Branham's Jason Armer (1) heads to first base on his single against Pioneer High School in the fourth inning at Branham High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, March 30, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
NEW: PREP SPORTS MAILBAG
The Bay Area News Group is introducing a high school sports mailbag in May. Get your questions in as soon as possible. Our debut edition is an open forum. Got questions about spring sports playoffs, coaching changes, an early peek at football season, etc.? Send questions to highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please include “mailbag” in the subject line.
Baseball
Branham 2, No. 15 Leigh 1
Branham senior Evan Williams pitched a complete game and struck out seven as the Bruins snapped Leigh’s 11-game winning streak.
Williams also drove in a run with a single into right field in the top of the first. Colin Williams’ fly ball scored Gunnar Paedon in the top of the next inning to double the lead.
Leigh senior infielder Nate Miller cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the third with a home run to left, his third homer of the year.
With the victory, Branham (17-7, 10-6) spoiled Leigh’s bid to clinch the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division title.
With two games left, the Longhorns (16-8, 12-4) lead Pioneer and Branham by two and Live Oak by 2 1/2.
Live Oak has a game left to play against Willow Glen and then closes the league schedule against Leigh on Tuesday and Thursday.
Branham finishes with two against Sobrato, which is winless in league play, and Pioneer’s final two games are against Leland.
Woodside 1, Hillsdale 0
Woodside junior Harry Pelzman pitched a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks in a victory over second-place Hillsdale. This was two days after Hillsdale had blown out Woodside 15-0 in five innings in Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division play.
Pelzman threw 93 pitches, and only an error kept the junior from a perfect game. Braiden Boswel had two hits and a double, and Woodside’s one run by Connor Davison was unearned.
Woodside improved to 15-6-1, 7-5.
Hillsdale (13-8, 8-3) needs to win its final three league games while Sacred Heart Prep (11-1 in league play) drops its final two games to share the league crown with SHP.
Heritage 1, Liberty 0
Landon Marchetti pitched a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts and zero walks as Heritage (16-7, 8-2) clinched the Bay Valley Athletic League title in a pitcher’s duel against Liberty (15-8, 6-3).
Liberty’s Cole Ehrhorn, who struck out four and allowed only four hits, didn’t give up a run until Elijah Ward scored on a wild pitch to walk it off.
Christopher 6, Pioneer 4
Christopher junior Ricky Wilkerson drove in three runs as the Cougars prevented Pioneer from taking advantage of a Leigh loss in BVAL Mt. Hamilton play.
Sophomore pitcher Nick Valentine was also fantastic, striking out nine in five innings for Christopher, which improved to 14-8, 9-7.
Sophomore Jayden Flores hit a triple and drove in two runs for Pioneer, and Derek Izumi and Grayden Eister each had two hits.
Pioneer (14-8-1, 10-6) needs to win its last two league games against Leland and hope Leigh loses two next week to tie for first place.
Sacred Heart Cathedral 8, No. 17 St. Francis 2
Sacred Heart Cathedral used a quick start to pull off the upset of third-place St. Francis in a West Catholic Athletic League game.
The Fightin’ Irish (12-13, 5-8) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back as it handed defending Central Coast Section Division I champ St. Francis a loss.
SHC junior Aaron Louis batted 2 for 4 and drove in three runs, and fellow junior Jair Marta also batted 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs.
Pitchers Dylan Adelman and Franco Moran combined for 10 strikeouts and only four hits allowed.
St. Francis (14-11, 6-7) is now in a three-way tie with Bellarmine and Serra for third place in the WCAL.
No. 18 Sacred Heart Prep 4, El Camino 1
Sacred Heart Prep (18-6-1, 11-1) clinched at least a share of the PAL Ocean Division title with the victory over El Camino (6-12, 4-8).
Max Courson was 2 for 2, scored a run and drove in another. Senior Andrew Rocha went 2 for 4 and scored a run, and catcher Mason Chetcuti had one hit, walked twice and drove in a run for the Gators.
Freshman Rallin Covey was brilliant on the mound, allowing just four hits while striking out nine and walking none. El Camino right fielder Andy Mak drove in El Camino’s run.
