Falcons fall, but still top the El Camino Division

By Dick Sparrer

Palo Altos is not exactly Rick Raich's favorite city in Santa Clara County.

Because after weeks of leading his Saratoga baseball team to victories in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, the Falcons' winning streak came to an end last week--with two tough losses to Palo Alto schools.

Saratoga made it 11 straight in division play with a 7-1 win over Gunn last week. But that's when the trouble started for the Falcons.

Saratoga had to finish up a game stopped by darkness on the first day of the league season back on March 4. The Falcons and Titans were tied 8-8 when the game was called, but Gunn scored a run in the top of the ninth last week and went on to claim a 9-8 victory over Saratoga.

That was just the first loss of the week the Falcons suffered at the hands of a Palo Alto opponent. Two days later, Saratoga lost 6-2 to Palo Alto.

The Falcons slipped to 13-3 in the division and to 18-7 for the year with the two losses. Now they need at least one win this week to clinch no worse than a tie for first place in the El Camino Division.

With two wins, Saratoga could wrap up the league crown. The Falcons will host Los Altos on May 11, 3:30 p.m., before heading to Washington Park on May 13 to face Santa Clara at 7:30 p.m. Santa Clara is the only other team that has beaten Saratoga in league play.

Saratoga opened play last week in impressive fashion, with the 7-1 win over the Titans. The Falcons scored two in the first and two more in the second to jump out to a quick 4-0 lead. Gunn picked up a run in the fifth, but Saratoga answered right back with three in the home half of the inning to all but clinch the win.

Jason Worden was the winning pitcher for the Falcons. The 6-foot-2 junior righthander pushed his mound record to 6-1 with the victory.

Ryan Bernard homered and singled to knock in three runs for the Falcons. Mike Drew had a couple of hits to drive in three runs and Dan Morse singled and doubled.

But that's where the good news ended for the Falcons. Saratoga lost the 9-8 decision to Gunn in the completion of the suspended game.

Erick Raich homered and doubled to drive in a couple of runs for the Falcons, and Jim Heuther singled and homered to plate three runs. Moran and Worden each doubled for Saratoga.

The loss ended the long winning streak for the Falcons and, to make matters worse, they lost again before the week was over.

Matt Joyce belted a solo homer and also singled, and Bernard smacked a double, but Saratoga lost 6-2 to the Vikings.

Paly scored a run in the first, but Saratoga tied it with a run in the third. Palo Alto came back with three in the home half of the third and two more in the fourth, though, to wrap up the win.

Panthers split

Prospect split a pair of games in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League last week, but the win was a big one for the Panthers.

Prospect upset first-place Leigh 14-3, sticking the Longhorns with their first loss of the league season.

The Panthers lost 6-5 to Gunderson early in the week to fall out of second place in the division. Dave Hildreth and Darrell Jacks each homered to help Prospect jump out to a 5-2 lead, but the Grizzlies rallied for four in the seventh to win it.

Jacks singled, doubled and homered in the game for the Panthers, and Curtis Wills and Dave Marrs had two hits apiece.

But Prospect battled back to upset Leigh two days later. The Panthers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first, and unloaded for eight runs in the seventh to clinch the win.

Jacks homered, doubled and singled twice for the Panthers, and Marrs had four hits to knock in three runs. Casey Macartney had two hits, Hildreth doubled home two runs and Wills knocked in three runs.

Steven Vidal was the winning pitcher for the Panthers, pushing his mound record to 4-0. He also helped his cause at the plate with three hits to drive in two runs.

The Panthers are now 11-6 in division play and 15-9 for the year.

Warriors fall

Westmont, meanwhile, needs at least one victory this week to avoid finishing in the cellar in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Warriors are just a game up on Pioneer and, after hosting Del Mar on Wednesday, will visit the Mustangs on Friday. Both games begin at 3:30 p.m.

Westmont (4-12) lost its only game last week, falling 5-1 to Santa Teresa (7-9). The Warriors dropped to three games behind the Saints and out of the race for fifth place in the standings.

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