National takes 11s crown

“That’s a really good team across the field,” San Mateo National manager Mike Lambrechts said of Alpine. “My kids dug in.”

Having never even trailed during the tournament, it would have easy for San Mateo to lose its composure. But it had two things going for it Monday. As the winner’s bracket winner, San Mateo needed to lose twice to Alpine to be denied the title.

And second, it had Jusino on the mound, who after wobbling through the first inning, settled down and shut down the Alpine offense the rest of the way.

But it wasn’t easy. With one out in the top of the first, Alpine’s Connor Murphy drew a walk before Ryan Cohen came up and striped a Jusino offering.

San Mateo first baseman Mason Lambrechts made a heck of a play in spearing the ball, but his throw to second to get the lead runner sailed into left field and everyone was safe.

San Mateo couldn’t quite turn a double play on the next batter, leaving Alpine with runners at the corners with two outs.

Twice Alpine attempted a double steal and twice the runners were sent back to their bases because one of the top left the bag too early.

It became a moot point when Brandon Pyle singled to right to drive in Murphy. Tommy Brock later scored from third when Pyle intentionally got caught in a rundown to give Alpine an early 2-0 lead.

San Mateo cut the lead in half during it first at-bat in the bottom of the first when Jusino singled past first base with one out. He went to second on a wild pitch, took third on a sharp Piccinini single to center and scored on a Mason Lambrechts single.

That seemed to settle Jusino down on the mound, as he proceeded to strike out the side in the second.

“I think after that (first inning) I really had to focus and shake it off,” Jusino said. “First inning I was a little nervous.”

Jusino’s Alpine counterpart, Greyson Davis, was just as stingy. He retired the side in order in the second on just seven pitches, before San Mateo managed to tie the game with an unearned run in the third. Joel Price walked and Sam Depuy reached on an error and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Caden Jensen came to the plate a laced a hard grounder to Alpine shortstop Jack Schneider, who did not hesitate in throwing home, where Alpine catcher Cohen tagged out Price for the second out of the inning.

With runners on the corners, San Mateo used a double steal to plate Depuy with the game-tying run.

In the bottom of the fourth, San Mateo took its first lead and never gave it back. Piccinini wasted little time in putting San Mateo ahead, jumping on the first pitch he saw and driving a rope over the left-field fence for a 3-2 San Mateo lead.

It was Piccinini’s second home run of the tournament.

“It was just a flash for me. Next thing I knew, I was back in the dugout,” Piccinini said. “I was happy I hit it. I knew it would come.”

That homer seemed to boost the San Mateo bench. With two outs, Kaleb Lee stroked a double to the right-field corner and he scored when Sterling Bailey laced a single to center to put San Mateo up 4-2.

“Hitting is contagious,” Mike Lambrechts said. “And my boys have done it throughout the tournament.”

It was Jusino after that. Jusino would go the distance, giving up just the two runs on just two hits. The only other Alpine hit came in the top of the fourth, an infield hit off the bat of Murphy. Jusino finished with seven strikeouts.

“[Jusino] shoved today,” Mike Lambrechts said. “He came out and pounded the zone.”

Alpine’s Davis was saddled with the hard-luck loss. He also pitched a complete game, giving up four runs, only two of which were earned, giving up three hits in the first and three more in the fourth.

Up next for San Mateo National is the Section 3, hosted by District 57 in Dublin, beginning Saturday, July 12.