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Prep roundup: Valley Christian, Serra take WCAL baseball race to wire
With one game left in the West Catholic Athletic League regular season, Serra has pulled even with Valley Christian atop the standings after results went the Padres’ way on Tuesday.
Serra won on the road at Archbishop Mitty, Valley Christian lost at home to St. Ignatius.
The same matchups are set for Friday.
This time, Serra will play host to Mitty and Valley Christian will travel to SI.
Here are the details from Tuesday:
No. 3 Serra 6, No. 11 Archbishop Mitty 0Josiah Rodriguez and Joey Damelio each knocked in two runs, Jake Downing and Ian Josephson both homered and Sam Kretsch pitched a three-hitter with six strikeouts to lead Serra to a victory at Mitty in WCAL play.
The Padres scored three in the third and single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth.
Serra improved to 19-5 overall and 10-3 in the WCAL.
Mitty slipped to 15-10-1, 7-5-1.
No. 10 St. Ignatius 4, No. 2 Valley Christian 0Will Siwinski allowed two hits over five innings and Archer Horn pitched two scoreless innings as St. Ignatius won on the road to knock Valley Christian from sole possession of first place in the WCAL with one game to play.
Emmett Johnson had two hits and drove in a run and Evann Smith added two hits, including a double, and scored a run as SI improved to 16-7, 7-6.
Valley Christian is 22-4, 10-3.
St. Francis 9, No. 14 Sacred Heart Cathedral 3St. Francis evened its record to .500 as Kyle Liu, Jedd Chang and Gino Cappellazzo each had two RBIs to lead the way at home over SHC in a WCAL game.
The Lancers (12-12-1, 6-6-1) extended their winning streak to four while dropping SHC to 15-10, 6-7.
Roman Trinidad and Cappellazzo both had two hits for St. Francis.
Gianni Conte, Jack Ruegg and Tate Medicoff had two hits apiece for SHC.
No. 4 De La Salle 6, Dougherty Valley 0Jack Karst pitched a one-hitter with eight strikeouts and Alec Blair homered as De La Salle avenged a surprising loss to Dougherty Valley in late March with a victory at home over the Wildcats.
The Spartans also got two hits and three RBIs from Ethan Sullivan as they upped their record to 15-5, 9-2.
John Wong had the only hit for Dougherty Valley, which fell to 7-15, 3-9.
No. 5 Heritage 3, Liberty 2 (8 innings)Heritage remained undefeated in Bay Valley Athletic League play, rallying in the late innings to edge crosstown rival Liberty.
Trailing 2-0, the visiting Patriots scored two in the fifth and one in the top of the eighth to improve to 19-3-1, 7-0.
Alonzo Alvarez had two hits, including a triple, and Aidan Rangel drove in two runs for Heritage.
Liberty is 10-12, 2-5.
No. 7 Acalanes 4, Clayton Valley Charter 1David Gonzales doubled twice and knocked in two runs and Gavin Bender had two hits, including a triple, and an RBI to lead Acalanes to a win on the road over Clayton Valley in Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division play.
The victory pulled Acalanes (19-2, 5-2) into a first-place tie with Benicia and College Park.
Branson Smith, Isaac Copen and Mason Zirkel combined to hold Clayton Valley to a third-inning run and three hits.
The Ugly Eagles are 11-10, 4-3.
No. 13 Woodside 14, Aragon 5Evan Chad had four hits, including two homers, and knocked in seven runs to lead Woodside over visiting Aragon in a Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division game.
Aragon led 4-2 after two innings. After that, it was all Woodside as the Wildcats ran their record to 19-2-1 and 10-1.
Trent Amoroso had three hits, two of them doubles, drove in two runs and scored three runs for Woodside.
Aragon is 12-11, 6-5.
Softball The 20 The King’s Academy 1, Notre Dame-Belmont 0Sophomore Katia Nesper struck out 19 while pitching a three-hitter and Mia Bennette drove in the only run — in the first inning — to lead TKA to a victory at home in a West Bay Athletic League game.
TKA improved to 16-2, 6-0. Notre Dame is 9-8, 2-3.
No. 7 Hillsdale 10, Woodside 1Hillsdale, playing at home in San Mateo, scored two in the first and five in the second to take command as the Knights rolled past Woodside in PAL Bay Division play.
Alexis Kuka doubled, tripled and knocked in three runs and Claire Shelton had three hits and an RBI as Hillsdale stayed tied for first with Carlmont.
In the pitcher’s circle, Kuka struck out 12 and allowed just a fourth-inning run to drop Woodside’s record to 8-12, 2-9.
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Hillsdale is 21-3, 9-2.
No. 9 Liberty 12, Heritage 1 (5 innings)Liberty scored in all five innings to breeze by host Heritage in a BVAL game called because of the mercy rule.
Jewel Cooper doubled and had three RBIs and Paige Breitstein, Kelsie Skaggs, Kaitlyn Macias and Taylor Jennings each had two hits for Liberty, which also got five strong innings from Kate Skinner (nine strikeouts) in the pitcher’s circle.
Liberty improved to 15-3, 9-0. Heritage fell to 10-9, 7-2.
JJ Bleday, bullpen lead A’s past Pirates for third straight win
OAKLAND — JJ Bleday hit a pair of home runs and the Athletics bullpen did what it’s done all season Tuesday night in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bleday hit a solo home run in the fifth and two-run shot against reliever Josh Fleming in the seventh, his second and third home runs of the season.
Mitch Spence, who pitched three scoreless innings after starter Alex Wood struggled through the first four, was the winning pitcher to improve to 3-1 as the Athletics won their third straight game to improve to 14-17.
Lucas Erceg struck out the side in the eighth inning for the A’s, with Mason Miller finishing it off in the ninth with his eighth save. Miller struck out Jared Triolo with six of eight pitches breaking 100 miles per hour, then got Michael A. Taylor on two sliders. Oneil Cruz was the final out, waving helplessly at a slider on strike three.
Erceg and Miller combined for 30 pitches, and A’s defenders may have well have taken a seat and watched the show.
“They’re like playing a video game,” Spence said. “It’s crazy.”
The A’s bullpen hasn’t allowed a run in six consecutive games.
Pittsburgh, also 14-17, got a solo home run from Connor Joe in the first inning.