SHP took control early, scoring a run in each of the first two innings. The Gators can clinch first place with a victory in either of its final two games against San Mateo, or a loss by Hillsdale.
No. 2 De La Salle 7, California 1
De La Salle (19-4, 11-1) has already clinched the top spot in the East Bay Athletic League’s Mountain Division and set California (10-13, 5-7) back in its quest to claim the third league playoff spot in the division.
Junior Max Ghiglieri went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, senior Smith Chandler had a triple and senior Connor Harrison collected two hits to lead De La Salle (19-4, 11-1).
Junior RJ Meyn pitched six innings for the winning side and struck out seven.
California senior Zac Ragland went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored.
No. 6 Amador Valley 3, No. 8 Foothill 0
Amador Valley (17-4, 8-4) got a gem from pitcher Matthew Foley, who allowed three hits over seven innings and struck out seven as the Dons shut out Pleasanton rival Foothill (15-7, 7-5).
Left fielder Braden Whitworth hit a home run and drove in two runs for Amador Valley. Senior Tyler Gebb struck out 10 for Foothill.
College Park 3, No. 5 Clayton Valley Charter 2
One inning away from clinching the Diablo Athletic League’s Foothill Division, Clayton Valley Charter (16-5, 7-1) blew a 2-0 lead to host College Park (11-10, 5-3) to lose its first Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division game and keep the league race alive.
College Park senior Charlie Malton drove in two RBIs, and freshman Desmond Cobb drove in the other Falcon run.
CVC will clinch the league if it can win one of its last two league games.
Softball
No. 15 Amador Valley 12, Foothill 8
Amador Valley continued its outstanding run of play with a victory over crosstown rival Foothill, winning its seventh in a row.
The Dons (14-10, 9-4) used the long ball to outscore Foothill. Catcher McKenna Charbonneau hit two home runs and had three RBIs, giving her three home runs this week. Aleena Helms also hit a homer for one of her two hits on the day.
Foothill (9-12, 5-7) also displayed power as junior Marissa Anderson belted two home runs, giving her six on the season. Alexia Garcia and Ava Haubner each drove in two RBIs.
Lauren Tran was credited with the Amador Valley win after she closed the game out with 3.2 innings of three-hit ball.
No. 6 San Ramon Valley 3, Monte Vista 0
San Ramon Valley controls its destiny in the EBAL thanks to a one-hit complete game from ace Paige McLeod. She also batted 1 for 3 and drove in one RBI. Gianna Baccei and Ava Lyons each had one RBI for the host Wolves (17-5, 9-3). Angelina Betti had Monte Vista’s (10-10, 8-4) only hit.
If San Ramon Valley can defeat Carondelet on Friday and California (9-3) loses, the Wolves will clinch the EBAL-Mountain Division.
If SRV loses and California wins, then California will win the league. If both teams lose their last EBAL game and Monte Vista (8-4) defeats Dougherty Valley, then that will create a four-way tie at the top of the division with Amador Valley.
No. 20 Heritage 9, Liberty 1
Heritage’s (13-5, 6-3) bats were unstoppable in a rout of BVAL leaders Liberty (11-12, 7-2). Heritage’s Alex Cutonilli hit a home run, Skylar Stroh knocked out two hits and two RBIs, and Jessica Im drove in three runs and hit a triple.
Kylie Garcia pitched a complete game and struck out four. If Heritage can defeat Liberty again in the season finale, the teams will be tied atop the BVAL standings.
Hillsdale 3, No. 4 Sequoia 1
After Lexi Kuka pitched a complete game and struck out seven, Hillsdale dealt a blow to Sequoia’s hopes of winning the PAL-Bay Division. Hillsdale (14-5, 8-4) got RBIs from Claire Shelton, Mia DeMartini and senior Bianca Erickson.
Ainsley Waddell hit a pair of doubles and struck out seven for Sequoia (15-5, 7-4). Capuchino and Carlmont are tied for first at 9-2 in the PAL-Bay.
Originally published at Joseph Dycus