The Piedmont High School baseball team defeated visiting St. Helena 13-3 on March 18 to improve to 6-2 on the young season.
Peter Krumins went five innings for the win, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out 10 against one walk. Ellis Moss came on to pitch the sixth and finish the game, which ended on the mercy rule.
The Hawks got two runs in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. The Highlanders answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Krumins drew a bases loaded walk. Moss grounded into a double play in the fourth, which scored Dimitri Papahadjopoulos to tie the score.
St. Helena got a run in the fifth to go back ahead, but Piedmont exploded for nine in the bottom of the inning to take control.
Markos Lagios hit a two-run home run to put the Highlanders up, 4-3. Ryan McConathy singled in one and later scored on a wild pitch. Papahadjopoulos scored on an error and John Olsen scored on another wild pitch. Lagios doubled in two more and Krumins knocked him in with a double.
On March 15, Piedmont defeated host St. Patrick-St. Vincent, 9-2. Michael Aikawa got the win on the mound, pitching four shutout innings and allowed one run on no hits. Olsen allowed one run on three hits in the final three innings.
Aikawa had eight strikeouts and Olsen had four. Aikawa also walked two.
Aikawa also had a big day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. The Highlanders had a six-run fifth to break the game open. McConathy stole home to get the rally going. Aikawa doubled in a run and another scored on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Lagios.
On March 11, Piedmont dropped a 4-3 decision against Berean Christian at Concord High. Seve Sanchez went the distance and took the loss, as the Eagles won it in the bottom of the seventh when Damon Neu doubled in the tying run and then scored on an infield single by Josh Ting.
Sanchez allowed four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and a walk. Neu got the win after getting the final two outs in the top of the seventh.
The Highlanders scored single runs in the first, third and fifth to take a 3-0 lead. Berean Christian got two in the bottom of the fifth before winning the game in the seventh.
Lagios was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Aikawa was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
On March 8, Piedmont fell at home to San Leandro, 9-0. Xavier Marquez and Tayshaun Harris combined on a four-hit shutout for the Pirates, with Marquez going the first six and allowing all four hits. He struck out 10 and walked two.
Krumins went the first two innings and took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits. Jack Meyjes came up from JV and had two of the Highlanders’ hits.
Photos by Mark Aikawa