The paid attendance at the Coliseum was 3,876, the first time this season the A’s drew less than 4,000 on consecutive nights. Tuesday night’s win over the Pirates had a paid crowd of 3,528.
It was Bleday’s first game with two homers. The first came on a mistake from Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller, a drive that carried 399 feet down the left field line and left the bat at 106.5 miles per hour. The second came off a left-handed pitcher, which for a left-handed batter like Bleday usually makes it more difficult.
Mason Miller pitches in the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Coliseum for his eighth save. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group“Facing lefties helps you clean things up mechanically and helps you stay on the ball a little bit better and eliminate some thinking,” Bleday said.
Spence, along with Kyle Muller, Dany Jimenez and Michael Kelly, is the latest middle reliever to shine of late and get the ball to Erceg and/or Miller to close things out.
“It’s not a competition really, it’s just going out and doing our jobs,” Spence said. “We’re kind of on a fun little run right here. Hopefully we can keep it rolling. Everybody’s been playing so great it’s been exciting.”
Wood, who came in to the game having allowed hitters to post a staggering 1.018 OPS against him, battled himself as much as he took on the Pirates.
Considering he gave up four walks and four hits in four innings and threw 93 pitches, Wood did well to give up just the two runs.
“I didn’t throw as many strikes as I would have liked,” Wood said. “Credit to our bullpen. Spence, I mean, you’ve got mason and Erceg at the end, but what Mitch has done is amazing. That long role is not easy to do and to make it as effortless as he’s made it look has been fun to watch.”
The Pirates scored in the first on Joe’s home run with two out, and again in the fourth on a Ke’Bryan Hayes sacrifice fly. In all, Pittsburgh left six runners on base in the four innings Wood pitched.
The Athletics scored twice in the fourth against Keller, with Abraham Toro singling home Shea Langeliers, who had doubled, and Tyler Nevin hitting a soft single to right to bring in Toro.
NOTABLE
— Nevin went 2-for-3 with his RBI single to right and a ground ball single to left as well as fielding his third base position flawlessly. He is now on an eight-game hitting streak.
— Ryan Noda, mired in an 0-for-26 streak and hitting .133, hit two balls on the nose to right field for line drive outs, the second of which left the bat at 108 miles per hour.
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— Miller has recorded two or more strikeouts in 10 straight games. He hadn’t pitched since last Thursday and Friday in New York and Baltimore.
— Whether the A’s run on victories will cause fans to reconsider their boycott against owner John Fisher remains to be seen.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have more fans in the stands to pump up the energy a little bit,” Bleday said. “After being on the road in Baltimore and New York, I mean, those stadiums are packed houses. We can’t really control that so we’ve just go to keep playing our game.”
Mitty catcher uses speed to swing softball pitching duel with Willow Glen: “It was go-go-go”
SAN JOSE – A thick cloud of dust enveloped home plate, but it was still clear to all that Cara Edwards had justified her coach’s trust in the catcher’s athleticism.
A few seconds before, she stood on third base with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, a position Archbishop Mitty runners had scarcely found themselves in on Tuesday afternoon against Willow Glen ace Alanna Clincy.
Mitty coach Megan Yocke had told Edwards not to hesitate to run if she saw a ball go into the dirt and past the catcher, even if the senior wasn’t the fastest player on the field. After all, opportunities like that may not have come around again.
So when the breaking pitch made it to the backstop, the Mitty senior was ready to turn on the jets. Once Edwards crossed home plate, she screamed in celebration after scoring what would be the winning run in the Monarchs’ 2-1 victory over Willow Glen in a non-league game.
“It was go-go-go, it was just a go-go-go mentality,” Edwards said. “The second the ball got away from her, I was running.”
Mitty had spent the past two weeks routing West Catholic Athletic League opponents after being swept by rival and national juggernaut St. Francis in early April. Meanwhile, Willow Glen had enjoyed an 11-game winning streak before falling 6-5 to reigning NorCal Open champion Hollister on Saturday.
In what could be a preview of a section or even NorCal playoff matchup between top private and public school programs, both teams showed off elite pitching that should translate to the postseason.
Offensive highlights like Edwards’ were few and far between in a duel between super-sophomores in the circle. Clincy struck out 13 and allowed just four hits against one of the top offenses in the Central Coast Section, increasing her season strikeout total to 146.
“We’re right in there with them,” Clincy said after holding her own against two of the best teams in the section. “We just have to tighten up our defense.”
Mitty’s second-year righthander Kyleigh Mace was just as good, keeping Willow Glen off-balance all day with riseballs and breaking balls en route to 10 strikeouts.
“It was fun being able to layer my drop, and then going onto my rise,” said Mace, who now has a 1.54 ERA.
Archbishop Mitty’s Kyleigh Mace (9) runs off the field with teammates Sara Pina (34) and Olivia Anderson (12) after a game against Willow Glen at Willow Glen High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Mitty’s Mia Rodriguez went from first to third after a single when she stole a base and then took advantage of an error in the third inning, but Clincy struck out the side to escape the threat.
Edwards and Megan Sutton stood on second and third with two outs again in the fourth, but once again, Clincy stayed calm and got out of the jam against a Mitty lineup missing injured shortstop McKenna Woliczko.
Coming off the tough loss to Hollister last week, Willow Glen wanted to make a statement.
But as its pitcher mowed down Monarchs, the only noise the hitters could make was a Anaya Zambrano groundout RBI that drove in Lea Crawford to break a scoreless draw in the bottom of the fifth.
One run wouldn’t be enough for the Rams.
“We’ve been in the driver’s seat for both of our losses,” Willow Glen coach Don Spingola said. “But we’ve given both teams a chance to come back, and that’s what they did because that’s what good teams do.”
Mitty’s usual catcher Corri Hicks, an Oklahoma commit playing first base on Tuesday, slapped a single into left field to get on base in the sixth. Then Edwards smacked a double into deep right field, driving in her fellow catcher and tying the game.
After Edwards’ alert baserunning gave Mitty the lead, Mace took over from there. She struck out the side in a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and then worked around a single in the seventh by striking out and getting a grounder to close out the win over Willow Glen (16-6).
Mitty (16-3) is entering the stretch run of the regular season, the WCAL schedule wrapping up on May 10.
