SJND Pilots, Encinal Jets, and AHS Hornets are in full swing
Saint Joe’s Pilots Overcome 8-Run Deficit in 10-9 Walkoff Win
Cheers roared over Pat Bail field Tuesday, April 30, when the Saint Joseph Notre Dame Pilots (10-10) baseball squad secured a 10-9 walkoff win over the visiting Head Royce Jayhawks (13-5). After being down by as much as eight runs, a wild pitch from Head Royce gave Pilot baserunner David Petti an opportunity to steal home and the game.

“We grinded back… and that was a big win for us,” said head coach Mark Castillo.
Going into the fifth inning, Saint Joe’s was down 8-1. The Pilots’ first run came in the third inning when, after a Jayhawk error at first base, Avery Sadie saw an opening to steal home. But, down seven runs to the Jayhawks and with only three innings left, a Pilot comeback seemed bleak.
In the fifth, Head Royce got its last run of the afternoon to go up 9-1 before the Pilots took over. From the bottom of the fifth to the bottom of the sixth inning, Saint Joe’s outran the Jayhawks 4-0 and narrowed the deficit. In the fifth, Robbie Fintland smashed a double for an RBI that brought home two Pilot baserunners. And by the end of the sixth inning, RBIs from Nikko Flores and Fintland brought the score to 9-5.
But, in the seventh and final inning, Saint Joe’s went on a five-run comeback and stole the game. With one out, the Pilots managed to load the diamond. A walked batter, an RBI from David Petti for two runs, and a home plate theft from Brandon Ng suddenly-tied the game at 9-9. Tied up with the bases loaded and one out, the pressure skyrocketed. It was too much for the Jayhawks, who then threw a wild pitch that gave Petti an opportunity to slide into home plate and steal the walkoff win for the Pilots.

Jets Soar Past Grizzlies 30-2
The Encinal High School Jets (16-7) baseball team celebrated its senior day on Wednesday, May 1, with a bombastic 30-2 win over the visiting San Lorenzo Grizzlies (7-16). Encinal honored seniors Leo Paredes, Angus Olaes, Hudson Taylor, Cruz Kelly, and Jonah Abrami for their hard work and dedication to the program.
The game was called after four innings. In the first inning, the Jets set the tone by going up 9-0. After a batter walked home, Paredes, Kelly, Abrami, and Evan Furuichi each smacked RBIs, for a total of seven runs. Then a steal home from Taylor concluded in the nine-run first inning. In the second San Lorenzo got on the scoreboard with two RBIs, for its only runs of the game. But Encinal added another six runs to its total, bringing the score to 15-2. The Jets racked up RBIs from Taylor, Eric Proctor, Furuichi, and Matan Antebi for five runs, and Cruz Kelly stole home after a Grizzlies error for the sixth run.
Going into the bottom slate of the third, up 15-2, Encinal continued to tally runs. The Jets had four RBIs for five runs, pushing their already huge lead to 18 for a total score of 20-2. The umpires would’ve been justified to call the game at that point, but it continued into the fourth inning.
In the fourth, Encinal rounded homeplate 10 more times. Four of the runners were walked in by Grizzlies pitchers. Angus Olaes had two RBIs, while Proctor, Furuichi, and Paredes each had one. Once the score reached 30-2, the umpires finally called the game and Encinal claimed victory. The win marked seven in a row for the Jets, who finished the game with 27 RBIs, seven of which belonged to Furuichi.

Hornets beat Dragons 3-2 for WACC Playoff Spot
For the second time in a week Pat Bail field saw a walkoff win—this time for the Alameda High School Hornets. On Friday, May 3, the Hornets baseball squad hosted their senior day against Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd Dragons. Seniors Evan Green, Max Cohen, Luis Sanchez, and Cole Aney were celebrated for their time with the Hornets and treated to a 10th inning, 3-2 walkoff win that secured Alameda a placement in the West Alameda County Conference (WACC) League Playoffs.
“I was proud of them. We lost a lot of games like this… and we needed the win today to get into the playoffs,” said head coach Ken Arnerich.
After two innings, the game was tied 1-1. In the first, Bishop O’Dowd scored when a Hornet error gave one of its runners an opportunity to steal home. Alameda scored in the second, when Julian Munoz grounded out, but gave the Hornets an RBI.
Neither team rounded the bases again until the fifth inning, when the Dragons got a ground out RBI from John Teti. But, in the bottom of the inning, a well-placed bunt from Jayden Thai brought a runner home for the Hornets and re-tied the game at 2-2.
Both teams were scoreless for the next five innings, but with the magnitude the outcome of this game held, someone needed to win. In the 10th inning, the Dragons managed to load the bases and put pressure on the Hornets. However, an impressive double play by the Hornets defense gave Alameda momentum and closed the top of the inning. Once the Hornets took over the batter’s box, three batters walked and the Hornets were in control. Then Max Cohen stepped up to the plate and delivered a single down the right foul-line for the game winning RBI.
Other action
Saint Joe’s went on to play the Jayhawks once more on Thursday, May 2, but fell 2-7. The Pilots next game was an away game against Danville’s Athenian Owls on May 6, but the Pilots will return home May 10 to face the Redwood Christian Eagles.
Encinal had a rematch against the Grizzlies on Thursday, May 2, and won 7-0. The win improved Encinal’s winning streak to eight and secured them a 16-7 overall record and a 10-0 record in the West Alameda Shoreline League.
Alameda High’s next and final regular season game is on the road against the Piedmont Highlanders on Tuesday, May 7 at 4 p.m.
Contributing writer Gabriel Caraballo covers local sports for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected https://alamedapost.com/Gabriel-Caraballo.