Highlanders hammered by Alameda
The Piedmont High School baseball team fell to Alameda on May 11 in the opening game of the West Alameda County Conference playoffs, 12-1. The game was shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule.
The loss dropped the Highlanders to 10-15-2 on the season with North Coast Section playoff bids to be announced on May 17.
The Hornets used an eight-run second inning to build a 10-0 lead and take control of the game. Two wild pitches from Piedmont starter Ben Sorensen had brought in a pair of runs in the first. Noah Nonato tripled in a run to get the second inning rolling for Alameda. He was singled in by Erik Poulson. A walk and a single loaded the bases and then Sorensen walked Jaden Noonan to force in a run. That was the end of Sorensen’s day on the mound as he was replaced by George Bishop.
A sacrifice fly was the first out of the inning but made the score 6-0. Parker Nomura then doubled in two, closing the book on Sorensen, who allowed eight runs on five hits and two walks in one-plus inning. Another sacrifice fly and a Nonato single scored the final two runs of the inning.
Diego Delventhal doubled in the only Highlander run in the top of the third.
Sam Berger went the first three for the Hornets, allowing the one run on three hits with a strikeout. Bishop went the final three for Piedmont, allowing four runs on eight hits with a strikeout.
Delventhal went two for three for the Highlanders.
Bryson Edwards was two for three with two runs scored for Alameda. Wyatt Bloch was two for two with two RBI and one run. Nonato was two for three as was Poulson.
Piedmont concluded the regular season with a pair of losses to Encinal. On May 5 at home, the Highlanders fell to the Jets, 11-8. Piedmont fell behind 10-1 before rallying late to make it close. Enzo Ong singled in a run in the fourth for the one. In the fifth, Delventhal scored on a fielder’s choice. A single by Sammy Ragones along with a Jet error scored two more.
Encinal got one back in the top of the sixth on a Kainoa Otenbriet home run, but in the bottom of the inning, Jack Meyjes doubled in one run and Lucas Delventhal hit a sacrifice fly to make it 11-6.
In the bottom of the seventh, Zach Pippen walked the bases loaded with two outs for the Jets. Jonah Cha-Foster singled in one run and Meyjes followed with a single to cut it to three. That put the tying run on base. But Pippen was able to recover and got Lucas Delventhal on a fly out.
Meyjes finished two for five with three RBI and a run scored. For Encinal, Evan Furuichi was three for four with two RBI and two runs. Pippen was two for four with three RBI and a run. Matan Antebi was two for three with two RBI and a run. Otenbriet was two for three with two runs and an RBI.
Massimo Muttone started for the Highlanders and took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Bishop pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on three hits with three walks. Orion Sachs went the final two, allowing one run on three hits with a strikeout.
Sebastian Brune went the first three for Encinal, getting the win while allowing no runs on no hits. He walked three and struck out two. Pippen went the final two, allowing four runs on five hits with three walks.
The teams met again on May 7, with the Jets prevailing, 7-5. A three-run Encinal bottom of the sixth broke open what had been a 4-3 game.
Ragones ground out brought home one in the first for the Highlanders. The Jets answered with Enzi-Yaw Otieku singling in a run in the bottom of the inning.
Furuichi hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded in the second to break the tie. Antebi then singled in a run to make it 3-1. The Jets then scored a run on a double play in the fourth.
Ong squeezed in a run in the fourth to make it 4-2. Meyjes hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game. However, with two on, Ragones grounded out to end the threat.
Antebi doubled in a run in the bottom of the frame. Otieku then doubled in two.
Max Fujimoto got two runs back for the Highlanders in the seventh when he singled in two. But Darren Olson got the final three outs to wrap up the save. Olson went the final three, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. Kyle Cook went the first four, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks along with five strikeouts.
Meyjes started for Piedmont, allowing three runs on two hits two innings with five walks and a strikeout. Cha-Foster went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Diego Delventhal got the final out of the sixth, allowing nothing.
Lucas Delventhal went three for three with two runs scored. Fujimoto went two for two with two RBI and a run.
Otieku went two for four with three RBI. Antebi was two for four with two RBI and a run.