Winning breeds confidence at Riordan

They might be loud and chirpy. Annoying, some might say. Arrogant even.

But the Riordan Crusaders – a team that has had very little to beat its collective chest about in the last decade or two – are off to a 3-1-1 start.

On Friday, they used every ounce of their newfound aura to beat Rallin Covey — and Sacred Heart Prep 6-3 — on Friday afternoon.

It didn’t necessarily work. Covey, the USC commit, threw well, allowing two hits while striking out eight. He also didn’t allow an earned run. But the Gators’ defense didn’t offer much help either by committing four errors.

“We were trying to keep it short,” said Riordan head coach Craig Sargent. “Our plan was to go the opposite way and not try to do too much against him.”

The Crusaders got to Covey and the Gators in the second following an error and hit batter to start the frame. They took advantage of the miscues when third baseman Kane Cook launched a two-run double that just barely missed going over the fence in left field.

Cook also cashed in when his slow roller was mishandled and thrown away by Gators third baseman Nico Pollioni, producing two more runs for Riordan.

Nathan Zuromski ended the drama with a no-doubter the opposite way, clearing the 20-foot net to help his own cause. He relieved for lefty starter Logan Tuman, who threw four innings of two-run ball while striking out seven. Zuromski allowed three baserunners in the final three innings to close it out.

Sacred Heart Prep’s only runs came in the first when Pollioni singled home a pair to give the Gators a 3-0 lead.

Three Things We Liked

• Chase Oliver might’ve struck out twice in four at-bats, but his right field approach makes him a threat from the leadoff spot. Riordan’s center fielder started the season 4-for-10 with two homers and nine runs batted in. His booming second-inning double one-hopped over the right-center field fence — the deepest part of Mayer Family Field — to tie the game at 3.
• The big-league expertise of Bill Laskey is ringing true on the youngins. The former Giants hurler turned pitching coach visited the mound during starter Logan Tuman's tumultuous 32-pitch first inning. “He's awesome,” Tuman said. “He really just talked me through the whole inning — telling me what I need to do better, what I need to change and fix. That really helped me get through it.”
• Diego Aguilar- Montenegro is quite the trooper. He was drilled in the head by Covey — arguably one of the hardest throwers in the Peninsula — and remained in the game. Taking a high-velocity pitch off the dome is one thing, but having to immediately dust off and run the bases is another. Aguilar- Montenegro prevailed, chugging first-to-third on Kane Cook’s double and scoring when the throwback squirted away.

Play of the Game

Gators senior Jackson Selcher was convinced his ground ball to right field would provide the momentum his team needed to start the sixth inning, trailing by two runs. Instead, he returned to the dugout completely dumbfounded. Crusaders right fielder Keoni Ordonez charged what should’ve been a table-setting seeing-eye single and fired a rocket to first, retiring Selcher by a step.

“This is his third one this year,” Sargent said. “He's honestly one of the best defenders in our entire program.”

He Said It

“I feel like it's mostly the other teams egging us on. We always get really into it after we hear some chirping and stuff on the other side. I feel like that really gets us going, and we get hyped.” Zuromski had a clear explanation about growing reputation around the team.

Up Next

Riordan is back in action on the road against Leigh on Saturday while Sacred Heart Prep faces off against visiting San Mateo (3-1).

-- Steven Rissotto

W: Zuromski. L: Pollioni. 2 hits- Schmalzle (SHP). 2 RBI- Pollioni (SHP). HR- Zurumski (R). 2B- Oliver (R), Cook (R).

Terra Nova 8, San Lorenzo Valley 4

The Tigers salvaged the final game of a tough week by pounding out 10 hits and picking up their first victory of the year.

The week began with a walk-off loss to No. 4 Capuchino – a game Terra Nova led throughout and rallied to tie. A day later, the Tigers lost again in walk-off fashion, this time to University.

It wasn't going to happen again. The Tigers broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Evan Wilson. They added three insurance runs in the seventh and then rode the arm of Jesse Martinez, who picked up the win in relief.

Sophomore outfielder Wes McDougal had hits in his first two trips to the plate, meaning he had eight hits in his first 10 varsity plate appearances. Brody Finale, another sophomore, had two hits and two RBI for the Tigers.

