Mendel zeroes in for Cap

SAN BRUNO – Following Capuchino's 7-0 win over visiting Carlmont on Thursday, senior Declan Mendel – the right-handed pitcher who has just authored his third consecutive shutout victory – was nowhere to be found.

While his teammates reveled in their third straight victory and a series sweep of the Scots, Mendel was on the warning track running poles. That's foul pole to foul pole for those wondering.

Just minutes earlier, he shut down Carlmont on four hits, while striking out two and walking just one.

His scoreless streak teetered in the fourth inning when Carlmont put runners on first and third, but catcher Lucas Zayac caught Zack Luzzo halfway down the line – a missed sign or a blown suicide squeeze play? – and he got the last out of the inning without fanfare.

"That was big," Mendel said. "I don't know what he was doing. It definitely took some weight off my shoulders because I didn't want to give up any runs. The game was still close at that point."

At that point, the Mustangs (13-9) had a 2-0 lead. They would break it open with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning in a big – or very small – way. Bryce Brooks led off the inning with a bunt single. He stole second and stayed there on Cameron Chin's walk. Andres Gomez then did what he does best by beating out a bunt of his own to load the bases.

Lucas Zayac followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 and Travis Ciardella, the hero of Wednesday's 7-6 victory, delivered a two-run double down the right-field line to make it 5-0.

The win is further proof that Cap has righted the ship after a slump earlier this month. The Mustangs are hitting again and that makes them a team to watch as the CCS bids begin going out next month.

"They know how important it is to get back to CCS," said Cap coach Matt Wilson. "Last year was special, and they all felt it. They all want that back again this year, and they know that we have to win in league to make that happen."

W: Mendel L: Fong. 3 hits- A. Gomez (Cap). 2 hits- Ciardella (Cap), Hafer (Cap), Brooks (Cap). 2 RBI- Zayac (Cap), Ciardella (Cap). 2B- Ciardella (Cap), Zayac (Cap), Goetz (Carl), Luzzo (Carl).

Aragon 2, San Mateo 1

The Dons completed the sweep of the Bearcats, thanks to a two-run second inning and the pitching of senior lefty Mason Miller.

Miller went six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing just one run. He struck out two. Dalton Kane picked up the save but made it interesting by loading the bases in the seventh and then wiggling out of the jam.

W: Miller. L: Copus. S: Kane. 3 hits- Morales (SM). 2 hits- Sardesi (SM), Okamura (SM), Shanker (A). 2B- Olivas (SM), Shanker (A).

Terra Nova 15, El Camino 2

The Tigers, who allowed a nine-run inning to Carlmont on Saturday, had another big inning of their own on Thursday – this one of 12-run third inning that featured 17 batters and eight hits.

Aiden James had two hits in three RBI – in the third inning alone.

JT Snead's bases-loaded double cleared the bases and staked the Tigers to a 3-0 lead, but they were just getting started. Evan Wilson and James followed with singles that plated another run.

It all steamrolled from there.

The series sweep allowed the Tigers to stay within striking distance of Menlo School. And a favorable schedule down the stretch should allow them to continue padding their overall record.

Luke Ornelas and Wilson added two hits each, while winning pitcher Jesse Martinez had a two-run single, part of the Tigers' 12-hit attack.

W: Martinez. L: Bromaghim. 2 hits- Orlenas (TN), Wilson (TN), James (TN). 4 RBI- JT Snead (TN). 3 RBI- James (TN). 2 RBI- Wilson (TN), Martinez (TN). 3B- Ornelas (TN). 2B- Wilson (TN), Donati (TN), Martinez (TN), JT Snead (TN), Inguez (EC), Jang (EC).

Half Moon Bay 10, Woodside 2

Maverick Johnson went the distance, scattering six hits and two runs on 77 pitches for the Cougars, who completed the sweep on the road.

Half Moon Bay, playing without shortstop Riley Jackson, pounded out 12 hits and took charge of the game with a four-run second inning.

Connor Heath and Brady Miller led off the second with consecutive singles. Two outs later, a Paxton Holden single loaded the bases. Gio Ormando followed with a double that scored two and gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

Run-scoring singles by sophomore Lane Gianinni and Jason Couto gave Half Moon Bay (8-12) a 4-1 lead. The would pad that lead with five runs in the fourth inning.

Couto had three hits, while Ormando, Giannini, Miller and Holden, who was called up from the junior varsity to play shortstop for the injured Jackson, had two hits each.

Woodside, which dropped its sixth game in its last eight outings, was led by two hits from Cruz Torres.

W: Johnson. L: Hohl. 3 hits- Couto (HMB). 2 hits- Ormando (HMB), Giannini (HMB), Miller (HMB), Holden (HMB), Torres (W). 2 RBI- Ormando (HMB), Heath (HMB), Arias-Torres (W). 2B- Amoroso (W), Miller (HMB), Ormando (HMB), Couto (HMB).

Menlo School 3, Mills 0

Jackson Flanagan did it again. The right-hander who baffled Terra Nova last week in Menlo's 6-0 victory over Terra Nova, which gave the Knights sole possession of first place in the Peninsula Athletic League's Ocean Division, tossed another shutout on Thursday.

This time, he held Mills to six hits, while striking out just one in a 75-pitch complete game.

Flanagan outdueled Mills right-hander Tino Janke, who pitched well in picking up the loss.

Renner Barnett and Zach Roeder had two hits each for the Knights (12-7), who have now won nine straight games, the longest active winning streak on the Peninsula.

Nick Lafon had two hits for Mills (5-10).

W: Flanagan. L: Janke. 2 hits- Barnett (MS), Roeder (MS), Nick Lafon (M). 3B- Chavinson (MS). 2B- Barnett (MS), Brown (M).

St. Ignatius Prep 5, Sacred Heart Cathedral 0

Finn Demuth pitched a season high five innings, throwing 84 pitches as St. Ignatius Prep returned to the WCAL season with the shutout victory.

Demuth allowed just two hits, while striking out eight. Tycco Giametti faced the minimum of six batters in two innings of work and struck out three.

Up 1-0, the Wildcats (11-7-2), St. Ignatius Prep broke open the game with four runs in the fifth. Atticus Gibson doubled, and Jack Callen singled to put runners on second and third.

After Jacob Vines struck out Archer Horn, Emmett Johnson singled in two runs to make it 3-0. DJ Delaney walked, and Beau Schaffer followed with a sacrifice fly. The Wildcats' final run came on a wild pitch.

Johnson had two stolen bases for St. Ignatius.

W: Demuth. L: Vines. 2 RBI- Johnson (SI). 2B- Schaffer (SI), Gibson (SI).