SAN JOSE – The St. Francis Lancers are playing their best baseball of the season and their timing could not be more perfect. Heading into Wednesday’s matchup with Soquel in the CCS Open Division semifinals, St. Francis was on an 11-game win streak.
When the Lancers walked out of San Jose Municipal Stadium, the streak had been extended to 12 games, following a 7-1 victory over the Knights.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth, Andrew Martinez took ball four to allow a run to score, putting St. Francis up 3-0. Two pitches later, Johnny Mendoza singled up the middle, allowing Conor Thane and Jeremy Ydens to score, extending the Lancer lead to 5-0.
“We were just working hard these past couple days, working with our pitching coaches, throwing BP just like [Troy Miller, Soquel starting pitcher],” said Mendoza on St. Francis’ offensive production.
The deficit proved to be too much for Soquel to overcome, especially with UCLA-bound Ydens on the mound for St. Francis. The junior lasted 6 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing three hits and a run while striking out six.
“I was just trying to attack the strike zone. Throw strikes, trust my pitching coach and the pitches called,” said Ydens. “Johnny (Mendoza) did a great job helping me out back there.”
“We did our homework on him and he’s going to move his pitches in and out, he’s going to pitch the way he pitches,” said Soquel coach Robert Zuniga. “We just tried to put some at bats together, we knew it was going to be tough sledding.”
And tough sledding it was.
The only at bats Soquel put together came in the top of the seventh inning as Ydens reached the end of his outing. Kevin Armacost led off the inning with a hit by pitch, and then advanced to second when Thomas Tomaselli reached on an error at second base.
After a fielder’s choice and a pitching change, Dalton Nieminen singled to right to score Armacost. But the rally stopped there, as Jared Audisio grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
The loss puts an end to Soquel’s season with a record of 24-7, which also included a third consecutive Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title.
“I’m very proud of my boys,” said Zuniga. “They need to look back, this is kind of a historic trip for Soquel baseball. We’re back-to-back-to-back league champs; this is our second time in the Open division… We can compete up here.”
As for St. Francis, the Lancers (28-5) continue on to the CCS Finals, where they will take on the winner of Wednesday’s night game between Los Gatos and Carlmont. St. Francis fell to Los Gatos earlier this season by a score of 13-12. The Lancers are looking for their second CCS title over the last three years.
“We have to have a great approach, we have to play tough, we have to grind, we have to scrap,” said coach Mike Oakland. “We have to hope we can capitalize on some mistakes and play good defense.”
