Menlo stuns Irish

The Menlo School baseball team had only four hits in its Central Coast Section Division III semifinal game against Sacred Heart Cathedral Wednesday, three of which came in the final two innings. The Knights' last two hits, however, could not have been any bigger as they scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to shock the Irish 4-3 and advance to Saturday's championship game against Hillsdale. With the bases loaded due to a leadoff walk to Freddy Avis, a single by Robert Wickers and a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error for Jackson Badger, Matt Crowder came to the plate following a strikeout. He jumped on the first pitch he saw, a fastball, sending the ball right up the heart of the diamond into center field -- just past the Sacred Heart Cathedral pitcher and just out of the reach of the Irish shortstop. Avis scored the tying run and Wickers came around to score as well to give the Knights the victory. "I knew he (Irish pitcher Anthony Villamore) was going to try to get ahead," Crowder said. "I was seeing the ball well." Crowder had already reached base three times in the game -- an infield hit in the first and walks in the fourth and sixth innings. Menlo (24-6) has found hits tough to come by in its last two games. In Saturday's 3-1 win over Live Oak in the quarterfinals, the Knights managed just two hits. Menlo manager Craig Schoof chalks it to postseason play. "That's playoff baseball," Schoof said. "Pitchers are a little finer, a little better; and batters get a little tighter." Considering the Knights have been in a number of close games -- of their six losses, five came by one run -- one would think they would be used to it by now. Not so, said Crowder. "[The lack of offense] almost makes us more tight," Crowder said. The way Villamore was pitching, the Knights had every reason to be nervous. The senior lefty pitched into the seventh inning and had Menlo thoroughly baffled. He gave up single runs in the first and fourth innings, and finished with nine strikeouts. "That pitcher was tough," Schoof said of Villamore. "He was painting the corners. But we battled." "Battle" is the only way to describe the performance of Menlo pitcher Jake Batchelder, who came into the game with a 9-0 record for the year. The sophomore got two quick outs to start the game before issuing three consecutive walks to load the bases. A wild pitch brought home Pete Quigley for a 1-0 Sacred Heart Cathedral 1-0 lead. Batchelder's wildness plagued him all game long, as he walked six Irish batters in five innings of work, against just one strikeout. But he kept the Knights in the game, leaving after five innings trailing 3-1. Schoof didn't think Batchelder was nervous. Despite being only a sophomore, this was his third CCS start in two years at the varsity level. Schoof believed it was just a kid being a kid. "I don't think the nerves got to him," Schoof said. "He lost focus a little bit. That's what young kids do." Menlo tied the score at 1 in the bottom of the first. Phil Anderson was hit by a pitch leading off the game and Crowder reached on an infield hit. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Jake Bruml, who picked up the win in relief of Batchelder, hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Sacred Heart Cathedral re-took the lead in the top of the second. With a runner on third and one out, Maurice Fuller hit a slow roller to second base. Crowder flipped the ball to Diekroeger covering second base for the second out, but Fuller beat the relay to first, avoiding the double play and driving in Chris Miguel. The Irish upped its lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Pat Sheehan lifted a ball into no-man's-land in shallow left-center field. Shortstop Danny Diekroeger went out for it, but was called off by center fielder Clay Robbins, who made a long run to get there. Robbins lunged for the ball, making a backhanded grab, but he lost his balance. As he swung his glove hand to remain upright, the ball slipped out, allowing the run to score. The Knights got the run back in the bottom of the frame. Crowder and Diekroeger drew back-to-back walks to start the inning and both eventually moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Following two strikeouts, Robbins came to the plate and hit a routine grounder to third. The third baseman dropped it, allowing the fleet-footed Robbins to reach base. The runners were both moving, however, with the runner at second getting caught in a rundown between second and third. He stayed in the pickle long enough to allow Crowder to score, cutting the Menlo deficit to 3-2. Now No. 3-seed Menlo will face arguably the surprise team of the playoffs, Hillsdale, in the championship game, a team Menlo beat 24-3 early in the season. Hillsdale is believed to be the first No. 16 seed to advance to a CCS championship game and Schoof believes the game will be good for San Mateo County as a whole. "The fact it's two San Mateo County schools (in the championship game) is great," Schoof said. "I don't think San Mateo County gets a lot of props (respect) from the rest of CCS." Division I semifinal No. 1 Mitty 9, No. 4 Serra 2 It was the fourth meeting of the season between the two powers, but it was the third win in a row for the Monarchs. Serra (25-7) actually took a 1-0 lead in top of the fourth before the wheels fell off in the bottom of the fifth as Mitty (30-3) scored all nine of its runs in the inning. The big blow was a bases-clearing double from Sean Edgecumbe. Mitty pitcher Tyler Davis shut down the Serra offense, allowing just three hits. Tyler Hardeman drove in one of Serra's two runs.