Fremont's Mike Parenteau keeps the ball alive in a recent volleyball match against Homestead. Fremont lost to only Los Gatos and Homestead and ended up third in league play at 8-4.
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Mustangs battle for baseball berth
Firebirds third in volleyball race
By Dick Sparrer
There was a win for the Homestead baseball team in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) last week.
But it was two losses that might end up proving very costly for the Mustangs in their bid to get a spot in the upcoming Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs.
Homestead beat Lynbrook 8-1, but losses to Palo Alto and Santa Clara left the Mustangs 10-6 in the division, with just two games to play.
Paly has all but locked up the division championship with a 13-2 record, and the Bruins sit in second at 11-4. The Mustangs are third, but need to climb into the top two to secure an automatic CCS berth.
The McGee brothers combined for six hits to lead Homestead to the win over Lynbrook last week. Brian McGee homered and singled twice and Brad McGee doubled and singled twice to lead the Mustangs to the victory.
Brian McGee tossed a three-hitter for the win, running his mound record to 6-0.
Homestead, 16-9 for the year, lost 7-1 to Palo Alto earlier in the week and dropped a 4-2 nod to Santa Clara despite getting a home run from Bryan Beres.
Fremont, meanwhile, remained in the hunt for a CCS playoff spot with a split last week. The Firebirds lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Gunn, but came back to beat Cupertino 6-3. Fremont is now 8-8 in the division and 13-14-1 for the year.
The Firebirds could use a couple of wins this week when they host Milpitas on May 8 and visit Los Gatos on May 10 in a couple of 3:30 p.m. games. A 10-8 league record would likely get Fremont into postseason play.
Ryan Boardman and Vince Klumper combined to toss a seven-hitter to lead the Firebirds to the win over the Pioneers last week. Boardman was the winning pitcher, pushing his record to 6-0, and Klumper came on in relief to get the save.
Javier Eredia came through with the big hit of the game for Fremont. Eredia stepped to the plate with the bags full in the fourth, and his double cleared the bases to spark a six-run rally for the Firebirds.
Earlier in the week, Kris Dunwoody threw well, but two runs in the sixth proved costly for the Firebirds in a 2-1 loss to the Titans.
Fremont falls
Junior outside hitter Lance Lesui knocked down nine kills, but the Fremont boys volleyball team dropped a 15-10, 15-10, 15-13 decision to league champion Los Gatos.
The Wildcats had clinched the SCVAL championship a week earlier with a win over Homestead, then secured an undefeated 12-0 season with the win over the Firebirds last Tuesday.
Fremont, though, managed a solid 8-4 finish in league play to wind up in third place behind Los Gatos and Homestead. Fremont's only league losses came against the Wildcats and Mustangs.
The Firebirds will now look ahead to the CCS playoffs. They take a solid 19-12 record into postseason play.
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
