SAN JOSE - Top seed Leigh had lived dangerously in the first two rounds of the Central Coast Section Division I baseball playoffs. It looked like the Longhorns might get away with it again in the semifinals against rival Leland, until the Chargers broke things open in the top of the sixth inning for the 4-1 victory.
After beating Evergreen Valley and Branham each by one run, Leigh again carried a one-run lead into the late innings against Leland. This time, however, the Chargers made the Longhorns pay. Leland opened the top of the sixth with three straight singles to load the bases with no outs, and Joey Taddie then put the Chargers in front with his two-run single to center. With one out, Matt Ames then doubled to right field, scoring both Michael Garcia and Taddie for the 4-1 lead.
The big sixth inning made a winner out of Garcia, who went the distance on the mound for Leland. Garcia allowed just three hits, though he walked four. Taddie and Lucas Mirizzi both had two-hit days for the Chargers. Mitchell Dowd threw a complete game for Leigh in the loss.
Leland now faces either Bellarmine or Mountain View in Saturday's Division I final at Municipal Stadium.