If the Monarchs are to accomplish their postseason goal of lifting the CCS Open trophy, the must knock off undefeated St. Francis.
Mitty is confident it can do it.
“I’m itching for a rematch,” Edwards said. “We’re ready to get out there and face some top-level players and see St. Francis again.”
Archbishop Mitty’s Cara Edwards (23) dives into home on a wild pitch against Willow Glen at Willow Glen High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)SF Giants blanked in Boston as Red Sox chase Logan Webb in fourth
Giants ace Logan Webb entered Fenway Park with an MLB-best streak of 19 scoreless innings. That stretch quickly ended Tuesday night, and another began: the Red Sox scored a single run in each of the first four innings to chase Webb.
That 4-0 deficit held up as the final score in the Giants’ second shutout loss this season.
So began the Giants’ longest road trip of the season, with upcoming stops in Philadelphia (four games) and Colorado (three games) after this three-game series in Boston, their first visit since 2019.
While the Giants’ bats got silenced by baseball’s best pitching staff, Webb (3-2) appeared to struggle with his grip on the 52-degree evening.
“The changeup was pretty bad. It was either up for a strike or they could sit on it and go the other way, or it was a non-competitive pitch,” Webb told reporters. “It was just one of those nights that was not very good.”
Wilyer Abreu ripped a two-out, RBI triple off the right-field wall in the fourth, marking Webb’s 91st and final pitch of the night. Overall, Webb yielded four runs on nine hits and three walks. His ERA climbed from 2.33 to 2.98, and he exited without a winning decision for a third consecutive start.
“I wouldn’t say it was his best command today,” Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters. “It’s really odd when you see something like that. At the end of the day, he still has a 2.98 ERA after a game like that. He was able to get outs when he needed to.”
Webb’s counterpart, Cooper Criswell, retired the first 10 batters he faced. He then issued a full-count walk to LaMonte Wade Jr. in the fourth, but Matt Chapman next grounded into a double play.
The Giants managed just four hits, a pair in the fifth by Michael Conforto and Jorge Soler, then two more singles in the ninth by Wilmer Flores and Chapman.
“You only get four hits, and two of them are in the last inning, so it doesn’t look great,” Melvin said. “But (Criswell’s) stuff was really good and we were kind of caught in between which side of the plate we were looking for pitches.”
Conforto broke up Criswell’s no-hit bid, but then it was Patrick Bailey’s turn to ground into a momentum-ending double play. Soler followed with a two-out single, only for Thairo Estrada to line out and end any perceived rally.
It was that kind of night for the Giants’ bats. Leadoff man Jung Hoo Lee twice hit deep shots caught on the warning track.
An eighth-inning replay reversal erased the Giants’ lone highlight: a potential triple play that would have been their first since 2008. Chapman fielded a three-hop grounder, stepped on third base, threw to Estrada at second base, and an ensuing throw to first was deemed late by half a step.
“Chapman works on that every day, going to the bag and then throwing,” Melvin said, “so at some point in time, he’s going to pull one off.”
After Webb’s exit, the Red Sox managed only two hits against relievers Sean Hjelle, Taylor Rogers and Landen Roupp.
Criswell worked with a quick pace, and Giants’ batters went down in rapid succession through three innings. He recorded four consecutive strikeouts his initial time through the bottom of the order, including No. 8 hitter Mike Yastrezmski, who made his first Fenway appearance since a 2019 sentimental debut where his grandfather, Carl, played.
Leading off the sixth, Yastrezmski got hit on his left wrist as the first batter to face Brennan Bernardino; Yastrezmski stayed in the game, and Melvin wasn’t aware of any postgame X-rays. Potential injury aside, it was an otherwise welcome pitching change. Criswell allowed just two hits, walked one, struck out four and lowered his ERA to 1.65.
Webb yielded a two-out, RBI single in the first to Rob Refsnyder, who drove a 3-1 changeup up the middle. The ball took a wicked hop over Estrada, then Tyler O’Neill slid home safely for a 1-0 lead. Another two-out, RBI grounder put the Red Sox up 2-0 in the second inning, with Jarren Duran driving in Reese McGuire. Inning No. 3 put the Giants in a 3-0 hole, on another RBI single from Refsnyder after Webb yielded an opposite-field, leadoff double to Abreu.
“Kind of was searching for answers. I was like 2-0 to almost every hitter and that’s not a very good recipe for success,” Webb added. “I tip my cap to those guys. I thought they’d be aggressive. They were in the first and the were aggressive after that.
“It was bad execution all over the place.”
The Red Sox appeared to score a fourth time on a two-out hit, but Melvin won a replay challenge that nullified what would have been Duran’s run-scoring, infield single to end the fifth and keep the deficit at 4-0.
The Giants were shut out only once previously this season on April 6 at home to the Padres. They’ve yet to win three straight this season, and they were bidding Tuesday night to win back-to-back games for only the fourth time this season.
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MEDICAL UPDATES
Blake Snell (left adductor strain) is slated to throw a bullpen session Wednesday in San Francisco, a week after going on the injured list.
Other medical updates from the team: Alex Cobb (right flexor strain) is rehabilitating in San Francisco, while Robbie Ray and Austin Warren continue their recovery in Arizona from left-elbow ligament surgery, both throwing bullpen sessions twice a week. Tristan Beck (vascular injury) will be examined by Dr. Jason Lee at Stanford on Wednesday.
Branham athletic director saga: Landon Jacobs’ fight for old job hits another roadblock
SAN JOSE – Former Branham athletic director Landon Jacobs is running out of options to get his job back.
Jacobs, whose dismissal in March sparked outrage at the San Jose school, revealed on Tuesday that the district’s human resources department said he could not be considered a candidate.
He had reapplied for the position on April 5.
“I got a response from HR last week saying that they weren’t going to process my application because of the collective bargaining agreement,” Jacobs told the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday. “I don’t know what they’re referring to, but I haven’t gotten a response back yet.”
Supporters of the popular AD filed a formal complaint last month to the Campbell Union High School District Board of Trustees, calling for the removal of Branham principal Lindsay Schubert and for Jacobs and assistant athletic director Heather Cooper to be reinstated.
Even with the response from HR, Jacobs said he could be reinstated if the allegations in the formal complaint against Schubert are found to be credible by the school board.
