And as it turns out, that proved to be the difference between winning and losing for the Fremont Firebirds in the finals of the Central Coast Section Division II baseball playoffs on Saturday.

A couple of diving catches by Monterey outfielders robbed the Firebirds of extra base hits and a chance to pull off the upset of the year—a CCS baseball championship.

"They just had them fall in and we didn't," said Fremont coach Mike Smith after the tough 4-0 loss to the Toreadors in the CCS finals at San Jose Municipal Stadium. "That's the game of baseball."

The Firebirds were coming off a lopsided 14-0 win in five innings over league rival Los Gatos in the CCS semifinals. Fremont has lost two of three to the Wildcats in the regular season in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, but a grand slam by sophomore Dan Bergeron helped the Firebirds roll over the Cats in CCS play.

It was participation in that rugged De Anza Division, says Smith, that readied Fremont for its CCS run.

"There no question it prepared us," said Smith of the league season. "Every team from top to bottom is tough and they all have good pitching. Coming into CCS, we had already faced good pitching."

The Firebirds saw good pitching again on Saturday against Monterey.

"We hit the ball hard today," added the coach. "They just made outstanding plays. They had a great team, and we have a great team."

The Firebirds completed a 17-11 season, and despite the season-ending loss, Smith was happy with his club's performance.

"I'm very pleased," he said. "We've had so much controversy. People don't know what we've gone through."

There wasn't much for the Firebirds to cheer about on Saturday, though. A first inning single by Matt Martinez was the only hit Fremont could muster in the game, and the first was the only inning when the Firebirds had as many of two baserunners.

Martinez ripped a one-out single up the middle in the first and stole second before Chris Knopf walked an out later. Ryan Boardman followed by drilling a liner up the gap in right-center, but Monterey center fielder Jaydee DeMaria chased it down to make a fine running catch in the alley.

The Toreadors scored two runs in the third, while Fremont wouldn't get another baserunner until Bergeron walked with two out in the fifth. Rocky Russell then ripped a shot to right center, but right fielder Nick Avila made a diving catch to rob him of a hit.

Monterey added single runs in the sixth and seventh, but Fremont could manage just single baserunners in each of the last two frames—both reaching on errors.

The game was in direct contrast to Fremont's 14-0 semifinal win over Los Gatos. The Firebirds lit up Gatos pitching for 11 hits, including three doubles and the home run by Bergeron.

Martinez had two hits to knock in three runs, Brett Bonetti singled and doubled and Jack Chapman doubled home a run to join Bergeron in leading the 'Birds to the easy win. Pinch-hitter Sean Osentowski also doubled in the game and Dan Murrell, R. Boardman, Scott Boardman and Shawn Church each singled.

Kris Dunwoody shut out the Cats over five innings, allowing just three hits and just seven baserunners. He struck out three and walked just four. Dunwoody threw just 76 pitches in the win, 39 for strikes.

Fremont took the early lead when Murrell walked to open the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Martinez and scored on a single to left by R. Boardman.

The Firebirds broke the game open, though, with five runs in the second and eight more in the third, batting around in each inning.

Bonetti doubled to the base of the wall in center field to open the second and eventually scored on an error. Martinez's two-run single was the big hit in the rally and S. Boardman also singled in a run.

A walk to Bergeron started things in the third. Murrell singled and Martinez singled in a run before Chapman doubled off the Mountain Dew sign in right field to knock in another run. After the Boardman brothers were each hit by pitches, Bonetti singled in a run. Bergeron, who had walked to open the frame, crushed a grand slam over the left field fence to all but end the day for the Wildcats.