Derek Thomas, though, threw just a little better.

Thomas tossed a 3-hit shutout to lead the Wildcats to a 4-0 win over the Falcons on a cool Tuesday afternoon on the Los Gatos diamond.

The big southpaw needed just 82 pitches--53 for strikes--to turn back the Falcons and pick up his seventh win of the season in eight decisions. Thomas struck out six, walked only three and hit one batter in his gem. He allowed only seven batters to reach base, and only three got as far as second.

What's more, the Los Gatos defense that was a concern for head coach Brad Sanfilippo early in the season played errorless baseball behind the senior left-hander.

The Cats even managed to turn one double play behind their ace, and there was nothing conventional about it.

Augie Lagemann singled up the middle to open the seventh inning for the Falcons and he moved to second on a wild pitch. After Danny Bragonier struck out, Gatos catcher Marty Mullins threw behind Lagemann at second and, when the runner broke for third, shortstop Justin Schafer gunned him down with a perfect throw to third sacker Jeremy Bay. Mullins then pulled in a high foul pop behind the plate for the final out of the game.

Mullins had also gotten Thomas out of a bit of a jam in the sixth. Jeff Lyu walked on four pitches to open the inning for the Falcons and two outs later Matt Wright was hit in the back with a pitch. On what appeared to be a wild pitch, the runners took off for second and third. An alert Mullins grabbed the rebound off the backstop and fired a strike to Schafer covering the bag at second to gun down Wright, the trailing runner, for the final out of the inning.

Mullins' presence was felt offensively early in the game. After Michael Brienzo drew a one-out walk in the third, Mullins ripped a hit-and-run double down the left field line and the speedy Brienzo scored all the way from first to break up the scoreless tie.

That would be the only run Thomas would need for the win, but the Wildcats added some insurance in the fourth. Kyle Blair blasted a 1-1 pitch high over the left field fence for a solo homer to open the inning.

It was the only time in the game when Newberry appeared a bit rattled. Schafer singled up the middle on the next pitch, and Michael Gault ripped a one-strike pitch to left for a hit. Mark Johnson forced Gault at second. On the second pitch to Ray Salazar, Johnson stole second and Schafer stole home when the catcher threw down to second.

Newberry, though, worked his way out of trouble. He struck out Salazar on three pitches, then turned and threw to shortstop Kyle Stoffers to pick off Johnson at second to end the threat.

It was one of two picks for Newberry in the game. In the first, Mullins reached on an error and stole second. But Newberry turned quickly on the mound to catch Mullins too far off the bag. Mullins took off for third and Newberry threw in front of him to get him in rundown. Third sacker Chris Bruner, whose error had allowed Mullins to reach in the first place, took the throw and, when Mullins turned to race back to second, tossed to the shortstop. Stoffers ran down Mullins to make the tag.

Los Gatos added an unearned run in the sixth to close out the scoring. Blair reached on an error and Schafer singled to left. Gault dropped a beauty of a bunt down the third-base line for a sacrifice, and Johnson's sacrifice fly to center chased Blair home.

It was a tough defeat for Newberry, who threw only 97 pitches--65 for strikes--in six innings on the hill. He struck out only three but walked just one and hit a batter. The Falcons committed three errors behind him.

Gault and Schafer had two hits apiece to lead the six-hit attack for the Wildcats. Mullins doubled and Blair homered to round out the offense.

Lagemann, Jeff Roberts and Eric Finnegan each singled for Saratoga in the game.

Los Gatos pushed its season record to 15-3 with the win. The Wildcats are 10-1 and in first place in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Prior to beating the Falcons, the Cats had handled Milpitas 8-3, Mountain View 7-0 and Palo Alto 4-1 in league games.

Blair tossed a complete game 4-hitter, striking out nine along the way, to lead the Wildcats to the important win over Paly and push his mound record to 4-2. Schafer homered and Thomas doubled and singled twice to lead the Los Gatos offensive attack.

Paly actually took the lead with a run in the second, but the Cats scored two in the fifth to take the lead and added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh.

Thomas had gone the distance to fire a 4-hit shutout in the 7-0 win over the Spartans earlier that week. He struck out five in the win.

Mullins, Schafer and Gault each blasted homers for the Wildcats, and Thomas doubled and singled twice.

Senior southpaw Ryan Kiel was on the mound when the Cats handled Milpitas 8-3. Kiel was the winning pitcher, improving his record to 3-0. Mullins had three hits to lead the Wildcats, who broke the game open with a six-run rally in the second.

The Cats will get back to league play on April 20, 3:30 p.m. at Los Altos. Gatos will then visit Gilroy on April 23, 11:30 a.m., and head to Los Altos again on April 25 for another 3:30 p.m. league game.

Frosh-soph wins three

Stephen Krach posted a couple of mound wins and Matt Ellis nailed one as the Los Gatos frosh-soph baseball team nailed three victories to push its record to 8-1 in the De Anza Division.

Krach went the distance to toss a 5-hit shutout, striking out four and walking just three, in a 7-0 win over Milpitas. Tim Sweeney doubled and singled twice to lead the offensive attack for the young Wildcats.

Aaron Miller had two hits and swiped a couple of bases and Andrew Gomez had two hits and knocked in three runs in the win. Ellis ripped a two-run double.

Ellis was the winning pitcher and also had two hits and two RBIs in an 8-5 win over Mountain View.

Kevin Wyllie came on in relief of Ellis to pick up the save, his fourth in eight Los Gatos league wins.

Mitch Benedetti doubled and singled twice to drive in two runs and Eric McDonald tripled. Gomez and Sweeney slapped two hits apiece.

Krach picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief in a 10-9 win over Palo Alto during spring break last Monday. Miller had a hit, walked twice and drove in two runs to lead the offense. Gomez, Ellis, Benedetti and Paul Politi added singles.