San Carlos to state tourney

Instead of getting rattled by the bomb, Belli bore down and limited San Mateo-Foster City to a pair of singles and a walk over the final four innings. The San Carlos offense, meanwhile, finally got untracked. San Carlos scored five runs in the fifth inning and rallied for a 6-3 win, sending it to the Joe DiMaggio state championship tournament in Yountville beginning Friday.

San Carlos has a long tradition in the state tournament, having won state titles in 1997 and 1998 and finishing second in 2002. It will play either Pacifica or South City in the first round.

"I struggled a lot with command (early on)," Belli said, who pitched a complete game, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking only two. "It was really my teammates [who] picked me up."

San Mateo-Foster City needed to beat San Carlos twice to advance to the state tournament, and for the first four innings, it appeared the Titans might force a deciding second game Tuesday night at Burlingame's Washington Park. Using several outstanding defensive plays and a gritting pitching performance from Lehane, the Titans built a 3-0 lead after three innings. Left fielder Zach DiMaggio and right fielder Dan Murcia both chased down long fly balls in the outfield, robbing Brad Bauer and Tyler Kaher of extra bases hits. The Titans defense also turned two double plays.

San Mateo-Foster City had struggled against Belli in two previous meetings with San Carlos, but Tuesday the Titans remained patient at the plate, forcing Belli to throw a lot of pitches. Belli threw 66 pitches through four innings.

The Titans took a 2-0 in the top of the second. Casey Gradwohl reached first on an error, went to second on a passed ball and took third on a ground out. He scored on a Murcia sharp single up the middle. Kevin Scannell followed and after a nine-pitch at bat, doubled into the left-center field gap, scoring Murcia.

"Our goal was to finally do something against [Belli]," said San Mateo-Foster City manager Doug List. "When we got a run, it was a huge moral victory."

Lehane gave the Titans a 3-0 lead when he deposited a 2-0 Belli pitch over the fence in right-center field and it appeared a second game was looming.

"I was to the point where I had to put up zeroes," Belli said. "I had to bear down after [the homer] and focus on making my pitches."

Although San Carlos did not have a hit against Lehane through the first three innings, it was making loud outs and getting men on base. Lehane, who pitched five innings, walked seven batters.

"We were hitting the ball, they were making good plays," said San Carlos manager Bud Papadakis. "I told the guys, 'You're so good, you can throw up a five-spot (whenever you want).' I kept telling them, 'Don't change a thing (at the plate).'"

San Carlos finally broke through in the fourth. Bauer led off the inning with a walk and scored on a Kaher double.

San Carlos put that five-spot up in the fifth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate, scoring five runs on just three hits. The first five batters of the inning reached base safely. Shortstop Kenny Turner came up with the big hit, stroking a two-run single to left field. Later in the inning, Wade Reynoso crushed a run-scoring double and Chris Davidson singled home another run. The other San Carlos run was unearned.

"I was trying to get [Lehane] through that inning. I would have had to move too many people around (if I pulled him early)," List said, adding that if anyone could work out of trouble, it was Lehane.

Belli knew that his offensive support would eventually come around.

"Going into today, if I kept it under five runs, we'd win," Belli said. "We've been swinging it all year."