ALAMEDA — Castro Valley hasn’t won a league title in at least 20 years.
But after Friday’s win over Encinal, that drought might finally end.
Behind a dominant pitching performance from Owen Seidel, the Trojans shut out Encinal 2-0 on the road to take a commanding lead in the West Alameda County Conference Foothill Division standings.
Seidel struck out nine and allowed just one hit across six innings to notch his fifth win of the season.
Castro Valley pitcher Encinal (44) celebrates his double play against Encinal High in the sixth inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Berkeley defeated second-place Piedmont on Friday, meaning Castro Valley just needs to split next week’s two-game series against Alameda to capture the WAC Foothill Division regular season title.
“We’ve been dreaming about this moment since freshman year,” senior infielder David Colon said about the chance of winning a league title. “Castro Valley hasn’t had the chance to win the league championship in forever. We came a long way and can’t wait to be on top.”
Castro Valley struggled to find a rhythm early as Encinal pitcher Anthony Wilson retired Castro Valley’s first eight batters, four of which by strikeout.
But that all changed in the top of the third inning when senior left fielder Arthur Sims came up to bat. With two outs and two runners on, Sims drilled a pitch to the left field wall that scored Anthony and Diego Mares to put Castro Valley on the board.
Wilson finished Friday’s game striking out nine and allowing five hits – two of which came by Sims — in a complete game effort.
“I haven’t had the greatest at-bats this year,” Sims said. “To come up big for my team in that spot to rally and get hits speaks volume to our teamwork and our bond.”
Castro Valley’s Arthur Sims (3) follows the flight of his 2-run double against Encinal High in the second inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
On defense, the Trojans were dominant.
Seidel gave up his only hit in his first at-bat of the game, but then retired Encinal’s next 16 batters.
“My fastball was working good and I just followed that up with a good off speed pitch,” Seidel said. “Everything was on today.”
Encinal did have chances to score, but Castro Valley held on.
In the home half of the sixth, the Jets had the tying run at first with one out until the Trojans turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
In the seventh, Castro Valley moved Seidel from pitcher to first base after he threw his 91st pitch of the game, which walked Encinal’s leadoff hitter. Castro Valley coach Jonathan Rodriguez then moved Colon from the infield to the mound to close the game.
“In that big situation, David told me, ‘Hey I want the ball,’” Rodriguez said. “He started off rough, but once he got his momentum, he was untouchable.”
Castro Valley pitcher David Colon (23) celebrates the last out of their 2-0 win over Encinal High at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
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Colon walked the first batter he faced, putting a runner on first and second base with no outs. The senior then forced Encinal into a 5-5-3 double play and struck out the Jets’ final batter to ice the game for Castro Valley.
While winning a league title is Castro Valley’s goal in the short term, the Trojans believe they could make a deep run in the North Coast Section playoffs. As of Friday night, Castro Valley is ranked 18th in MaxPreps’ North Coast Section rankings, which would slot them as one of the top seeds in the Division II bracket.
“We just have to keep it simple,” Colon said. “We gotta start putting more hits together because that’s where we’ve been lacking. But other than that, we just have to play the game and have fun.”
Castro Valley’s (7) gets high-fives from teammates in the dugout after scoring on Arthur Sims’ 2-run double against Encinal High in the second inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Encinal pitcher Anthony Wilson (7) pitches against Castro Valley High in the first inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Castro Valley pitcher Encinal (44) pitches against Encinal High in the first inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Encinal’s Evan Furuichi (27) can’t stop a grounder by Castro Valley’s Diego Mares (2) in the second inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Castro Valley’s Diego Mares (2) retrieves the ball after Aidan Hackbarth (6) dropped a fly ball by Encinal’s Evan Furuichi (27) in the second inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Encinal’s Hunter Willett (1) throws to first to force out Castro Valley’s Alex Nicol (22) in the third inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Castro Valley’s Arthur Sims (3) is out at second as Encinal’s Eric Proctor (17) throws to first for a double play in the sixth inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Castro Valley’s Aidan Hackbarth (6) drops a foul ball by Encinal’s Matan Antebi (5) in the seventh inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Castro Valley’s Aidan Hackbarth (6) drops a foul ball by Encinal’s Matan Antebi (5) in the seventh inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Encinal’s Matan Antebi (5) dives back safe at first as Castro Valley’s Owen Seidel (44) attempts to tag him out in the seventh inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Encinal’s Matan Antebi (5) dives back safe at first as Castro Valley’s Owen Seidel (44) attempts to tag him out in the seventh inning of a baseball game at the College of Alameda baseball field in Alameda, Calif., on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
