Willow Glen jumped out to a quick three-run lead and made it stand in a 5-3 win over host Sobrato Thursday afternoon in Blossom Valley Athletic League Mount Hamilton baseball action.
The win, the Rams' second in a row over the Bulldogs, enabled Willow Glen (9-6, 8-4 BVAL-MH) to keep pace with the top teams in the division, in a second-place tie with Leigh, one game behind first-place Westmont. With the loss, Sobrato (5-9, 4-8) fell five games off the pace.
Junior first baseman Jimmy Riley launched a three-run home run in the first inning to give Willow Glen an early 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs answered right back in their half of the first inning with a pair of runs to pull within 3-2. Senior designated hitter Casey Conforti hit a two-run blast to drive in center fielder Zayne Patino, who had singled. Patino later hit a home run himself in the bottom of the sixth to pull Sobrato to within 4-3.
Willow Glen extended its lead to 5-3 on an RBI double by third baseman Justin Bruce to score pitcher Kenny Corey, who had doubled to lead off the seventh. Corey (2-1) went the distance to pick up the win despite allowing the two home runs. He struck out seven and walked only two.
Sobrato hosts Santa Cruz Tuesday afternoon (4 pm) in a non-league contest. Willow Glen takes on Mountain View Wednesday (1 pm) in a tournament at Leland.