Martinez had two RBI, while catcher Joseph Donati had two hits.

The Tigers will travel to Lowell on Saturday for an 11 a.m. game.

W: Martinez. L: Sharbry. 2 hits- McDougal (TN), Donati (TN), Finale (TN), Renteria (SLV), Bruce (SLV), Edner (SLV). 2 RBI- Finale (TN), Martinez (TN). 2B- McDougal (TN), Renteria (SLV).

Capuchino 3, Santa Cruz 2

Declan Mendel struck out 10 over six innings to improve to 2-o this season.

The senior right-hander was nearly perfect until the sixth inning when the Cardinals (1-1) struck for two runs. Mendel allowed just two hits before giving way to Andres Gomez, who picked up the save.

Capuchino (5-1) scored all of its runs in the first two innings. Yulio Cerone had a run-scoring single for the Mustangs, while Lucas Zayac had a second-inning sacrifice fly that put them ahead, 3-0.

W: Mendel. L: Graff. S: A.Gomez. 2B- DeCosta (SC), Deworken (SC).

Hillsdale 3, Mills 2

The Knights held off a late Vikings rally to win a one-run game and level their record to 2-2.

Robbie Gilbert struck out six over 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Mills senior Nate Lafon was a tough-luck loser, allowing three runs in five innings while striking out nine.

Jacob Bonner and Jonathan Chong had two hits each for Hillsdale, while sophomore catcher Parker Jessup and Curtis Lee each had a run-scoring hit.

Jayden Chan had two hits for the Vikings (0-4).

W: Gilbert. L: Nate Lafon. 2 hits- Chan (M), Chong (H), Bonner (H).

Sequoia 16, Woodside 4

Morgan Winfield threw three innings to pick up the victory, but his biggest contribution came at the plate. The junior had three hits, including a home run and a double, and drove in a season-high five runs as the Ravens improved to 2-2.

Catcher Logan Mathias had two hits – both doubles – and drove in three, while Vince Oliger-Giani had two RBI and scored three runs,

Jeremiah Arias Torres, Carter Ball and Cruz Torres had two hits each for the Wildcats (1-3).

W: Winfield. L: Hohl. 3 hits- Winfield. 2 hits- Mathias (S), Arias Torres (W), Ball (W), Torres (W). 5 RBI- Winfield (S). 3 RBI- Mathias (S). HR- Winfield (S). 2B- Winfield (S), Mathias (S) 2, Ostrander (S)), Arias Torres (W), Torres ((W), Cattaneo (W).

Jesuit 6, Bellarmine 5

The Bells lost a one-run game to the unbeaten Marauders in Carmichael, despite a double and three RBI from Evan Tavarez.

The senior now has driven in seven runs this season and is hitting .455.

W: Page. L: Pera. 3 hits- Erdmann (J). 2 hits- Bara (J). 3 RBI- Tavarez (B). 2B- Tavarez (B).

Serra 15, Lincoln (Stockton) 5

Senior shortstop Ian Josephson continued his torrid start to the season by collecting four hits, including a home run and two doubles, scoring four runs and driving in four more as the unbeaten Padres had their biggest offensive showing of the season.

Evan Bradshaw had two hits and two RBI, while, catcher Jack Armstrong and first baseman William Walbridge drove in two runs each.

Jack Wessell, Armstrong, Bradshaw and Tyler Harrison had doubles.

W: Colderon. L: Hill. 4 hits- Josephson (S). 2 hits- Bradshaw (S). 4 RBI- Josephson (S). 2 RBI- Bradshaw (S), Armstrong (S), Walbridge (S).HR- Josephson 2B- Josephson (S) 2, Bradshaw (S)), Armstrong (S), Wessell (S), Harrison.

Saint Francis 3, Mountain View 2, 8 innings

The Lancers delivered another walk-off win on a Tanner Wall double in the eighth inning.

Jack Leeper led off the eighth with a walk. He stole second and scored on Wall's first hit of the night.

Brody Laroque came out of the bullpen to pick up the victory. Reid Cole threw the first five innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out nine.

The Lancers (4-1) travel to Menlo-Atherton (4-1) for a noon game on Saturday.

W: Laroque. L: Huang. 2B- Wall (SF), Hill (SF).