But no matter how far apart they grow, the two Branham pitchers shared a moment last week that will link their names for a lifetime.

Sakoda and Conners teamed to toss a no-hitter off their home mound on March 24 against Oak Grove to lead Branham to an 8-0 win over the Eagles in a Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division game.

The win helped the Bruins even their league record at 3-3, but they slipped back below the .500 mark a day later with a tough 2-1 loss to Willow Glen.

Still, it was the no-hitter that was the highlight of the week for the Bruins. Sakoda faced just 14 batters over four innings, striking out five and walking just one, and Conners went up against only 11 hitters in the final three frames, fanning three and walking none. The two hurlers faced just four batters over the minimum in the win.

Sakoda was the winning pitcher, pushing his season record to 2-0, and Conners picked up the save.

The Bruins staked their hurlers to a quick lead with two runs in the bottom of the first, and that would turn out to be all they would need. But Branham rallied for six more in the fifth to make it a blowout.

Brandon Bittle and Kenny Chadwick cracked two hits apiece to lead Branham's 9-hit attack, all singles. Jake Conners, T.J. DeStefano, Eric Janssen, Nolan Robison and Preston Ward also had hits in the win.

Bittle, Conners, DeStefano, Janssen, Robison and Sakoda all knocked in runs for the Bruins and Conners, DeStefano and Janssen each swiped bases.

Branham got another superb pitching effort a day later when Mitch Kanagaki fired a 4-hitter, but the Bruins lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Willow Glen.

Kanagaki went the distance on the hill, whiffing eight and walking only three. He was touched for single runs in the first and seventh, but only the run in the seventh was earned.

The Rams took the lead with an unearned run in the top of the first, then made it 2-0 with a couple of hits and a ground ball in the top of the seventh.

Branham cut the lead in half when Sakoda stepped up in the bottom of the seventh and blasted a home run over the fence in left center. But that was all the Bruins could manage.

Bittle and Kanagaki ripped two singles apiece and Sakoda had the homer to account for all five of the Branham hits in the game.

The Bruins have split with Santa Teresa and Westmont in the early stages of the Mt. Hamilton Division season, and they were swept by Willow Glen. They've won their only game against Oak Grove.

Branham will break from league play this week but will head south to play in the Salinas Tournament. The Bruins were to open against Sacred Heart Cathedral on March 29 and will face Greenfield on March 30. The tourney continues through Saturday.

Branham returns to division play on April 6, 3:30 p.m., at home against Mt. Pleasant.