Capuchino gets much-needed win

Capuchino absolutely needed a victory, and Declan Mendel came through as he has all season.

The senior right-hander threw a two-hit shutout – his second shutout in six days – as the Mustangs handed Menlo-Atherton its first Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division loss and stayed alive in the ultra-competitive chase.

"We needed that win big time," said Cap coach Matt Wilson. "Our league is so competitive. Every win is huge."

It's amazing what a win like Friday's can do for a team's mentality. After Wednesday's loss, the Mustangs (11-9) were teetering and in the cellar of the Bay Division. Now, they are feeling pretty good about themselves heading into a series with Carlmont, another team looking that figures to be on the verge of a second-half boost.

"We will enjoy this one, but we get back to work Monday to get ready for a tough Carlmont team," Wilson said.

The Mustangs scored a run in the first inning against Menlo-Atherton flamethrower Wes Peterson. They then broke it open with three runs in the fifth.

Lucas Zayac led off with a double and Anakin Manuel walked. A walk to Will Hafer loaded the baes. Billy Ferreira then doubled home two runs to give Cap a 3-0 lead. The Mustangs added their fourth run on a sacrifice fly by Will Hafer sacrifice fly.

That was more than enough for Mendel, who allowed just two singles to junior second baseman Ryder Kelly. He struck out 10.

"He really did a good job of commanding location and keeping a very good team off balance," Wilson said.

W: Mendel. L: Peterson. 2 hits- Kelly (MA). 2 RBI- Ferreira (C). 2B- Ferreira (C), Zayac (C).

Carlmont 8, The King's Academy 0

Jonathan Fong went the distance, allowing just three hits in a 71-pitch shutout.

The victory was the Scots' third straight and completed a sweep of The King's Academy, which has lost three of four PAL Bay Division games since returning from its spring break.

Carlmont (8-9) scored two runs in the first inning.

Tyler Webster and Jason Tofigh singled to put runners on first and second. A ground out moved both runners into scoring position and Aidan O'Driscoll followed with a two-run double that staked the Scots to a lead they would never relinquish.

Carlmont broke it open with three runs in the firth.

O'Driscoll finished with a season-high four RBI, while Henry Massey drove in two runs.

W: Fong. L: Castro. 2 hits- O'Driscoll (C). 4 RBI: O'Droscoll (C). 2 RBI- Massey. 2B- O'Driscoll (C).

Hillsdale 5, Sequoia 4

These types of games are becoming far too common for the Ravens, who dropped another contest by dropping the ball.

Sequoia made two tough errors in the bottom of the sixth inning after scoring three runs in the top of the inning to tie the game at four.

Up until the sixth, Robby Golbert had been cruising for the Knights, but a two-run single by Cameron Abrams was the big hit for Sequoia.

But in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Jackson Snodgrass led off with a hard hit one-hopper to shortstop that wasn't fielded cleanly by Drew Ostrander.

Gabriel Urquidez pinch-ran for Snodgrass and advanced all the way to third when the Sequoia corners crashed in on Jacob-Charlz Gementera's sacrifice bunt. Urquidez scored when Bennet Young's hard-hit grounder to short again wasn't fielded.

Hugo Guzman, who pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of Gilbert, picked up the victory.

W: Guzman. L: Winfield. 3 hits- Belloni (H).2 hits **Young (H), Guzman (H), Snodgrass (H). 3 RBI- Young (H). 2 RBI- Belloni (H), Abrams (S). 2B- Johnson (S), Skidmore (H).

Mills 9, Rancho San Juan 4

Giovanni Angelini went four innings to pick up the win and collected three hits for the Vikings, who spotted Rancho San Juan a four-run first-inning lead and gradually chipped away at it.

Tino Janke, Jayden Chan and Kendrick Choi had two hits each.

Janke pitched three innings of near-perfect relief, allowing just one hit in picking up the save.

The Vikings (5-8) took the lead for good with a three-run fifth inning. Janke singled, Angelini walked and Matt Juul doubled in a run. Choi's sacrifice fly provided the second run of the inning and Joshua Huei had an RBI grounder.

W: Angelini. L: Stockton. S: Jenke. 3 hits- Casaraz (RSJ), Angelini (M). 2 hits- Janke (M), Choi (M), Chan (M), Saldana (RSJ). 2 RBI- Choi (M), Chan (M), Stockton (RSJ), Figueroa-Cardona (RSJ). 3B- Casarez (RSJ). 2B- Brown (M), Chan (M), Juul (M), Casarez (RSJ), Figueroa-Cardona.