Branham appears to be moving quickly to find a new AD.
Sources close to the situation told the Bay Area News Group that the school has narrowed its pool of candidates to replace Jacobs and conducted interviews as recently as Monday. A new athletic director could be announced this week, the sources said.
MORE BRANHAM
- Branham AD story takes another turn at latest school board meeting
- Column: Can that many supporters be wrong about Landon Jacobs?
- Formal complaint provides more details about why Landon Jacobs was dismissed
- Former AD declines teaching reassignment, uncertain about future
- Branham community strongly defends dismissed AD at school board meeting
- Longtime Branham AD loses his job. The school’s community wonders why.
The next school board meeting is Thursday.
At the April 18 board meeting, Jacobs’ supporters revealed that they had filed a public records request to access all written communication and emails between superintendent Robert Bravo, Schubert, and members of the board regarding Jacobs’ situation. They also requested details from any investigation into allegations that the former athletic director mishandled funds. The request was filed on April 10.
According to the California Public Records Act, the board had 10 calendar days to release the correspondence or provide an explanation why it cannot meet the request.
The board responded by formally requesting for an extension, sources said.
Jacobs said that while he remains hopeful that he’ll get his old job back, his search for a new one could start when the school year ends in June.
“There definitely needs to be a timeline here,” Jacobs said. “The day after graduation is my last. So, that would be a point where I need to start looking at other options pretty seriously.”
Two weeks after his dismissal, Jacobs turned down an offer to be reassigned to another school in the district, Del Mar, to teach history, his credentialed subject.
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If Branham were to hire a new athletic director, some amends will have to be made with the school’s athletic boosters, sources said.
Since Jacobs took over the job 14 years ago, he has built a strong relationship with boosters who have helped fundraise for Branham sports teams.
Many in leadership roles within the booster club have organized efforts to reinstate Jacobs, and sources said it’s possible the new AD might not receive the same support.
“That’s not out of the realm of possibilities,” said one booster, who asked to remain anonymous. “Anything is on the table right now.”
Kurtenbach: If the Warriors want to contend in 2025, they need to trade Jonathan Kuminga [Mailbag]
It’s been a while since we went to the KurtenBag.
So, let’s fix that.
If you want in on the next edition (or if you just want to yell at me about this one), you can email me, text me, or DM me. It’s all good to me.
Now to your questions:
Will the Warriors have to trade Kuminga for that one player who can put them over the top?
Well, the player who would put the Warriors (who were the No. 10 seed in the West) over the top is probably not going to be Kuminga anytime soon (if ever)…
So… yes.
That said, the options are rather bleak, and it takes two to tango. The Warriors are high on Kuminga; they don’t want to trade him for anything less than a sure thing. I don’t think the rest of the league shares their opinion on JK. To them, he’s a nice player with plenty of upside, but we have said the same thing about John Collins for years, didn’t we?
If you believe Kuminga (and picks and Andrew Wiggins) should go in exchange for a bonafide No. 2, you need to be hoping for sheer chaos in the league this offseason. I’m not optimistic that will happen, given the league’s parity and the new collective bargaining agreement.
I suggested a few names a couple of weeks ago (or was it days?), and the target that has grown on me the most is Dejaunte Murray.
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I don’t think Murray is a superstar or even someone on the verge of stardom, but he would fill some vacancies for the Warriors.
The first is the need for someone to defend the damn ball on the perimeter. Klay Thompson used to do that, but those days are over. Andrew Wiggins did it, too, and I can’t explain why he stopped. Kuminga can do it, but not at Murray’s level. Murray is long, a former All-Defense team member, and would give the Warriors great on-the-ball pressure and the ability to switch more (a necessity in the pick-and-roll dominant NBA.)
Murray can also handle the ball and run the second unit when Steph Curry (but really Draymond Green) is off the floor. With Chris Paul likely gone, someone has to fill that job.
Murray averaged 22.5 points per game last season for the Hawks on average shooting splits. There’s room for that side of his game to grow a bit, too. He’s going into his age-28 season.
Is he a worthy upgrade over Kuminga? That depends on how you view JK.
I’d make the trade if you keep draft picks out of the mix. The Hawks seem like willing sellers — they need a re-set and the concept of Kuminga and Tre Young on the pick-and-roll could be pretty exciting. The Warriors can rightly claim they brought in another All-Star in their prime — they would likely have to replace Wiggins, though, and that’s easier said than done. (He’d be included for salary-matching purposes.)
There is another player who could be traded to the Bay this summer. His name is Kevin Durant. Ever heard of him?
Sadly, I don’t think that will happen.
Pearsall — who would you say is his pro comparison?
As a society, we’ve run out of white receivers to compare Pearsall. I’ve heard it all: Julian Edelman, Adam Thielen, and I might have suggested Cooper Kupp once or twice.
We’re a few days away from a Wayne Chrebet or Steve Largent comp.
But the actual comp is Saints Z receiver Chris Olave, albeit with appreciably more athleticism.
Like Olave, Pearsall catches everything, is fearless over the middle, and can win at all three levels. He also is poised to line up as a flanker more often than not. And seeing as Olave has caught 159 passes for 2,165 yards in his first 31 games as a pro, despite having dregs at quarterback, I think this comp, while chromatically dissonant, should please Niners fans.
Which running back will get moved, Elijah Mitchell or J.P. Mason?
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I don’t think there will be a trade market for either, but if we expand your question to mean, “Which of these 49ers running backs won’t make the 2024 team?” I’m inclined to say “both.”
Mason is the one most likely not to make the team. I think he’s a good back who’s worthy of carries, but Kyle Shanahan clearly disagrees. And while Mason has been a valuable special teams player for the 49ers, San Francisco spent its offseason adding nothing but guys with good special teams upside.
Seriously, it was like a fetish.
Mason seems on the outs. Another team will reap the rewards.
And I don’t think the Niners can go into the 2024 season trusting Mitchell to stay on the field, seeing as every time he played last season, he seemingly was injured for a week or two afterward. Such is the plight of an undersized back who plays a big back’s game. He was here for a good time, not a long time.
Perhaps someone will send a seventh-round draft pick the Niners’ way for Mitchell. I doubt that happens because of the aforementioned reasons.
