The Wildcats lost a 5-4 heartbreaker to defending Central Coast Section Division II champion Monterey in the section quarterfinals. And as far as Sanfilippo and his players are concerned, the game is going to be long considered the one that got away.

"It was really heartbreaking—I'm crushed," said Sanfilippo after the game that Monterey won with a walk and a couple of singles in the bottom of the 10th on May 22 at Santa Clara's Washington Park. "But a lot of people there said it was the best high school baseball game they're seen in a long time."

It was.

It was a game that Los Gatos led from the second through the seventh, only to see the Toreadores tie with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh.

It was a game that senior starter Kyle Jensen deserved to win after scattering nine hits and striking out eight.

And it was a game that the Wildcats appeared they might win when they loaded the bags with one out in the top of the 10th. But it wasn't to be.

"How they prepared, and then how they went out and executed ... I couldn't be more impressed with this team," added Sanfilippo. "It was just heartbreaking for them."

"But they represented themselves well," added the coach. "Maybe we're getting close to something good here."

The Wildcats went 12-6 to finish third in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, posted a 15-12 season record and went 1-1 at CCS.

Los Gatos had runners on base in all but two innings on Saturday and kept the pressure on Monterey throughout the game. After the Toreadores tied it in the seventh, the Cats put a couple of runners on in the eighth, then, after going one-two-three in the ninth, threatened again in the 10th.

Derek Thomas singled to right to open the inning. Mike Gault sacrificed him to second, and both runners were safe on an error. Justin Schafer successfully sacrificed the two to second and third and Nick Perrone was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Senior second sacker Matt Hirakawa followed with a fly ball to center fielder and Thomas tagged and took off for home. But center fielder Zach Thomas threw a strike to home plate to cut him down.

"That was really a big league play," said Sanfilippo of the double play.

Jeremy Bays took over for Jensen in the 10th and walked the first hitter he faced. Catcher Marty Mullins caught a pop fly on a botched sacrifice attempt for the first out, and Gatos got the second out on a force play at second. But Monterey's John Cardinale blooped a single to put runners on first and second, then Z. Thomas completed his hero's role by ripping a single into right center to knock in the run.

Gatos had taken the early lead with a couple of runs in the second. Gault singled, went to second on an error and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by J. Schafer. Perrone drove him home with a sac fly to center.

But the Cats weren't finished yet. Hirakawa singled to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Logan Schafer singled to center to knock him home, then Mullins singled.

Monterey got one back when third sacker Chris Lopiccolo blasted a home run over the fence in left center, but Gatos answered with a run in the third.

Russ Laubach was hit by a pitch and raced to the third on a hit-and-run single to right by D. Thomas. An out later J. Schafer singled him home.

Monterey touched Jensen for an unearned run in the bottom of the third, but once again Gatos answered back.

L. Schafer, who had three hits for the Cats, ripped a one-out double down the right field line. He scored on a single to right by Bays.

Monterey scored a run in the fifth to make it 4-3. Jensen worked out of trouble, though, by striking out the side—getting two of them on called thirds with a sharp-breaking curve ball.

"He was sharp with it," said Sanfilippo of the breaking pitch. "Kyle did just a great job, he was in control."

The Wildcats had opened the week with the 5-1 win over Half Moon Bay. Thomas went the distance to toss a three-hitter for the win, striking out seven along the way.

Los Gatos rallied for all five of its runs in the second. A two-run homer into the trees in right field by L. Schafer and a run-scoring double by Gault were the big hits in the rally. L. Schafer doubled and homered in the win and J. Schafer and Gault also had two hits apiece.