Padres, Crawford remain unbeaten

Serra steps onto the field each day knowing it will be facing the opposition's A Game. That's the price you pay for being perhaps the Peninsula's most successful legacy program.

"We're used to it," says junior right-hander Kelley Crawford. "Everyone wants to beat us. A lot of teams play us like it's the World Series."

Last year, Capuchino's second biggest win of the year – second only to the CCS championship-clinching victory over Piedmont – was a 5-4 win against the Serra Padres.

Crawford made sure history didn't repeat itself Wednesday.

He allowed a second-inning single to Travis Ciardella. And then retired the next 14 hitters, most on infield grounders and lazy fly balls. It was both effective and efficient.

"The mentality coming in was I wanted to go long," he said. "I wanted to put the ball on the floor, and to get some outs."

Meanwhile, Serra scored runs in its first two innings and broke it open in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer from Davis Minton, whose majestic flyball cleared the short porch – and high netting.

The Padres closed out the scoring in the sixth when pinch-hitter Ethan Matthews' first hit of the season. After a Jack Armstrong sacrifice bunt, Jack Wessell drilled a double past the third base to make it 5-0.

Three Things We Liked

• Ten days into the season, we're still trying to find a hole in Ian Josephson's game. There isn't one. On Wednesday, his swing – which accounted for two hits – was as pretty as usual, but so was his defense. The shortstop made six putouts, including two slow hoppers that required him to charge and throw off balance to first base. In a perfect world, he would have ended the game with a 6-3 double play, but the umpire ruled he missed tagging second base before throwing to first.
• We still like Cap's pedal-to-the-metal style. The way to stop the Mustangs is to keep them off the basepaths. Matt Wilson's aggressive-by-nature squad managed just two baserunners in the game. You can't steal first base.
• Pinstripes. Both teams wore pinstripes on Wednesday – Serra in its traditional home whites, which always look good. The Mustangs' duds might have been better, though. Gray with dark green pinstripes and gold trim.

He Said it

"It feels good to get one out of here. The wind usually blows in from right field and knocks down a lot of balls, making it play a lot bigger than it looks." – Serra third baseman Davis Minton.

Up Next

Capuchino (4-1) travels to Santa Cruz on Friday, while Serra will host Lincoln of Stockton.

W: Crawford. L: Gomez. 2 hits- Josephson (S). HR- D. Minton (S). 2B- Wessell (S).

Mitty 9, Palo Alto 2

The Monarchs advanced to Saturday's championship game of the Mike Hazlett tourney with the lopsided victory over Palo Alto.

They'll face the winner of Thursday's semifinal game between host Wilcox and WCAL rival Valley Christian.

Junior infielder Austin Mak had three hits, while Tyler Manago, another junior, collected two hits for Mitty, which got a strong pitching performance from senior Monty Sunderland.

Senior shortstop Waylon Walsh, who had his first three-hit game of the season on Monday night, hit his first home run in this one. He also drove in three runs.

Derek Allen and Ethan Chase added doubles for the Monarchs. Paly's only extra-base hit was a double by Jonathan Nguyen.

W: Sunderland. L: White. 3 hits- Mak (M). 2 hits- Manago (M). 3 RBI- Walsh (M). HR- Walsh (M). 2B- Allen (M) Chase (M) Nguyen (PA).

Sacred Heart Prep 10, Mills 2

The Sacred Heart Prep bats, which all but vanished during the Battle for Atherton, came to life on Wednesday.

The Gators (2-2) pounded out 14 hits – or more than their combined total from the first three games of the season – against the Vikings (0-3).

Connor Schmalzle and Nico Pollioni had three hits each, while Thomas Moldow chipped in with two base hits.

Schmalzle had two doubles and drove in three runs for the Gatos, who will travel to Riordan on Friday.

The offensive output was more than enough support for lefty Devin Saltzgaber, who scattered three runs over six innings to earn the decision. The senior struck out four Vikings.

W: Saltzgaber. L: Jenke. 3 hits- Schmalzle (SHP), Pollioni (SHP). 2 hits- Moldow (SHP). 3 RBI- Schmalzle (SHP). 2 RBI- Selcher (SHP). 2B- Schmalzle (SHP) 2, Parker (SHP), Selcher (SHP).

Burlingame 11, El Camino 3

Ea Leialoha worked four innings, allowing two runs while striking out four as the Panthers improved to 4-0 with a victory over winless El Camino.

The Panthers pounded out eight hits, including three from Drew Gall and two from Mark O'Grady, who drive in three runs.

Slade Flores added a double and two RBI for Burlingame, who will next host Sacred Heart Cathedral on Tuesday.

El Camino (0-4) was paced by a three-hit effort from Nicholas Jang, while Mikealo Osorio had a double.

W: Leialoha. L: Tanayo. 3 hits- Jang (EC), Gall (B). 2 hits- O'Grady. 3 RBI- O'Grady (B). 2 RBI- Flores (B). 2B- Osorio (EC), Flores (B).

San Mateo 9, Lincoln (SF) 1

Christian Louie scattered two hits, while picking up three at the plate as the Bearcats improved to 3-1 with the victory.

Neel Sardesai drove in three runs for San Mateo, while Wilson Morales and Jesus Olivas had two hits each.

The Bearcats will travel to Sacred Heart Prep on Saturday for an 11 a.m. game.

W: Louie. L: Malizia. 3 hits- Louie (SM). 2 hits- Morales (SM), Olivas (SM), Bleess (SM). 3 RBI- Sardesai (SM). 2B- Sardesai (SM), Morales (SM).