Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Cats win to clinch berth in CCS playoffs

By Dick Sparrer

It was easily the biggest win of the year for the Los Gatos baseball team.

It could have been the biggest win of the last two years.

But more importantly, when the Wildcats upset first-place Wilcox a couple of weeks back, it made the task of securing a berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs just a little easier.

The Cats knew they had to win at least three of their last five games to get into post-season play. It's just that they didn't figure on one of those wins coming over the league's top team.

But the Wildcats blasted 13 hits and rolled to a 10-3 win over Wilcox. And they backed it up with wins over Palo Alto and Fremont last week to clinch a spot in the playoffs and finish second in the rugged De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Los Gatos will open the playoffs against Burlingame on May 20, 4 p.m., at San Jose Municipal Stadium. The Cats take an 11-14 season record into the game, and Burlingame is 13-12.

"It's nice to make the playoffs again this year," said Los Gatos coach Wayne Senini. To do it, the Cats had to finish in the top four in the De Anza Division--but they did it by finishing second.

"We tied for second with Fremont," said Senini. "But we beat them all three times, so we ended up second."

"We knew we needed three more wins [to get into the playoffs]," he added. "We just didn't figure on beating Wilcox."

Once they did, the Wildcats made sure they reached the playoffs by knocking off Paly 9-3 and whipping Fremont 7-1.

"That was a big one," said Senini of the win over the Firebirds. "The kids did a real good job. We hit the ball extremely well."

Ryan Boyd, Tom Barrera, Mike Cook, Jeff Ouellet and Matt Grover ripped two hits each to lead a 13-hit attack for the Cats against Fremont.

Boyd pushed his season average up over the .400 mark with a solid effort last week.

"Since he moved from nine to one [in the batting order], he's really been eating it up," said Senini of Boyd.

Nick Van Biene went the distance to get the mound win. Van Biene tossed a seven-hitter, fanning seven and allowing just one earned run. The senior right-hander pushed his pitching record to 6-4 with the win, his third win this year against the Firebirds.

"He threw his best game of the season," said Senini of Van Biene.

The Cats staked Van Biene to an early lead with a run in the first. Boyd singled, moved to second on a sacrifice by John Stengele, took third on a two-out single by Barrera and scored on a wild pitch.

The Cats broke the game open with four runs in the third.

Stengele walked and Brandon Fennema singled, and both raced home on a double by Barrera. Cook singled home a run and eventually scored on a single by Ouellet.

Gatos added two more runs in the fifth. Ouellet and Van Biene each singled, and Andy Housley, who had singled earlier in the game, bunted them to second and third. Boyd singled the two runs home.

The Cats had opened the week with a clutch 9-3 win over Palo Alto. Cook tossed six strong innings to get the win, striking out seven, and Mike Harris tossed the seventh.

Boyd doubled and singled twice and Barrera had two hits, including a two-run homer in the second. Stengele, Cook, Housley and Grover also singled in the win.

Gatos jumped on Paly in a hurry with four runs in the first and three more in the second.

Boyd opened the game with a double and Stengele beat out a bunt single. Fennema reached on an error to load the bags. Boyd scored when Barrera reached on an error, and Stengele scored on Cook's infield roller. Van Biene reached on an error that allowed Fennema to score, and Housley singled in the fourth run of the frame.

In the second, Boyd singled, stole second and scored on a couple of passed balls before Fennema walked. Barrera followed with a two-run homer.

Gatos added two more unearned runs after Paly picked up three runs in the third. The Cats took advantage of nine Palo Alto errors to cruise to the easy win.

But along with hitting the ball extremely well in the game, the Wildcats were also impressive defensively.

"We're playing good defense, and that's why we're starting to play good baseball," said Senini of the Cats.

Gatos lost 5-2 to Homestead last week, despite a solid pitching performance by Harris, and they lost 2-1 to Milpitas on Saturday.

"Harris pitched well enough to win," said Senini of the junior right-hander's performance against the Mustangs.

Barrera doubled and Boyd, Stengele, Housley and Charlie Cucco each singled against Homestead.

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