The Piedmont High School baseball team dropped a pair of nonleague games and is now 4-2-1 on the season.
On March 12, the Highlanders fell 12-1 at El Cerrito in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule. Piedmont got its only run in the top of the fifth when Diego Delventhal doubled home his brother Lucas. That made the score 10-1 and extended the game into the bottom of the fifth. But a two-run homer from Reggie Burnham ended the contest. Burnham had a huge day, going three for four with four RBI and two runs scored.
Jackson Beebout went the distance for the Gauchos, allowing just two hits while striking out three and walking three. Aiden Bell had the other hit for Piedmont.
El Cerrito jumped on Jack Meyjes for three runs in the bottom of the first. Burnham singled in two and Raul Dubon later scored when Cooper Coles was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Meyjes lasted just two-thirds of an inning, walking four and allowing one hit.
The Gauchos exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. A single and two hit batters loaded the bases with one out. Dubon singled in one and then a wild pitch scored another. Jack Dalton-Recht singled in two and the rout was on.
On March 17, Piedmont lost 12-8 at Miramonte. An eight-run fifth inning keyed the victory for the Matadors. The Highlanders trailed 2-0 entering the third. Two walks and two hit batters brought home one run. A wild pitch brought home a second run and Meyjes then hit a sacrifice fly to put Piedmont in front, 3-2. An error allowed the fourth run to score. A Highlanders error gave one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning. Ian Hughes hit a solo homer to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth.
Jack Porter hit a two-run home run to start the scoring in the fifth, giving the Matadors the lead for good. Graham Jenkins had a two-run single and George Gilbert blasted a three-run homer. Tanner Strand added a solo home run.
Piedmont answered with four runs in the sixth. Max Fujimoto had a sacrifice fly and Lucas Delventhal was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Diego Delventhal then had a two-run single.
Tres Buster got the win for Miramonte, going two innings in relief of Lleyton Brown and allowing one run on one hit. Strand pitched the final inning, allowing a hit and striking out three. Thomas Moison took the loss, allowing the eight-run fifth while getting just two outs. He was touched for six hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Diego Delventhal went the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing no runs, no hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
Piedmont was scheduled to host Albany on March 20. The Highlanders will then play Moreau Catholic at Raimondi Park in Oakland on March 21.