Photograph by Robert Scheer
Homestead's Jerell Taylor dives back into first to beat the pickoff attempt in the first round of the CCS playoffs against Mitty. Homestead lost the playoff opener 10-6.
By DICK SPARRER
The end came quickly for the Homestead baseball team ... too quickly.
The Mustangs lost a tough 10-6 decision to Mitty in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs, and the loss brought their excellent 1996 season to an abrupt end.
Homestead, champs of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's El Camino Division with a 17-1 record, wrapped up the year with an impressive 20-6 mark overall.
The sixth loss spelled the end of the season for the Mustangs, and it came after Homestead had opened up an early 4-0 lead over the Monarchs.
Homestead jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and added a run in the second to lead 4-0. But Mitty rallied for three in the home half of the second, then broke the game open with five in the third.
The Monarchs added two more in the fourth to lead 10-4. Homestead got two back in the sixth, but could get no closer in the playoff loss.
Senior catcher Matt Hall had a big day in his final high school game. Hall pounded two doubles and a single to knock in two runs for the Mustangs.
Bret Erickson, another senior, singled and tripled to drive in a pair of runs, and senior Mike Jones had two hits.
Sophomore Kayzell Milton supported with three hits in Homestead's 12-hit attack in the playoff loss.
Senior righthander Alex Turlea was tagged with the loss, his first of the year. Turlea finished the season with a 5-1 mound record.
Mitch Ignaitis, Gabe Interiano and Sal Kirmes were other talented seniors playing their final game for Homestead.
Junior Ben Amiwero and sophomore Tony Plant are two talented pitchers who will join Milton and Jerell Taylor as top returners for the Mustangs next spring.
King's falls
The King's Academy baseball team also lost in the first round of the playoffs, dropping a 10-1 decision to Monterey in the CCS Division II opener for each club.
Lance Westcott was stuck with the mound loss in the game that marked an end to his illustrious high school career.
King's finished the year at 11-9 after winning the Christian Private Schools Athletic League title with a 9-1 mark.
The Knights were seeded No. 16 in the CCS tourney, and had to go up against No. 1 seeded Monterey in the first round.
Knights eliminated
The King's Academy girls' softball team lost 13-1 to Mercy of Burlingame in the first round of the CCS Division III playoffs to face elimination. The Knights finished the year 7-10.
King's wrapped up league play with a 5-1 record after pounding Mid Peninsula 23-5 in the final game of the regular season.
Emily Farray tossed a 2-hitter to pick up the win, evening her record at 5-5 for the year. She also ripped three doubles and a single to drive in four runs and lead the offensive assault for the Knights.
Adriene Cole had three hits to knock in four runs in the win, and Alison Rodriguez doubled and drove in four runs. Sarah Belton plated three runs for the winners.
Earlier in the week, King's had lost a 12-2 nod to Valley Christian of Dublin.
Indians drop three
The Fremont girls' softball team lost three games in the final week of the regular season to finish the year at 10-14 and 4-8 in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.
Jessica Pullano matched league champ inning-by-inning before the Indians lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Los Altos in nine innings.
Pullano blanked the Eagles over the regulation seven frames, but the Indians couldn't pick up a run. After a scoreless eighth, Los Altos picked up a run in the ninth and held Fremont scoreless in the bottom of the frame.
Pullano was tagged with a tough loss in a 5-2 Fremont defeat at the hands of St. Francis. Rebecca Andrade ripped a pair of singles for the Indians.
Andrade belted a triple, but Pullano and the Indians suffered another 5-2 loss to Los Gatos later in the week.
Mustangs lose a pair
Christine Garcia cracked three hits and Natalie Garcia singled and doubled, but the Homestead girls' softball team lost a 15-4 nod to Los Gatos in the final game of the regular season.
The Mustangs had opened the week with a 3-2 win over Wilcox on a neat 2-hitter by Natalie Corral.
Homestead finished the year with a 4-13 record and ended up 3-9 in the De Anza Division.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 22, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.