But the battle for third place and an automatic berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs is still wide open—and Cupertino is hot in that race.

The Pioneers split a pair of league games last week, falling 8-5 to Wilcox before pounding Milpitas 17-3. The split left Cupertino 4-5 in league play and 7-9 for the year, and the Pioneers are hot on the heels of Los Gatos and Fremont.

Wilcox and Paly are out front with just a loss apiece in league play. The Chargers top the circuit with an 8-1 record and Paly is in second place but even in the loss column at 5-1.

Los Gatos, by virtue of two victories last week, holds third place at 6-3, two games back in the loss column. Fremont is fourth at 5-4 with Cupertino fifth. But only two games separate the Pioneers from Gatos.

Cupertino stayed close in the race with a rousing 17-3 win over the Trojans last week.

Jacob Haberman had a big day for the Pioneers, belting three doubles and two singles to lead a 17-hit attack.

Justin Gandelman singled and doubled and drove in four runs in the win. Scott Fitzgerald cracked three hits and Andrew Ravadge ripped a pair. Kyle Haberman and Melvin Can each doubled for the Pioneers.

Can was the winning pitcher for Cupertino, evening his record at 2-2. The Pioneers held Milpitas to just seven hits.

Cupertino scored a run in the first to take the early lead, then broke the game open with a nine-run second.

Earlier in the week, the Pioneers dropped a tough 8-5 decision to first-place Wilcox.

The Chargers scored four in the second to take the lead, but 'Tino chipped away with single runs in the second and third. After Wilcox scored in the fourth to make it 5-2, Ravadge got the Pioneers close with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4.

But Wilcox answered with three in the top of the sixth, and the Pioneers could respond with just a single run in the seventh.

Fitzgerald singled and doubled to lead the seven-hit effort for Cupertino. K. Haberman and Gandelman each doubled.

In a non-league game on Wednesday, the Pioneers battled from behind to pull out an 8-6 win over Los Altos.

The Eagles led 6-2 after four innings, but Cupertino rallied for five runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Fitzgerald picked up his first mound win of the year, and he helped the cause at the plate with a triple.

J. Haberman homered in the win and K. Haberman singled and doubled. Ravadge singled and doubled to knock in three runs for the Pioneers and Mike Whalen singled twice to drive home a pair.


McKim a winner

Homestead won its only league game last week, pulling out a tight 2-1 win over Mountain View. The Mustangs improved to 5-5 in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL with the victory and to 8-7 for the year.

Chris McKim went the distance to fire a six-hitter for the mound win. The senior right hander evened his record at 5-5.

Senior slugger Chris Bailey ripped two hits to lead a five-hit assault for the Mustangs.

Homestead scored single runs in the first and second to take an early 2-0 lead. McKim blanked the Spartans over the first three frames before giving up a single run in the fourth. He battled back to protect the 2-1 lead by shutting out Mountain View over the final three innings.

Homestead will break from league play this week to take part in the Lions Tournament. The Mustangs, who were to meet Gilroy on Saturday and Terra Nova on Monday, will face Lynbrook on April 16, 3:30 p.m., at San Jose PAL Stadium. Play will continue on April 18.


Bartels leads Mats

Bastian Bartels won twice in singles play last week to lead the Monta Vista boys tennis team to back-to-back 7-0 wins over Palo Alto and Gunn. The Matadors improved to 10-0 in the De Anza Division and to 15-1 for the year.

Bartels won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles against Gunn after winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles against Paly.

Robert Yee also won twice, winning 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles against the Vikings and 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 against the Titans. Bobby Low won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4 singles and 7-6, 6-2 at No. 3 singles against Palo Alto and Gunn, respectively.

Freshman Ken Kao nailed a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles against Paly.

Ryan Chan and Dan Lee won twice at No. 1 doubles.


Cochrane a medalist

Anthony Cochrane won medalist honors when the Monta Vista golf team pulled out a 150-162 win over Los Gatos last week. Cochrane fired a one-over par 35 at the Saratoga Country Club to finish at the head of the field. The Matadors improved to 9-2 with the win.