The Highlanders beat Hayward 8-0 in a West Alameda County Conference (WACC) – Shoreline Division semi-final game on May 7. The victory came on senior night for the team. The Highlanders play next for the WACC-Shoreline championship against rival Encinal on May 9 at 3:30PM at Laney College.
Ben Levinson 
Kyle Spanier with Coach Nick Safir 
Cal Barna
Ben Levinson pitched a very efficient complete game, notching his 5th victory of the year. He allowed only 3 hits and struck out 7 batters. He needed only 77 pitches – 73% of which were strikes – in the complete game effort. The Piedmont defense supported Levinson’s pitching with only 1 error in the game. Catcher Cal Barna pulled off a dramatic double play by catching a pop-up bunt and then doubling a Hayward runner off second base.
Lucas Derr and family 
Jonah Sanders and family 
Trent Settlemier and family
The offense put together a two-out rally for a 6-run second inning. They added one run each in the 4th and 6th innings.
In the 2nd, senior Lucas Derr got things started with a single, and then stole second base. He scored when senior Jonah Sanders singled to right field. Barna singled to left and Senior Trent Settlemier was hit by pitch to load the bases, bringing senior Owen Levinson to the plate. Levinson sharply singled to left, scoring Sanders and Barna. Settlemier and Levinson pulled off a double steal, and senior Joe Sassi singled up the middle, scoring Settlemier. Sassi then stole second, and advanced to third as Levinson scored on a wild pitch. Kyle Spanier singled to bring in Sassi, and Piedmont led 6-0.
Owen Levinson and family 
Joe Sassi and family 
Aidan Dixon and family
The Highlanders added a run in the 4th when Owen Levinson singled, Sassi was hit by a pitch, and Spanier hit another single, this time bringing in Levinson. Piedmont led 7-0.
In the Highlander 6th, senior Aidan Dixon blasted a double down the left field line. Dixon scored when Spanier hit one high off the wall in left field for a double to drive in the final run of the game.
Ryan Fitzgerald and family 
Paul Woolcott and family
Coach Eric Olson said that “It was exciting to see the team get a decisive, clean win on Senior Day. We had seniors fill the entire infield and outfield today. This group of seniors has brought so much to the program, and we hopefully have more to go! And Ben Levinson hurled an absolute gem today. I can’t wait for our next game!”
Myles Smith and family 
Nick Parker and dad
Spanier had three RBI’s to go with his 3 hits, Owen Levinson had 2 RBI’s to go with his 2 hits., and Sassi and Sanders each added one RBI. The team stole four bases on the day – one each by Derr, Settlemeier, Owen Levinson, and Sassi. Seven different Highlanders scored runs, with Levinson scoring twice.
Photos by Julie Moll