But if the Niners are going to carry three “true” running backs (plus a fullback), who is in?
Fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo is in, for sure. He’s Raheem Mostert with 20 extra pounds. I expect him to be a revelation this upcoming season.
And then there’s Alfred Morris 2.0 (we all remember how much Shanny loved him) — Mizzou running back (aka the best running back in America last season) and undrafted free agent Cody Schrader will take the other role.
I am biased here, as he’s a fellow True Son, but landing Schrader was a coup for the Niners.
This guy went from Truman State to walk-on at Mizzou to being the SEC’s best back on one of the nation’s best teams, putting up great games against the best competition Mizzou faced last season.
Doubt this man at your peril.
How many hours did you spend watching draft prospects?
Too many.
But seriously, I love doing draft prep, and with my podcast, KNBR radio, and this venerable establishment all wanting that sweet, sweet content, the effort was well worth it. If nothing else, I have a head start on the 2025 NFL season.
I would estimate that I put in two hours a night, six nights a week for 10 weeks. (I told you I love this stuff).
But even then, I came up short. I pride myself on having a couple of minutes (or a few hundred words) of understanding on every possible 49ers target, but I had to cram study Jarrett Kingston after he was drafted. How I missed a guard with a short shuttle time like that is unacceptable, and I apologize for the shortcoming. It won’t happen again.
Dual threat: How a South Bay athlete is juggling two high school sports at same time
MORGAN HILL — On most days, Live Oak’s Ben Ledwith has barely any room in the trunk of his car.
He has to fit lacrosse gear, golf clubs and a school bag filled with AP textbooks into his Jeep Wrangler before he drives to the Morgan Hill campus.
Ledwith is doing something that is not common in this era of specialization. The 6-foot-1 senior is playing two sanctioned high school sports – lacrosse and golf – in the same season.
He is thriving at both.
“I think I can set the bar for people to realize you can do different things and try multiple sports,” Ledwith said.
His busy schedule this spring followed a fall season in which he was the long snapper on Live Oak’s football team.
The activities have not affected his studies. He carries a 4.71 GPA and will be playing club lacrosse at UCLA next year.
Live Oak coaches and other athletes have taken notice. They believe Ledwith is setting an example for others to play multiple sports.
“We’re happy to see him playing both sports,” Live Oak golf coach Mark Cummins said. “We want our student-athletes to learn many life lessons while they’re playing sports. He’s done very well managing, going from golf to lacrosse while also having such a high GPA. He’s just been a model for other student-athletes to look at.”
Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) grabs a drink during a timeout in the first quarter of a high school lacrosse game against Bellarmine, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)Playing sports was a must in the Ledwith household.
Ben’s dad, Brad Ledwith, won the NCAA Division II baseball national championship with Cal Poly in 1989. His twin brother, Nolan, recently committed to Concordia University to play lacrosse.
“My mother-in-law asked me once, ‘What would happen if your kids didn’t like sports?’ Brad Ledwith said jokingly. “I told her, ‘I’m not sure that they would be part of this family.’
“Sports is something that teaches life lessons and I wanted to instill that into my kids early.”
Ledwith’s lacrosse career at Live Oak got off to a good start as he made the varsity team as a freshman. But a torn ACL forced him to miss his sophomore season.
The time away from lacrosse opened another door for Ledwith.
Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) stands on the sidelines in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter of a high school lacrosse game against Bellarmine, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)While recovering from the injury, he was convinced by his dad to try out for Live Oak’s golf team.
“I honestly thought it was just a sport for older people to play,” Ledwith said. “When I tore my ACL, I was just really down in a hole because I love sports and it was my outlet to dealing with my problems. After my dad told me to try out, I fell in love with golf. I just kept practicing, and I just kept getting better and better.”
Since last spring, Ledwith has played golf and lacrosse simultaneously.
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And this season, he convinced two of his lacrosse teammates, freshman Sawyer Drago and senior Ryan Forbis, to join the golf team.
“We’re all really close,” Forbis said about the bond he has with Ledwith and Drago. “We go to golf matches together and go to lacrosse practice right after. It’s been cool to spend all day together to play golf and lacrosse.”
On the lacrosse field, Ledwith has been a team captain for two years and is the Acorns’ best offensive player this season. He is averaging 2.3 goals per game on a Live Oak team that is currently in first place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
“He embodies the pure leadership aspect of a captain,” Live Oak lacrosse coach Gavin Herr said. “I couldn’t respect him more. He’s been integral in this offense and this throughout the season.
Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) gets the attention of the referee for his in-game injury during the third quarter of a high school lacrosse game against Bellarmine, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)On the golf course, Ledwith is Live Oak’s No. 4 golfer and has already helped the Acorns capture a share of the league title.
“He’s been a great role model for the rest of the players on the team,” Cummins said. “There’s no complaining because we have Ben, who’s playing two sports at the same time while having a 4.0 GPA. He’s been a great leader for our younger players and our freshman, showing them the way.”
Ledwith maintains a regimented schedule to keep himself focused.
That includes getting his school work done immediately after practice and to bed before 10 every night.
“It’s definitely challenging,” Ledwith said. “I have to be very good at time management. I try to plan out a schedule before my day … I can’t waste a single minute or second of my day.”
Ledwith has his sights set on continuing his athletic career in Southern California. UCLA has one of the better club lacrosse teams on the West Coast.
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity,” Ledwith said. “I think it’s absolutely amazing that I get to keep playing lacrosse for another four years. I’m just going to continue to use what I’ve learned and play at the next level.”
Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) shares a laugh with Bellarmine defenseman Eli Rose (18) during a timeout in the first quarter of a high school lacrosse game, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group) Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) brings the ball upfield ahead of a Bellarmine defender during the third quarter of a high school lacrosse game, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group) Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) brings the ball upfield ahead of Bellarmine defenseman Eli Rose (18) during the first quarter of a high school lacrosse game, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group) Live Oak senior Ben Ledwith (6) maneuvers between two Bellarmine defenders during the second quarter of a high school lacrosse game, Friday, April 19, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group)High school softball rankings April 30, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records through Monday)
No. 1 ST. FRANCIS (20-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Since last ranking: Beat Presentation 14-0, 17-3, Los Gatos 8-1
Up next: Wednesday vs. Valley Christian, 4 p.m.
