ORINDA, CA - Miramonte advanced to the NCS Division III championship game on Tuesday afternoon, with a decisive 13-1 win over cross-town rival Campolindo that ended after five innings.
The Matadors (27-0) steamrolled to victory with a merciless 10-run outburst in the bottom of the third inning, which saw them tally just seven hits.
"I tell the guys after every game that I'm really proud of them," Miramonte coach Vince Dell'Aquilla said. "This team has seemed to catch fire very quickly. Now the pressure is on to finish on Saturday with a win."
After a walk by Sam Liang and a single by Elijah Hodges, Miramonte jumped ahead 4-1 when Will Cassriel singled on a bunt to Campolindo pitcher Michael Crews. The Matadors added another run when the next hitter, Ben Jungbluth, hit a fly ball to right field. Nick Foster grounded into a fielder's choice making it 6-1. Two batters later, Casey McGonigle's ground ball into right field scored two more runs.
After a walk to Tim Tague, Liang reached first base on a catcher's interference to drive another run. Hodges followed that up with a two-run single to right, and his run on a wild pitch put the Matadors up 13-1.
“We knew that Campolindo was a strong team, but we capitalized on their mistakes,” Tague said.
Tague took care of business on the mound as well, allowing only a run after two batters, and striking out three batters in the process.
In the second inning, Crews induced Jake Hassard to hit into a fielder's choice, but allowed Jungbluth to score.
McGonigle tripled off of Crews, driving in another run to give Miramonte a 3-1 lead after two.
Both teams recorded a run in the opening inning. Campolindo (14-13) struck first on a single by second baseman Michael Hooper just two batters into the game. Hodges' sacrifice fly to left field evened the score at 1-1 for the Matadors.
Miramonte will face either two seed Analy or three seed Drake in the NCS Division III championship game on Saturday afternoon at noon at St. Mary's College.
"If we can cap off this season with a win in the final, for the ship, for the perfect season, there can't be a greater feeling than that," McGonigle said.
