But as it turns out, it wasn't the finish at all--it was just the beginning for the Firebirds.

Oh, the De Anza Division season is finished--Fremont finished 11-8. But now it's just the beginning for the Firebirds, who advance to the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs.

Fremont takes a 14-10 record into the playoffs, opening at home against Soquel (16-10) on May 22, 4 p.m. The winner of that game advances to the CCS quarterfinals against the Harbor (12-15)­Leigh (22-8) winner on May 24, 10 a.m., at Washington Park in Santa Clara.

The CCS Division II semifinals are May 29, 4 and 7 p.m., at San Jose Municipal Stadium with the championship game on May 31 at Muni.

The Firebirds won their last two league games to clinch a place in the postseason playoffs. Fremont lost 13-1 to Palo Alto to open the week, but came back to beat Milpitas 7-6 and Gunn 2-1 in eight innings to advance to CCS.

Homestead also won twice last week to secure a playoff berth. The Mustangs beat Lynbrook 11-5 and pounded Monta Vista 21-1 to finish 9-9 in the El Camino Division. The Mustangs, 15-13 for the year, open the CCS Division I playoffs on the road, visiting Wilcox (26-7) on May 21, 4 p.m. The winner faces the Santa Teresa (13-12)­Live Oak (17-10) winner on May 24, 10 a.m., at San Jose PAL Stadium. The Division I semifinals are May 28, 4 and 7 p.m., at Muni with the championship game on May 31 at Muni.


Chapman powers 'Birds

Senior catcher Jack Chapman blasted a home run and doubled to lead Fremont to the 7-6 win over Milpitas last week. Chapman drove in two runs for the Firebirds.

Daniel Murrell singled and doubled, Chris Knopf had two hits and Dan Bergeron knocked in two runs for the Firebirds. Murrell picked up his first mound win of the season.

Milpitas scored two in the first to take the early lead, but Fremont picked up a run in the bottom of the first and went up 4-2 with three in the fourth. Fremont upped the lead to 6-2 with two more in the fifth, but Milpitas tied it with a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh. The Firebirds won it, though with a run in the bottom of the seventh.

It was another nailbiter later in the week against Gunn. The Titans scored in the third to take the lead, but the Firebirds tied it with a run in the sixth, them won it with a run in the bottom of the eighth.

Matt Martinez tossed a 4-hitter to get the mound win, pushing his record to 2-1. Scott Boardman doubled for one of the just two hits Fremont could muster in the game.


Mustangs roll

Homestead rolled to two wins last week to pull even at 9-9 in the El Camino Division.

Craig Moberg finished the week with six hits and Chris Bailey and Chris McKim added five apiece to lead the Mustangs to the back-to-back victories.

Bailey tripled and singled twice to knock in two runs and McKim had three hits for the Mustangs in the 11-5 win over the Vikings. McKim was also the winning pitcher for Homestead, evening his record at 4-4.

Moberg singled twice to drive in three runs in the win and Easton Friedling had two hits.

The Mustangs and Vikes were locked in a 5-5 tie after two innings, but Homestead chipped away with two runs in the third, single runs in the fourth and sixth and two more in the seventh.

Homestead jumped out to an early lead with a 10-run first-inning rally against Monta Vista and the Mustangs rolled from there to the win.

Moberg had four hits to knock in two runs to lead the Mustangs at the plate. Bailey singled and homered to drive in three runs and McKim had two hits to knock in two runs. Joey Faber singled and tripled to chase home three runs and Friedling and Brian McGee drove in two runs apiece.


King's second

The King's Academy baseball team wound up in second place in the Private Schools Athletic League behind Sacred Heart Prep, despite beating Sacred Heart 4-3 last week.

The win left the Knights 14-2 for the league season, a game back of Sacred Heart (15-1). King's will now take its 19-9 season record into the CCS Division III playoffs. The Knights will face Santa Cruz (21-12) on May 23, 7 p.m., at PAL Stadium.

King's upended Sacred Heart 4-3 last week. Andrew Biederman picked up the mound win, pushing his record to 4-3, and Bryan Lind came on in relief to claim his fourth save of the season.

King's had opened the week with a lopsided 16-5 win over Woodside Priory. Matt Gustafson was the winning pitcher, improving his mound mark to 6-2, and he helped his own cause with a two-run double.

Lind and Mike Perez had three hits apiece for the Knights. Perez knocked in three runs and doubled for the Knights. Jason Linn singled and doubled and Lance Turner and Tyson Kornely each had two hits and each drove in two runs. Matt Denys ripped a double.