No. 2 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (15-3)
Previous ranking: 2
Since last ranking: Beat Valley Christian 10-2, 11-1
Up next: Tuesday at Willow Glen, 4 p.m.
No. 3 BENICIA (17-1)
Previous ranking: 4
Since last ranking: Beat College Park 2-1, Clayton Valley Charter 17-2, Franklin 7-1, Freedom 6-1
Up next: Tuesdayvs. Alhambra, 4:30 p.m.
No. 4 LIVERMORE (18-4)
Previous ranking: 3
Since last ranking: Beat Foothill 2-1, Monte Vista (FF)
Up next: Tuesday at Amador Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 5 WILLOW GLEN (16-5)
Previous ranking: 5
Since last ranking: Beat Notre Dame-Salinas 3-0, Santa Teresa 12-0, lost to Hollister 6-5
Up next: Wednesday vs. Notre Dame Salinas, 4:30 p.m.
No. 6 ALAMEDA (14-2)
Previous ranking: 6
Since last ranking: Beat Castro Valley 5-4, Berkeley 12-1
Up next: Tuesday at San Leandro, 4 p.m.
No. 7 HILLSDALE (20-3)
Previous ranking: 8
Since last ranking: Beat San Mateo 9-0, Burlingame 7-1
Up next: Tuesday vs. Woodside, 4 p.m.
No. 8 GILROY (17-5)
Previous ranking: 9
Since last ranking: Beat Sobrato 12-0, Branham 6-3
Up next: Wednesday at Live Oak, 4 p.m.
No. 9 LIBERTY (14-3)
Previous ranking: 10
Since last ranking: Beat Pittsburg 22-0, 24-1
Up next: Tuesday at Heritage, 4 p.m.
No. 10 CALIFORNIA (13-7)
Previous ranking: 12
Since last ranking: Beat Monte Vista 11-4, San Ramon Valley 3-2, beat James Logan 5-1
Up next: Tuesday at Dougherty Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 11 JAMES LOGAN (17-2)
Previous ranking: 16
Since last ranking: Beat Newark Memorial 5-0, Washington 11-1, lost to California 5-1
Up next: Tuesday at Irvington, 4 p.m.
No. 12 COLLEGE PARK (10-6)
Previous ranking: 17
Since last ranking: Lost to Benicia 2-1, beat Alhambra 15-3, Amador Valley 16-3
Up next: Tuesday vs. Clayton Valley Charter, 4:30 p.m.
No. 13 BRANHAM (15-8)
Previous ranking: 13
Since last ranking: Beat Live Oak 8-3, lost to Gilroy 6-3
Up next: Wednesday vs. Westmont, 4 p.m.
No. 14 LOS GATOS (15-5)
Previous ranking: 18
Since last ranking: Beat Mountain View 4-2, Homestead 2-1, lost to St. Francis 8-1
Up next:Wednesday at Fremont-Sunnyvale, 5 p.m.
No. 15 FREEDOM (11-6)
Previous ranking: 14
Since last ranking: Beat Heritage 11-0, lost to Heritage 4-2, Benicia 6-1
Up next: Tuesday at Deer Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 16 BISHOP O’DOWD (15-6)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Arroyo 2-0, Encinal 10-8, Las Lomas 10-7
Up next: Wednesday vs. Alameda, 4 p.m.
No. 17 DUBLIN (11-7-1)
Previous ranking: 15
Since last ranking: Lost to Granada 10-2, beat Amador Valley 9-8
Up next: Tuesday vs. Foothill, 4 p.m.
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No. 18 GUNN (19-1)
Previous ranking: 19
Since last ranking: Beat Saratoga 9-0, Mills 2-1
Up next: Tuesday vs. Monta Vista, 4 p.m.
No. 19 GRANADA (10-9)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Dublin 10-2, Foothill 8-7
Up next: Tuesday at San Ramon Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 20 THE KING’S ACADEMY (15-2)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Castilleja 13-3
Up next: Tuesday vs. Notre Dame-Belmont, 4:30 p.m.
Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The rankings were compiled by BANG’s Joseph Dycus, Darren Sabedra and Nathan Canilao.
High school baseball rankings April 30, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records through Monday)
No. 1 GRANADA (21-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Since last ranking: Beat Dublin 2-0, 4-1
Up next: Wednesday vs. Livermore
No. 2 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (22-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Since last ranking: Beat Archbishop Mitty 4-0, Bellarmine 4-2, 11-0
Up next: Tuesday vs St. Ignatius, 4 p.m.
No. 3 SERRA (18-5)
Previous ranking: 3
Since last ranking: Lost to St. Ignatius 3-1, beat St. Ignatius 5-1
Up next: Tuesday at Mitty, 4 p.m.
No. 4 DE LA SALLE (14-5)
Previous ranking: 5
Since last ranking: Beat Monte Vista 8-5, 6-3, lost to Elk Grove 3-2
Up next: Tuesday vs. Dougherty Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 5 HERITAGE (18-3-1)
Previous ranking: 7
Since last ranking: Beat Freedom 11-1, 8-4, Franklin-Stockton 8-1
Up next: Tuesday at Liberty, 4 p.m.
No. 6 LOS GATOS (19-3)
Previous ranking: 6
Since last ranking: Beat Cupertino 11-1, 9-0
Up next: Wednesday at Wilcox, 4 p.m.
No. 7 ACALANES (18-2)
Previous ranking: 1
Since last ranking: Lost to Benicia 8-1, beat Benicia 2-1
Up next: Tuesday at Freedom, 4 p.m.
No. 8 JAMES LOGAN (17-3)
Previous ranking: 9
Since last ranking: Beat Mission San Jose 8-5, 13-0, Berkeley 6-2
Up next: Wednesday at American, 4 p.m.
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No. 9 COLLEGE PARK (14-6)
Previous ranking: 10
Since last ranking: Beat Northgate 2-1, 8-4, Amador Valley 4-2
Up next: Tuesday at Benicia, 4 p.m.
No. 10 ST. IGNATIUS (15-7)
Previous ranking: 11
Since last ranking: Beat Serra 3-1, lost to Serra 5-1
Up next: Tuesday at Valley Christian, 4 p.m.
