That was really what got Riley to the finish line and able to go the complete game,” Keplinger said. “The sixth inning defense was really good. Then Riley was able to find another gear.”

Lim sidestepped an infield single to lead off the seventh. The senior right-hander, and recent commit to play NCAA Division I baseball at University of the Pacific, responded by ending the game with a string of three straight strikeouts. He allowed one run on five hits and one walk, while striking out eight on the day.

“Riley’s been our No. 1 starter all year,” Keplinger said. “He was our opening day starter and he’s just continued to pitch every first day of the week. He’s a three-year varsity player for us and he really carried us last year down the stretch.”

The Serra offense did more than just power the ball. The Padres totaled seven hits on the day, raising their team batting average to .305, but also manufactured a run in the fourth without recording a single hit. Junior Jace Peavey sparked the rally by getting hit by a pitch, then promptly stole second. Junior Brody Crudeli followed with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Ayden Beal then drove home the run with an infield grounder charged as an error and an RBI.

“For us, it was a really good brand of baseball where we scored a run with no hits,” Keplinger said. “In addition to our homers, we showed we can do a little bit of everything on offense.”

Senior right-hander Zach Stallworth took the loss for the Irish, allowing five runs through four innings of work. Senior Cooper Rogers Lewis worked two scoreless innings of relief.

The teams close out their two-game season series Friday in San Francisco. First pitch at West Sunset Diamond No. 1 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.