But the Falcons have to like where they are in the division standings none-the-less.

Saratoga won three important games last week to move into a virtual second-place tie in the division race with just two games left to play.

The Spartans top the pack at 13-2 and Monta Vista is second at 11-6. But the Falcons are just a half game behind the Matadors at 10-6, and with two wins this week Saratoga could force no worse than a second-place tie in the circuit.

Of course, to do that Saratoga must knock off first-place Mountain View. The Falcons were to host the Spartans on May 11 before closing out the league season at Homestead on May 13, 3:30 p.m.

The Falcons beat Homestead 11-4 last Saturday to complete a three-win week. Saratoga had edged Santa Clara 10-8 on Tuesday and pounded Lynbrook 10-2 on Thursday.

Paul Culbertson went the distance to toss a six-hitter for the Falcons in the midweek win over the Vikings. He evened his record at 3-3 with the victory.

The Falcons supported their hurler with 13 hits, including a couple of home runs. Junior Kyle Stoffers homered and doubled to drive in four runs in the win and junior Peter Rutti also blasted a four-bagger for the Falcons.

Saratoga scored three runs in the second to take an early lead and, after the Vikes got one back in the third, the Falcons rallied for two more in the fourth to lead 5-1. Saratoga broke the game open with a five-run rally in the seventh.

The Falcons had to hold on when Homestead rallied for four runs in the seventh inning on Saturday, but Saratoga had more than enough for the win. The Falcons had scored a run in the second, five in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a commanding 11-0 lead.

That's all Chris Hornberger needed. The Saratoga hurler picked up the mound win, pushing his record to 5-4, as the Falcons held the Mustangs to just six hits for the day.

Culbertson singled and doubled to drive in three runs to lead a 13-hit assault for the Falcons.

Ryan Newberry was the mound when the Falcons opened the week with a key game against Santa Clara. Newberry picked up the win and Hornberger came on to get the save in Saratoga's hard-earned 10-8 victory.

Newberry helped his own cause with a home run and Rutti had three hits to knock in four runs for the winners.

Saratoga jumped in front 4-0 in the first. Santa Clara came back with two in the third, but the Falcons answered with two in the home half of the frame.

The Bruins scored again in the fourth, but Saratoga added two in the bottom of the fourth to lead 8-3. Santa Clara cut the lead to 8-5 in the fifth, but the Falcons got the two back in the sixth to lead 10-5. They would turn out to be two very important runs when Santa Clara rallied for three in the seventh before losing 10-8.

Falcons edge RLS

The Saratoga boys tennis team entered the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs as the No. 1 seeded team in the division. And the Falcons lived up to that ranking with a tight 4-3 win over a strong Robert Louis Stevenson team in their first match.

The Falcons, 18-3 this spring, will now face the Cupertino­St. Ignatius winner on May 11, 3 p.m., at Saratoga. The winner of that match moves on to the CCS Division II championship round on May 13, noon, at the Courtside Tennis Club.

A.J. Kerin cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles to start the Falcons on the road to victory against RLS.

Jeff Gast nailed a lopsided 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles for Saratoga and Scott Juang won 6-0, 6-4 at No. 4.

The Falcons closed out the win with a 6-1, 6-1 win by Jason Daniel and Brent Fong at No. 1 doubles.

Wallace tops Falcons

Danny Wallace hammered down nine kills, but the Saratoga boys volleyball team dropped a 25-17, 25-9, 25-17 decision to powerhouse Los Gatos last week. The Wildcats finished league play with a 12-0 record and take a 32-2 season mark in the CCS playoffs this week as the top seeded team in the tournament. The Falcons slipped to 4-6 in league play with the loss.