The Palo Alto baseball team fell further out of first place in the SCVAL De Anza Division following a 5-3 loss to host Wilcox on Friday. The Vikings (7-3, 11-6) dropped their second straight to the Chargers this week and ran their losing streak to three games, the longest in league play in over two years.
Wilcox jumped all over Paly starter Drake Swezey for three runs in the first. Swezey allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in three innings. Paly out-hit Wilcox, 8-7, with Austin Braff doubling twice and finishing with three hits while teammate Cory Tenanes added two hits.
Palo Alto heads into spring break with only four division games remaining and in a third-place tie with Los Gatos and Homestead, both 7-3, while trailing Los Altos (8-1) and Wilcox (6-2). The Vikings finish up against Los Altos and seventh-place Saratoga.
Good pitching once again carried Menlo School to victory as the Knights blanked host King’s Academy, 7-0, in a West Bay Athletic League game on Friday. Junior Freddy Avis improved to 4-0 with a dominating six innings of work as he struck out 13, allowed five hits and walked just three.
Menlo (2-0, 12-1) also got three RBI from Avis while Dylan Mayer also drove in three runs on three hits, including a double and triple. The Knights return to action on Wednesday when they travel to rival SHP in a battle for first place in the WBAL.
In the PAL Bay Division, the tables were turned as host Menlo-Atherton dropped a 10-7 decision to Carlmont after the Bears had won on Wednesday. Carlmont’s Colton Hicks homered in the top of the fourth, which was answered by a homer from M-A’s Ryan Cortez in the bottom of the inning. M-A fell to 2-4 in league (8-6 overall).
M-A starter Nick Lange gave up three hits and three runs in the first six innings, leaving in the top of the seventh after allowing two singles. Relief pitcher Dylan Cook suffered through five unearned runs and four errors as the Scots pulled it out in the final frame. M-A’s Sam Falkenhagen, who started the year 0-for-22, has gone 5-for-9 with three doubles in the past three games.
Boys’ lacrosse
Menlo-Atherton pulled off what may be the upset of the season by knocking off SCVAL De Anza Division favorite Mountain View, 5-4, in a crucial match on Friday. The Bears (5-1, 8-3) took over sole possession of first place while knocking the Spartans (6-2, 8-4) into second while throwing the race wide open to include Palo Alto and Menlo School, among others.
M-A goals were scored by John Athens, Ryan Johnston, Ben Burnett, Brian Jaggers, and Nick Schlein while Kotaro Kihira had three assists. The Bears played great team defense in front of goalie Chase Connell, who had 12 saves.
In the SCVAL El Camino Division, Noah Kawasaki scored five goals and Frankie Hattler contributed four assists as the Sacred Heart Prep boys’ lacrosse team remained atop the standings with a 15-3 thumping of host Gunn on Friday night. Duncan Hoskinson, Sean Mayle, Brian White and Trevor Ruegg all scored twice for the Gators (8-0, 12-3) while the Titans fell to 3-4 in league (4-5 overall).
Girls’ lacrosse
Julia Farino scored five goals and Becca Higgit, Diane Masket and Sydney Novak-Federmeyer added two each to carry the Menlo-Atherton girls’ lacrosse team to a 14-13 victory over visiting Castilleja in a West Bay Athletic League match on Friday. Martha Harding led the Gators with seven goals while Katherine Hobbs added six.
In the SCVAL, St. Francis routed host Gunn, 20-9.
Softball
Gunn dropped out of sole possession of first place in the SCVAL El Camino Division following a 6-2 loss to host Monta Vista on Friday. The Titans (5-1, 11-7) fell behind by 6-0 before finally tallying twice in the top of the seventh on consecutive singles by Roya Huang and Camille Steger, each finishing with two hits. Gunn managed just five on the day.
In the West Bay Athletic League, Castilleja held off visiting Menlo School, 9-7. Gina Freehling had two hits and two RBI for the Gators while Mandi Shore also drove in a pair of runs. Castilleja scored eight runs in the first inning.
— Palo Alto Online Sports
— Palo Alto Online Sports
— Palo Alto Online Sports