After winning four straight games to capture the district tourney, Lincoln Glen worked overtime to take two sectional nail-biters at Del Mar High School. The locals moved into the championship game with a 6-0 post-season record, after working 10 innings to beat Cupertino National 8-7 and eight innings to edge Gilroy 5-4.

Just one more victory was needed by Lincoln Glen to win the section title and advance to the Northern California Division 2 tournament.

But it was not to be.

Milpitas South, the District 59 champion, fought through the elimination bracket and upended Lincoln Glen twice, 8-5 and 2-1.

In the final game, Lincoln Glen battled galliantly in a tightly contested game before coming up short. Greg Garrity's first-inning single accounted for Lincoln Glen's only run. Charlie Findeisen had an excellent mound outing, pitching the distance for Lincoln Glen. He scattered five hits, while striking out six batters.

David DeCecco had worked seven solid innings in Lincoln Glen's sectional opener against Cupertino National, the District 44 champion. DeCecco didn't earn a mound decision, but he factored in his team's final three runs.

With two outs in the top of the sixth and his team trailing 6-5, DeCecco walked and hustled home when Xavier DeLaRocha blasted a double off the fence. Both teams scored one run in the eighth, DeCecco driving in a run on a fielder's choice. With two out in the 10th, DeCecco was hit by a pitch. He moved to third on a single by DeLaRocha, then scampered home when Garrity's ground ball was misplayed.

Findiesen pitched the eighth, and Aaron Speciale closed it out by firing a hitless ninth and tenth.

In its 5-4 win over Gilroy (District 39), Speciale started the winning rally with a single. Scott Healy sacrificed him to second. After Dan Willis and Matt Mazzoni were intentionally walked to load the bases, DeCecco singled home the winning run. Findeisen pitched all eight innings to earn the mound decision.

Lincoln Glen had earned its berth in the sectional event by edging Almaden North 4-3, blitzing Union 16-3, and twice shutting down Branham Hills, 7-2 and 4-2.

In the opener against Almaden North, Lincoln Glen rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie it up in the fourth inning. Singles by DeCecco and DeLaRocha and RBI fielder's choices by Garrity and Findeisen did the trick.

The score remained knotted 3-3 into the bottom of the seventh, when Lincoln Glen got the chance it was looking for. Speciale reached base on an error and Healy moved Speciale into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Mazzoni's clutch single then drove in the winning run.

DeCecco hammered out three hits including a double and pitched the seventh inning. Findeisen went six innings and struck out six along the way.

The Lincoln Glen bats were on fire in the romp over Union. DeCecco was hot again, leading the attack with two singles and a double. He got plenty of support from Mazzoni, who ripped a double and a single. Garrity and Willis both poked two singles.

Lincoln Glen's next game was against Branham Hills in the winners bracket. After Lincoln Glen scored four times in the first, Branham Hills never recovered. Key hits in the attack were a double by Findeisen and a single from Aaron Bordenave.

The win put Lincoln Glen in the championship game, facing Branham Hills in a rematch. Findeisen pitched a four-hitter and allowed just two runs.

Ross Giordano and Jake Goetz also contributed to the success of the Lincoln Glen juniors this summer—a post-season run that will not soon be forgotten.