SJND downs Jets on the diamond

The St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND) baseball team has gotten off to a roller-coaster start in the 2019 season.

The season started with a lopsided 11-0 loss to San Leandro High on Feb. 20. The Pilots managed just two hits in the contest. Senior Hudson Hennigh started for the Pilots. He gave up three runs in three innings. He struck out three batters. Junior Joseph Boyden allowed seven in three innings. 
The Pilots rebounded by taking down Encinal High (EHS), 14-10, in an early season match up March 1, at the College of Alameda baseball field.

Both teams took advantage of the pitching staffs in the contest. The Jets got started off quickly with five runs in the top half of the first inning. The Pilots responded with two runs in the first inning and three in the bottom of the second inning.

The Pilots took their first lead of the game after scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Jets trailed 8-5 entering the fifth inning. They put up their second five-run inning in the top of the fifth to regain the lead. 

Undeterred, the Pilots regrouped to score a run in the fifth and five runs in the sixth inning. The Pilots were able to blank the Jets in the final two innings to retain the victory.

Pilot junior AJ Ramsey led the team with four RBIs. Teammate Michael Shih drove in three runs. 
The Pilots had 10 hits in the contest, while the Jets had six hits. Errors by both sides led to runs for the opposing teams. The Jets had two errors, while the Pilots had three. 

Pilots’ starting pitcher Michael Shih lasted five innings. He gave up five runs, and struck out seven batters. The Pilots then turned to relief pitcher Joseph Boyden, but he did not last long. The senior lasted just two-thirds of an inning. He gave up another five runs before he was pulled. Junior Zack Karch took the mound to finish the game. He pitched one and one-third inning without allowing a run and striking out four batters. He received the victory for the contest.

Jets’ senior Cooper Vazquez drove in two runs. Senior Jon Atases got the start for the Jets. He pitched four innings. He gave up eight runs, six of them earned. He struck out three batters. Tristan Good replaced him in the fifth inning. The senior pitched two innings, giving up six runs, five earned.
Since the loss, the Jets have defeated San Leandro High, 3-2, and lost to Berkeley High, 11-5. The Jets are 2-3 on the season. 

The Pilots could not carry the momentum of the victory against the Jets into their next contest against Bishop O’Dowd. The Pilots were blanked by Dragon pitcher Wyatt Thompson who needed just 87 pitches for a complete-game victory on March 9 at the College of Alameda. The Pilots lost the game, 4-0.

Thompson was in control for the entire game. He allowed just two hits while striking out 10 batters. His dominance was too much for the Pilots’ batters to overcome. Just one Pilot was able to reach base in the final five innings. 

The match was closer than the final score indicates due to stellar pitching from the Pilots starter Hennigh. The senior was excellent on the mound. He pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six batters. However, the Pilots went with a pitching change to start the sixth inning. 

Boyden entered the game in the sixth and Dragons were able to break through. They scored two runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh.

The Pilots responded to the loss with a 5-1 victory over Miramonte high of Orinda on March 11. Shih was impressive in his second start of the year. He pitched one out short of a complete game. He struck out three batters and allowed just five hits. 

The Pilots scored a run in the second and third innings. But it was the three-run fifth inning that put the game out of reach. Ramsey led the Pilots with two RBIs. He went two-for-three from behind the plate. Sophomore Aaron Garcia, Shih and Karch added the three other RBIs. Karch also got the final out of the game.

SJND is now 2-2 on the season. Their next game is against Oakland Tech this Saturday, March 16, on the road.