No. 11 MITTY (15-9-1)
Previous ranking: 13
Since last ranking: Lost to Valley Christian 4-0, beat Sacred Heart Cathedral 13-2, 5-3
Up next: Tuesday vs. Serra, 4 p.m.
No. 12 SAN RAMON VALLEY (13-8)
Previous ranking: 12
Since last ranking: Beat Amador Valley 5-0, lost to Casa Grande 7-6
Up next: Wednesday at Monte Vista, 4 p.m.
No. 13 WOODSIDE (18-2-1)
Previous ranking: 14
Since last ranking: Beat Mills 7-1, 5-1, Washington-San Francisco 16-0
Up next: Tuesday vs. Aragon, 4 p.m.
No. 14 SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL (15-9)
Previous ranking: 8
Since last ranking: Lost to Bellarmine 5-0, Mitty 13-2, 5-3
Up next: Tuesday at St. Francis, 4 p.m.
No. 15 BURLINGAME (14-5)
Previous ranking: 15
Since last ranking: beat Sacred Heart Prep 5-4 (12 innings), 3-2
Up next: Wednesday at Sequoia, 4 p.m.
No. 16 LEIGH (14-7)
Previous ranking: 16
Since last ranking: Lost to Leland 5-4, beat Leland 7-1
Up next: Tuesday at Live Oak, 4 p.m.
No. 17 CAPUCHINO (15-8)
Previous ranking: 18
Since last ranking: Beat Hillsdale 2-1, lost to Hillsdale 10-3
Up next: Wednesday at Sacred Heart Prep, 4 p.m.
No. 18 PITTSBURG (16-6)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Liberty 2-1, 2-0
Up next: Tuesday at Antioch, 4 p.m.
No. 19 BENICIA (12-7)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Acalanes 8-1, lost to Acalanes 2-1
Up next: Tuesday vs. College Park, 4 p.m.
No. 20 CASTRO VALLEY (14-7-1)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Alameda 4-3, 3-2
Up next: Wednesday at Arroyo, 4 p.m.
Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
49ers mailbag: Will receiver trade rumors, offensive tackle search cease this offseason?
SANTA CLARA – And now for the 49ers’ 2025 mock draft … just kidding. It’s mailbag time to review your 10 best social media questions, in the wake of last weekend’s eight-is-enough draft class that comes packed with experience and speed:
Is Deebo going to get traded away from us? (@juanayonjr1982)
File this question away for next spring. By not trading Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk during the draft, that almost assures their return this season, barring unforeseen drama internally or another team’s desperation before the Nov. 5 deadline. Whereas Aiyuk should land a market-rate extension (say, $28 million annually) in three months, Samuel’s contract runs only through 2025, and it’s hard to see him playing out that final year at a $16.6 million salary. For this year, Samuel will be the one wearing No. 1 at a $21 million salary.
If teams would die to have Kyle Shanahan as their coach, why has his name ever come up in any trade discussions? (@ghosct)
Shanahan enters his eighth season entrenched in the good graces of 49ers’ ownership. That harmonious relationship between Shanahan, John Lynch and Jed York has ideally stabilized that side of the franchise. Shanahan and Lynch signed their second batch of contract extensions before last season’s Super Bowl run. Who’d be better? What place would be better? Onward!
Will Guerendo be RB2 or RB3 in the depth chart? How many TDs? (@wojaen19)
Let’s see how fast Isaac Guerendo integrates into the 49ers’ system first. Speaking of fast, his 4.33-second speed in the 40-yard dash offers a desired change-of-pace look behind Christian McCaffrey. Yes, that could mean Guerendo overtakes Elijah Mitchell (and Jordan Mason) as RB2, but he’ll have to prove worthy in practices and not just be a one-trick pony/racehorse.
Do the 49ers project Green as a boundary or slot corner? What does that say about Samuel Womack? (@JerodBrown)
Renardo Green proved in college he can play outside, but the 49ers’ greater need is inside, and that is where they’ll initially train him. “He’s wired the way you can be at nickel, from a mentality in the run game, also the quickness in coverage,” Shanahan said. Deommodore Lenoir can play inside and outside, but this being his contract year, he’ll want to seek an outside-cornerback payday. As for Womack, he’s mainly been a special-teams ace, but he was inactive in the playoffs, so he’s not assured a job, nor are any of their 2022 draft crop aside from Brock Purdy.
I get not reaching on an offensive tackle in the first round. The fact they sat back in the second round and didn’t move up for one is egregious. This line will be awful if Trent misses any time. (@fbudick83)
Awful? Look, Trent Williams is a three-time reigning All-Pro, so there obviously is a major dropoff when he’s not present. A second-rounder (and the 11th tackle off the board) isn’t going to fill that void. Eight tackles went in the first round, so there wasn’t a surplus remaining. Roger Rosengarten, a popular target in mock drafts, was snatched one spot before the 49ers’ original second-round pick. That left BYU’s Kingsley Suamatala available at No. 63 – and he made a pre-draft visit to the 49ers – but they traded down a spot with the Chiefs, who were the ones that took Suamatala.
What’s our succession plan for life without Big Trent? (@jgm_72)
File this question away for next spring, too. Trent Williams turns 36 in July, and he should have a couple of seasons left in the All-Pro frame (including a wickedly smart mindset). Perhaps they see if Colton McKivitz can flip sides and protect that quarterback he co-stars with in a John Deere commercial. Jaylon Moore got a complimentary shoutout from Lynch on Sunday. Sixth-rounder Jarrett Kingston and ex-Raiders starter Brandon Parker will audition this summer, too. If better options arise in future years, the 49ers know they need a top-notch left tackle to protect Purdy into the future.
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Which 49ers draft picks leave you warm and fuzzy, and which don’t? And who might be a sleeper among the signed undrafted free agents? (@MrEd315)
Let’s see what first-rounder Ricky Pearsall can do. It’s as if Kyle Shanahan envisions him as the NFL receiver he always wanted to be himself. So let’s see the sticky hands, swift routes, fearless crossing routes, and, perhaps, return-man magic. Jacob Cowing brings speed but must prove better than Pearsall, Trent Taylor and others. Of the undrafted crop — which has yet to be officially announced – doors are open for running back Cody Schrader, center Drake Nugent and tight end Mason Pline.
