Benicia couldn’t have asked for a better start to league play.
The Panthers played its Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division opener against East Bay powerhouse Acalanes and did not disappoint. Benicia, ranked ninth in the latest Bay Area News Group rankings, overpowered No. 11 Acalanes, defeating the Dons 8-3 at home.
Benicia junior Colton Richardson totaled two hits and knocked in two runs. Senior Peyton Rowles was 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
Benicia took an early 2-0 lead after Richardson’s single to center field scored Rowles and senior Nash Rubins. The Panther broke the game open when they put a 4-spot in the second inning, capped off by an RBI single from AJ Cabral.
Benicia senior Dominic Louro was a standout on the mound, striking out 10 and allowing just two earned runs.
Benicia improved to 9-1 and will travel to Acalanes on Thursday to finish the two-game series. Acalanes dropped 9-3-1.
No. 1 Serra 1, No. 7 St. Ignatius 0
Serra scored just one run, but it’s all the Padres needed to defeat St. Ignatius on the road.
Ian Josephson’s solo home run in the first inning was the only run scored during Tuesday’s game. Serra senior pitcher Richie Calderon and Davis Minton combined to give up just three hits while walking just one batter.
Even in the loss, St. Ignatius junior Finn Demuth pitched a solid four innings in which he struck out five while giving up a run and four hits.
Serra (14-2, 6-2 West Catholic) will travel to Archbishop Mitty on Friday. St. Ignatius dropped to 8-4-2 and will play Bellarmine on the road on Friday.
No. 16 Dublin 5, No. 10 Clayton Valley 1
Dublin advanced to the Alhambra Spring Break Tournament championship game with a statement win over Clayton Valley in the semifinals.
Senior Brendan Moddelmog led Dublin with three hits, a triple and two runs scored. Senior pitcher Andrew Zorinich gave up just three hits and one earned run across six innings.
The Gaels will play tournament host Alhambra at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the championship game.
No. 15 Alhambra 3, California 1
Alhambra advanced to its own tournament title game behind a solid pitching performance from sophomore Cooper Nixdorff.
Nixdorff pitched six innings, allowing just one earned run and one hit.
The Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when senior Darrian Thornton singled to score Ismael Rivera Parra. Alhambra put up two runs in the sixth to strengthen its lead.
Alhambra will play Dublin in the championship game on Wednesday.
College Park 10, No. 20 Campolindo 9
In what was a barnburner, College Park staved off a furious Campolindo comeback to notch a key league win on the road.
The Falcons held a 8-5 lead going into the bottom of the sixth before Campolindo scored four consecutive runs in its half of the inning. Luke McLeod’s single that scored Cameron Mayo gave Campolindo a 9-8 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
But College Park had one last run to give.
James Voorhies’ RBI double brought home Desmond Cobb to tie the game. Two batters later, Riley Meadows singled to center field, scoring Voorhies and giving College Park a one-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
College Park sophomore Sai Akin retired three consecutive batters to end the game and seal the win for the Falcons.
After starting the season 1-3, College Park has four of its last five games.
Christopher 18, Gilroy 2
After going down a run after the first two innings, Christopher went on to score 17 unanswered to defeat crosstown rival Gilroy on the road.
Nicholas Valentine was 3 for 4 and knocked in two runs. He also pitched three innings on the mound, striking out four while allowing no hits or runs.
Softball
No. 4 Notre Dame-Belmont 10, Half Moon Bay 0
Notre Dame won its fourth straight league game by blanking Half Moon Bay at home.
Allison Lui struck out nine and didn’t allow a hit in four innings of work. Skylar Loo was 2 for 3 with four RBIs.
Notre Dame improved to 11-3-1, 4-0. Half Moon Bay is now 6-9, 0-3
No. 7 Live Oak 11, Milpitas 1
The Acorns won their seventh straight game with a 11-1 rout of Milpitas.
Live Oak pitcher Maya Medina struck out nine and allowed five hits and a run in a compete game performance.
Related Articles
Prep roundup: Bellarmine and St. Francis go 12 innings, College Park senior throws no-hitter in Burlingame
Prep spotlight: How Granada is gearing up for another run at NorCal baseball glory
Prep roundup: Delaney Aumua smashes two home runs as Granada upsets No. 14 Livermore
Prep roundup: Serra denies Valley Christian’s comeback bid; St. Ignatius blanks Mitty in dominant performance
Prep roundup: Serra baseball gets revenge on St. Francis, Lancers blank St. Ignatius in softball, Pittsburg stays hot
No. 9 Valley Christian 14, Presentation 0
The Warriors scored eight runs in the first inning and didn’t look back as Valley Christian won its third straight WCAL game by defeating Presentation in five innings.
Valley Christian freshman Makena Blauman went 3 for 3, hit a home run and scored two runners in the win. Soledad Healy, Gabrielle Ho, Madelyn Hu and Charlotte Coney each knocked in two runs.
No. 10 Castro Valley 8, No. 13 James Logan 1
Castro Valley junior Giselle De Casas had a monster game, going 4 for 4 with four RBIs and three triples to lead Castro Valley to a marquee win over James Logan.
Sophomore pitcher Alanys Robertson pitched a complete game, striking out 10 while giving up just five hits and a run.
Castro Valley improved to 9-3. James Logan dropped to 9-2-1.
