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Triple play keys Prospect win
Vidal's defensive gem makes winners out of Wills, Panthers
By Dick Sparrer
Curtis Wills just might want to treat his pal Steven Vidal to a free lunch this week.
Because the Prospect pitcher certainly owes his shortstop something after what he did against Pioneer last Wednesday afternoon.
Wills was cruising along with a 7-4 lead until he got into a bit of a jam in the bottom of the sixth. The Mustangs loaded the bases with no outs, and their lead-off hitter, Sean Sarsfield, stepped to the plate representing the go-ahead run.
Now, if Vidal wasn't Wills' pal before Sarsfield swung his bat, he certainly was after the swing.
Sarsfield ripped a line shot up the middle, but Vidal moved quickly to his left to snag the liner, then started an inning-ending triple play in motion.
And that certainly has to be worth a burger, fries and a shake for any pitcher hoping to nail down a victory!
Pioneer had filled the bags when Mitch Balli singled, Justin Poole reached on an error and Josh Jachimowicz walked. Sarsfield, who had opened the game with a single to left, had a chance to get the Mustangs close with a hit.
But Vidal caught Sarsfield's liner, stepped on second to catch Poole off the bag, then threw to Ivan McVay at first to get Jachimowicz to complete the tripleplay.
That turned out to be all Wills needed to nail down his fourth win of the season. The hard-throwing right hander pushed his season record to 4-2 with the 7-4 victory. He struck out six and walked just three as he threw a six-hitter at the Mustangs.
It was a big win for Prospect. The Panthers evened their record at 5-5 in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, leaving just a half game behind third-place Pioneer (6-5) and a game and a half back of second-place Piedmont Hills (7-4).
The Panthers had to battle from behind to knock off the Mustangs last week.
Pioneer scored two runs in the second when Thomas Ash singled, Donald Bresee reached on an error and Balli ripped a two-run double to right. But the lead only stood up until the fourth when the Panthers unloaded for five runs.
It was Wills who started the rally when he shot a single through the hole into left field. Myke Gordon reached when his fly ball was dropped by the right fielder. Wills and T.J. Wyatt, who was on a pinch runner for Gordon, each moved up a wild pitch.
Nick Graydon singled to left to knock in Wills, and he gave way to pinch runner Nick O'Hara. Vidal then walked to load the bases. Kevin McPeck and Ivan McVay each followed with run-scoring singles to put the Panthers on top 3-2.
Vidal was forced at the plate on an infield roller by Brent Maselli, but J.D. Mazzuca and Tony Crocker each walked to push across runs and give the Panthers a 5-2 lead.
Run-scoring singles by Kyle Mauldin and Ash in the fifth cut the Prospect cushion to 5-4, but the Panthers rallied again in the sixth to up their lead to 7-4.
Maselli ripped a one-out single up the middle and Mazzuca was hit by a pitch. Crocker sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Wills was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gordon bounced what appeared to be an inning-ending ground ball to short, but the ball took a bad hop over Sarsfield's head and went for a two-run single.
Pioneer tried to rally in the sixth, but the triple play ended the threat and all hope for the Mustangs.
McPeck had two hits in the win for the Panthers and Gordon had the two-run single. Crocker, Wills, Graydon, Vidal, McVay and Maselli also had hits in the win.
Prospect had opened the week with a 3-0 win over Mount Pleasant.
Crocker and Andrew Meade teamed to toss a one-hit shutout for the win. Crocker held the Cardinals hitless for five and a third innings to get the win, and Meade came on to pick up the save.
O'Hara singled and doubled in the Prospect win and Wills also ripped a double. Crocker knocked in two runs to help his own cause.
Warriors, Dons fall
Westmont lost 6-3 to Oak Grove in Mount Hamilton Division play.
The Warriors, 5-5 in the division and 9-9 for the year, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Eagles tied it in the third and went up 2-1 in the fourth. Westmont fought back with a run in the bottom of the fourth to tie it 2-2, but the Eagles picked up two in the fifth and two more in the sixth.
Reed Dickert ripped a solo homer to lead the offensive attack for the Warriors.
Del Mar, meanwhile, lost a tough 9-7 decision to Valley Christian in the Mount Hamilton circuit. The loss dropped the Dons to 1-8 in league play while Valley improved to 7-3.
Clayton Sakoda and Jason Campbell each blasted home runs, but it wasn't enough to get the Dons past the Warriors.
Campbell singled and homered to drive in two runs for Del Mar, and Jaemin Caplan doubled and tripled for the Dons. Sakoda cracked the solo homer and Andrew Cedillo doubled.
Falcons split
Junior Chris Filip doubled and singled twice to drive in two runs and lead the Saratoga baseball team to a 7-3 win over Cupertino last week, but the Falcons dropped an 8-1 nod to first-place Wilcox.
Filip's three hits sparked a nine-hit assault for the Falcons against Cupertino. Justin Oliver doubled and knocked in three runs in the win, and Marc Muniz had two hits.
Sophomore Brett Behnke was the winning pitcher for Saratoga, pushing his record to 3-2. The Falcons limited the Pioneers to just six hits in the game.
The Falcons slipped to 4-7 in the division with the loss to Wilcox. Caleb Mosley singled and doubled for Saratoga. Andy Swanson had two hits and Oliver cracked a double.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
