San Carlos rallies to beat Millbrae

But San Carlos rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh then slammed the door in the bottom of the inning to pull out a 5-3 win and move into the championship game 5 p.m. today against San Mateo-Foster City.

"I told the guys we're coming to their yard," said San Carlos manager Bud Papadakis. "They're going to have an advantage so we have to play a little harder.

"That was helluva a ballgame. This was an amazing game to watch."

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh, San Carlos came up with three runs on four hits and a Millbrae error. Pat Coffey led off the inning with a triple to the left-center field gap, ending the day for Millbrae starting pitcher Tony Brunicardi.

"That's why [Coffey's in the No. 9 position in the batting order]," Papadakis said. "Because he can launch fastballs."

Henry Wrigley came on in relief and got the first batter he faced to hit a little dribbler just right of the mound. Wrigley came charging off the mound and after a brief glance to third, jumped in the air, turned and fired a wild throw past the first baseman, allowing Coffey to score.

Wrigley got the next two batters to pop out and looked to be out of the inning when Wade Reynoso lifted a blooper to medium right field. But the Millbrae right fielder slipped on his first step toward the ball and could not recover in time as the ball fell in for an RBI single and a 4-3 San Carlos lead. San Carlos got an insurance run when Ken Turner smacked a double to right, scoring Reynoso.

For the first five innings, San Carlos starting pitcher Dan Descalso and Brunicardi locked up in a classic pitchers' duel. Descalso gave up one run on three hits while Brunicardi gave up two runs while scattering seven hits.

"It was one of best outings of the year," said Millbrae manager Eric Gieseker. "Descalso also pitched great. He brought his 'A' game."

San Carlos got off to an early start with a two-out rally in the first. With Chris Armanino on via a fielder's choice, Reynoso ripped a double to the left-center field gap to score Armanino for a 1-0 San Carlos lead.

San Carlos took a 2-0 lead in the third when Mike Rivera led off the inning with a single and later scored on Armanino's single to left.

Millbrae finally got to Descalso in the fourth, stringing three hits together to scratch out a run. Wrigley and Steve Harty had back-to-back singles to start the inning. Ross Garcia sacrifice bunt moved both runners up 90 feet and Wrigley scored when Shane Arslan's fly ball to shallow center was dropped.

Millbrae took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Wrigley reached on an error and Harty singled. Both runners moved up when the ball got by the San Carlos right fielder.

Garcia came to the plate and against a drawn-in infield, singled past the second baseman to bring home Wrigley with the tying run. Harty was content to stay at third but when the center fielder bobbled the ball, Harty came home with the go-ahead run.

Despite the loss, which Gieseker insisted was his last game as Millbrae's manager, he was still proud of the way his team played.

"They came back after [Sunday's losses] and showed what they're made of," Gieseker said. "It was a great game. This is what it's all about. I'd love to play [San Carlos] again."