Senior hurler Kyle Jensen had taken a 1-0 lead and a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Palo Alto on March 17, but a walk, an error and a swing later the Wildcats were down 3-1.

The three-run homer ended up lifting Paly to a 3-2 win over the Cats. And not only was it the first league loss of the year for Los Gatos, it came in heartbreaking fashion.

So just how did the Wildcats respond? They came back two days later to beat perennial league champion Wilcox 6-5 in nine innings.

"It was huge to respond the way we did on Friday," said Sanfilippo. "That showed a lot about the character of our team."

The win over the Chargers helped the Wildcats improve to 4-1 in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. The Cats will be home against Cupertino on March 24 before heading to Los Altos on March 26 and hosting Wilcox on March 29. All games begin at 3:30 p.m.

The Cats scored five runs in the first two innings against Wilcox last Friday, but it took a run in the top of the ninth to snap a 5-5 tie and lift Gatos to the win.

Michael Brienzo came through with a single to open the ninth for the Wildcats. The Cats popped up a sacrifice bunt try before Derek Thomas walked.

Gatos had runners at the corners when Thomas took off to steal second on a fake pick-off to third. When the pitcher turned to throw to second, Brienzo took off for home. He beat the second sacker's throw to the plate to score the run that proved the game winner.

Freshman Kyle Blair, who had come on in relief of Thomas in the sixth, put down the side in the bottom of the ninth, but the Chargers didn't go quietly.

After an out to open the frame, rightfielder Nick Perrone made a diving catch on the line for the second out. After a Wilcox single put the potential tying run on base, Blair got the final hitter to hit a fly ball to Brienzo in center.

"We couldn't be happier with the competitiveness of our kids," said Sanfilippo.

"Our pitchers have really set the tone for us," added the coach. "They've allowed us to compete and stay in games."

Los Gatos certainly got strong pitching efforts in all three games last week. Jeremy Bays opened the week by tossing a 2-hit shutout in a 9-0 win over Fremont, and Jensen flipped a 1-hitter in the loss to Palo Alto.

Thomas went five strong innings and Blair finished with four solid frames in the win over Wilcox on Friday.

"Thomas pitched unreal," said Sanfilippo of his Friday starter, who gave up just three hits, walked two (one intentional) and struck out 11 in five innings. All five runs he allowed were unearned.

Blair came on in relief, striking out two and giving up just one hit. He worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh, getting back-to-back ground balls to Russell Laubach at third base for force outs.

"He's stepped up real big for us," said Sanfilippo of Blair, who also had two hits in the win.

Catcher Marty Mullins also came through with a key defensive play for Gatos in the win over Wilcox. He backed up first base on an overthrow and gunned down a Wilcox runner trying to get to second.

"It was a heckuva play," said Sanfilippo.

The Cats jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. Thomas ripped a two-out single up the middle and Bays was hit by a pitch. Blair singled over short to drive in a run and Laubach doubled over the rightfielder's head to drive in two more.

Wilcox got a run back in the bottom of the first, but Gatos answered with two in the second. Michael Gault singled and Jensen doubled down the left-field line. Brienzo drove in a run with a ground out and Justin Schafer singled into another.

Gault, Brienzo and Blair had two hits each for the Cats and Laubach and Jensen had the doubles. J. Schafer, Thomas and Bays also singled in the win.

The Cats lost a tough to Paly two days earlier. Jensen took a no-hitter into the sixth before getting touched for the homer.

"He just pitched great," said Sanfilippo of Jensen. "He hit his spots real well. I just wish we could have picked Kyle up."

Thomas had two hits to lead a five-hit attack for the Cats. Logan Schafer had a run-scoring double and Bays also doubled. Perrone rounded out the attack with a single.

Bays had opened up the week with a solid showing on the hill in the 9-0 win over Fremont. He struck out five and walked just three while allowing only two hits over six innings.

"Hit pitched real well," said Sanfilippo of Bays. "He was real effective."