Davis Rich | Co-News Editor

In a game that featured almost as many walks as hits, the boys baseball team prevailed over Menlo-Atherton, 7-6, to claim the inaugural PAL tournament championship. Menlo used two M-A errors to its advantage, jumping on the Bears early to take a 4-1 lead, then surging ahead 7-3 in the sixth. M-A stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the seventh. Just one week ago, Menlo had lost six straight games and needed to beat Half Moon Bay to salvage a spot in the CCS playoffs. Now the Knights ride a four game winning streak into the playoffs and gave coach Craig Schoof another league title in his last year at the helm.

Both teams had their pitching staff depleted throughout the tournament, as its back-to-back-to-back game schedule forced the Bears to use a pitcher that had thrown six innings the entire year. Menlo jumped on him in the first inning, scoring four runs thanks to a costly M-A error and a two-out junior Macklan Badger RBI single. Junior Austin D’Ambra drew the start for the Knights, but only lasted into the second inning, walking three and giving up two earned runs. Junior Garrett Matsuda followed D’Ambra and pitched well, going three innings and allowing only one earned run. Matsuda had only pitched thirteen innings coming into the game, illustrating the lack of depth in the Knights pitching staff. After throwing back to back complete games, sophomore Davis Rich and senior Wyatt Driscoll were unavailable to pitch. The Knights loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, only ahead 4-3. After a popout, Sophomore Antonio Lopez II stroked a ground ball to first that the first baseman couldn’t handle, scoring two runs. Senior Mikey Diekroeger followed with an RBI single to right field, and the Knights now led 7-3.

Lopez came on to pitch with no outs and walked two hitters before giving up a sacrifice fly that cut the Knights lead to one run with runners on first and second. But then he struck out the final two hitters of the game, including Vanderbilt-bound junior Matt McGarry to end the game and set off a jubilant celebration for the Knights.

Menlo now awaits the unveiling of the CCS playoff brackets, confident in a lower seed thanks to their tear through the PAL tournament. They will play Wednesday afternoon, likely at home.