San Mateo National's run is done

But San Mateo rallied to take a 5-4 lead before ultimately falling 8-6 and sending National into the losers’ bracket.

San Mateo won two games in a row to move into the championship series Tuesday — against undefeated Bollinger Canyon.

And for the second time in two meetings, the team from San Ramon took an early 4-0 lead.

But there would be no miracle comeback for San Mateo as Bollinger Canyon iced the game with a four-run sixth to post an 8-2 victory to clinch the title and advance to the Northern California state tournament.

“It was a fun run,” said San Mateo manager Joe Garibaldi. “The score is not indicative of how the game went. … [Bollinger Canyon] is a tough team. They’re going to be a tough team at 12s. … It’s why they won a 10s state title.”

San Mateo starting pitcher, Carter Babera, got roughed up in the early going. But he righted the ship and kept his team in the game, eventually working five innings before his pitch count ended his outing. He wiggled out of trouble in the top of the first, but Bollinger Canyon touched him for four runs on four hits in the second inning.

But Barbera did not allow another hit over his final three innings or work. He gave up four runs on five hits. He struck out the side in the third and finished with four strikeouts.

“Every time he goes out there, he gets better,” Garibaldi said. “He’s been there (in trouble) before. He’ll keep battling there. I was confident he would do that.”

San Mateo tried to battle at the plate, but were really no match for Bollinger starting pitcher Mikey Wong, who was perfect for the first three innings. San Mateo eventually scratched out a couple of runs, but Wong was in control. He allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit while striking out eight in a complete-game effort.

San Mateo was simply overmatched by Wong’s offspeed offerings, with his curveball doing the bulk of the damage.

“Any 11-year-old who throws a 3-2 curveball for an out, I tip my cap,” Garibaldi said. “He had a 12-6 curveball which he commanded as well as his fastball.”

In the bottom of the first, San Mateo catcher Gavin Thompson gave one a ride, but his drive to the left-center field gap was tracked down for an out. Dom Mack nearly legged out a bunt single in the second, getting thrown out by a step.

San Mateo finally broke up the perfecto bid when Jackson Alvarez led off the fourth inning by legging out an infield hit on a slow roller.

That it was Alvarez to get San Mateo’s rally started was no surprise to Garibaldi.

“With his speed and … his contact, it doesn’t shock me at all,” Garibaldi said.

Thompson followed and hit a comebacker to Wong on the mound. He turned and fired to second — but no one was covering the bag and Thompson was safe on a fielder’s choice and San Mateo had its first two runners of the game.

Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch before Dean Garibaldi hit a slow roller to shortstop Brandon Manivong. He looked Alvarez back to third before throwing to first for the out.

Alvarez then broke for home, beating the throw. Thompson came around the score when the throw home got past the catcher.

Suddenly San Mateo was on the board, building momentum. But Bollinger Canyon snatched it right back. After a Wong strikeout, Henry Benham came to the plate for San Mateo and hit what looked to be a single into the left field.

But Manivong ranged to his right, making a backhand grab as he went to a knee, his momentum taking him away from first base.

He popped up, whirled around and fired to first, where first baseman Jay Murai snagged the throw on a short hop to get Benham for the out on one of the prettiest plays you’ll see — at any level.

“That (play) might have made SportsCenter,” Coach Garibaldi said.

It would be the only offense San Mateo would muster as Wong would retire the last nine batters he faced.

San Mateo, however, didn’t go down without its own highlight-reel defensive play. In the top of the sixth, Bollinger Canyon had already scratched out a run when it had runners on the corners. With Wong at the plate, the runner at first, Dylan Crawford, broke for second and purposely got in a rundown, hoping San Mateo would focus on him, allowing the runner at third, Ghazi Hussain, a chance to score.

San Mateo ran the play to perfection. Keeping an eye on Hussain, San Mateo got Crawford in the rundown. When Hussain finally broke for the plate, San Mateo shortstop Toby Gray was ready for him.

He broke off pursuit of Crawford and fired to Thompson at the plate. Hussain headed back to third, but Thompson threw a strike to third baseman Barbera, who slapped the tag on Hussain for the second out of the inning.

“That rundown was Little League training at its best,” Coach Garibaldi said. “They trained to score that run … and we trained to prevent that run.”

While San Mateo came up short of winning the Section 3 title, Coach Garibaldi put it all in perspective for his team. During the post-game meeting, Garibaldi pulled out the District 52 championship banner, to remind the team of the success it did have this summer.

“I played Little League. … I’ve never won a section (title). I’ve never won a district (championship),” Garibaldi told his team.

“I’m so proud of you guys.”

Editor's note: This story have been updated to clarify the runners on first and third during the rundown.