Josh Pattee’s sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning scored Heritage catcher Chris Troye with the first run of the game, and the Patriots went on to the 5-0 win over Berkeley on Saturday afternoon in the North Coast Section Division I quarterfinals, advancing to the section semifinals for the second straight season.
Heritage was actually held hitless through the first four innings by Berkeley starter Reuben Drogin, but Troye broke the drought to lead off the top of the fifth. Oscar Murray followed with a single into left field, and Tyler Franks’ sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position. Pattee then entered the game, and lofted a 1-1 pitch deep enough to right field for Troye to race home with the first run.
Drogin escaped the fifth without any further damage, but after Heritage starting pitcher Jacob Jackson set the Yellowjackets down in order in the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots went back to work in the top of the sixth.
Gio Diaz drew a leadoff walk, and Noah Daubin’s sacrifice bunt attempt dribbled perfectly down the third base line, resulting in an infield hit. After Drogin got Jake Cosgrove to fly out to center, Diaz and Daubin executed a double steal to both move into scoring position. Stephen Murphy then drove a 2-1 pitch deep to left field, over the head of Justice Paraiso-Caceres for a two-run double.
“I was just looking for a ball I could get up in the air and drive since the infield was in with one out,” Murphy said. “I felt like I got all of it, and I thought it might go out, but I was maybe under it just a little.”
Marquis Washington then entered the game as a pinch runner for Murphy, and after taking third base on a passed ball, scored on Troye’s ground ball deep in the hole to shortstop. Berkeley’s Max Burdock made a great play to record the out, but Washington scored easily to build a four-run lead heading to the bottom of the sixth.
Heritage added one final insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Gio Diaz smashed a triple into the left-center gap, scoring Caleb Bower, who had walked with two outs. The five runs were plenty for Jackson and Walker Brinkman, who pitched the final one and two-thirds innings. The same two pitchers teamed up for Tuesday’s win over Amador Valley, but in reverse order.
“I was just focused on throwing strikes, working quick, and continuing to get ground balls and pop ups that my defense could handle,” Jackson said. “I felt like I had a lot left in me at the end, but I also knew that Walker would get it done.”
Berkeley threatened early in the game, putting runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the first, but Jackson induced Drogin to ground into a double play, with Diaz and Cosgrove making the turn in the middle of the infield. That set the tone for Jackson, who allowed just three hits and struck out a pair.
“That double play was easily one of the biggest plays of the game,” Jackson said. “It was a confidence booster, knowing my defense was there for me.”
Drogin pitched well for Berkeley, going the distance, allowing just five hits, but two of them were the big run-scoring drives by Murphy and Diaz.
With the win, Heritage now faces Monte Vista in the Division I semifinals, Tuesday at the Mustangs’ home field.
10 seed Tamalpais moves on to semifinals
Tamalpais picked up another upset win on Saturday afternoon, taking down one of last year’s Division II finalists, Northgate, 4-2.
Andrew Frame went 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead the offense for the Red-Tailed Hawks, while Sean Loder went the distance on the mound, scattering seven hits while striking out five.
Tamalpais will take on Arroyo in the semifinals.
Casa Grande takes down Marin Catholic
Casa Grande got contributions from throughout the lineup, and put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, beating Marin Catholic 7-2 in the Division II quarterfinals.
Max Cerini, John Green, and Eddie Bermudez each had two hits for the Gauchos. Chris Joaquim picked up the win on the mound, allowing one hit in five innings while striking out five.
Casa Grande will host Ukiah in the semifinals.
Ukiah overcomes early deficit to beat Petaluma
Karter Koch turned in a strong five-inning start, Devin Kirby closed things, and the Ukiah offense scored twice in the fourth and three more times in the fifth to overcome an early two-run hole and beat Petaluma, 6-2, in the Division II quarterfinals.
Logan Douglas and Brad Smith had early run-scoring hits for the Trojans, but sophomore Aiden Vannucci had a pair of doubles and two RBI, while Kirby added two more RBI to pace the Wildcats.
Koch scattered six hits in five innings, before Kirby came in and tossed two hitless innings to finish the victory.
Ukiah plays at Casa Grande in the semifinals.
Campo holds off Kennedy
Campolindo held off a late seventh inning rally to down Kennedy-Fremont, 7-6, in the Division III quarterfinals.
Ryan McNally had a pair of hits and Michael Hooper had two RBI to pace the Cougars’ offense. Hooper two-run single in the top of the sixth gave Campolindo a 5-4 lead, and Matt Mead extended the lead with a two-out double.
Campolindo advances to face top seed Miramonte in the semifinals.