Now that SF knows what they have in Brock Purdy, are we starting to see a shift in offensive philosophy building around his strengths and processing (and less “bully ball”)? (@JasonPSargent)
Let’s remember that this 49ers offense produced the NFL rushing champion (Christian McCaffrey) in Purdy’s first full season as a starter. That said, the 49ers can expand their passing attack with this influx of wide receivers, perhaps taking the onus off a tight end unit that is top-heavy with George Kittle.
We lost Armstead and Kinlaw, and didn’t take a defensive tackle. How are we feeling about that? (@bruisergrande)
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It feels like Maliek Collins (traded from Texans for a seventh-rounder) and Jordan Elliott (signed away from Browns) better pan out and complement incumbents Javon Hargrave, Kevin Givens, T.Y. McGill and Kalia Davis. Undrafted rookie Evan Anderson has a shot to command a spot.
Are the Niners looking to get a No. 2 linebacker aside Warner? Or is Greenlaw gonna be back in time? (@jonny4916)
Check March’s file and you’ll see they signed veteran De’Vondre Campbell, who can start in place if Greenlaw needs a month or so more to recover from his Achilles tear in the Super Bowl. Other options: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Ezekiel Turner, Dee Winters, Jalen Graham, Curtis Robinson and seventh-round pick Tatum Bethune.
Who’s the most interesting undrafted free agent they signed? (@mark.shapiro.80)
Terique Owens has the name power as T.O.’s son, and he’s a nice project who could learn fast on the practice squad. But the most interesting: Mason Pline, a former college basketball player whose 6-foot-6 frame could be a nice target, if he makes the transition from Ferris State and Furman.
When is the schedule release? (@jmelgoza81)
Not officially announced yet but you might want to circle your calendar for May 9, to then circle your calendar for these 49ers’ games:
Home vs: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys
Away at: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Athletics’ pitching puts Pirates on lockdown to open homestand
OAKLAND — Joe Boyle and two relievers shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Athletics played a fundamentally efficient game on offense Monday night in a 5-1 win at the Coliseum to kick off a 10-game homestand.
The paid attendance was 3,528, the fourth time in 14 home dates the A’s have drawn fewer than 4,000 fans.
Tyler Nevin hit a solo home run for the A’s in the first inning, his third of the season.
The A’s improved to 13-17. They didn’t win their 13th game in 2023 until June 6, when they were 13-50. Pittsburgh fell to 14-16.
Boyle (2-4) was effectively wild through five innings with four walks and four strikeouts, throwing 91 pitches, fewer than half of which (45) were strikes. Boyle had two wild pitches in the first inning with just 10 strikes in 26 pitches and threw one ball to the backstop with no runners aboard.
Yet the damage was minimal.
“It was the most important part of the game,” Boyle said. “Set the tone for the rest of the outing. It was important to get out of that and settle in and I think that put them on their heels a little bit.”
Michael Kelly (47) is congratulated by catcher Shea Langeliers after getting the last out of a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night at the Coliseum. Jane Tyska/Bay Area News GroupA’s manager Mike Kotsay would prefer Boyle not live on the edge quite as much as he did.
“He got through it,” Kotsay said. “I’ll give the kid credit to go ahead and get through five innings after that first shows a lot of character. Command’s a struggle for him and it’s going to be a continuing process to try and get him in the zone as much as possible in his side work and in the bullpen and make that a focus.”
The only run the Pirates scored in the first came when Ke’Bryan Hayes scored on a wild pitch. Hayes led off the game with a ground single to right.
“I looked up in the sixth or seventh and they still had only one hit and I actually couldn’t remember the hit,” Nevin said. “That keeps us in rhythm at the plate too. It’s very complementary baseball.”
Pittsburgh would get just one more hit the rest of the night, with Dany Jimenez putting up zeroes in the sixth and seventh innings and Michael Kelly in the eighth and the ninth. Oneil Cruz singled with one out in the ninth against Kelly, but the A’s ended things with a ground ball double play.
Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter (2-2) was done after five innings in favor of Roansy Contreras, giving up five earned runs on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts. The hardest hit ball was by Nevin, whose homer to left center in the first carried 404 feet at 102.8 miles per hour.
Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker #25 is congratulated by Max Schuemann #12 after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Shea Langeliers #23 in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)The Athletics took a 3-1 lead against Falter in the fourth with an inning that would warm the heart of any execution-minded batting coach.
Brent Rooker led off with a line single to center and was doubled to third by Abraham Toro, who found open spaces in right center.
Shea Langeliers was next, and he flied deep enough to center to score Rooker, and Max Schuemann hit a liner to left that brought home Toro.
It continued in the bottom of the fifth when Darell Hernaiz singled and was sacrificed to second base by Nick Allen. That put him in position to score on a double against the left field fence by Esteury Ruiz. After Ruiz stole third, Nevin hit the A’s third sacrifice fly in two innings for a 5-1 lead against Falter.
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A lot of what’s happening is pitching and defense, but the offense has helped us to score enough runs,” Kotsay said. “To be a successful offensive team we have to do those things correctly and add on to the lead, which is another area we’ve struggled with.”
Nevin added a bloop single to go along with his home run and sacrifice fly and is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak. He’s batting .310 with an .802 OPS In 23 games.
“I’m trying to keep the same routine, not trying to do too much and just remember what got me feeling good and riding that wave,” Nevin said. “Trying to have a good at-bat every time and stack ’em.”
First big league save for Athletics’ Erceg demonstrates it’s not all Mason Miller
OAKLAND — Pitcher T.J. McFarland almost felt sorry for the Baltimore Orioles.
Mason Miller, the Athletics’ right-hander who has become a phenomenon with his ability to throw anywhere from 101 to 104 miles per hour with the greatest of ease, was taking a second day off Sunday after pitching back-to-back for the first time this season on Thursday and Friday.
So Lucas Erceg, who has been used as a set-up man for Miller, was given the ninth inning by manager Mark Kotsay.
“I’m sure the Orioles were like, `Great,’ ” McFarland said Monday before the Athletics faced the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin a 10-game homestand. “And here comes Erceg throwing bowling balls down their throat at 100 miles an hour.”
Erceg abused three hitters on 12 pitches, 10 of them strikes, with a pair of strikeouts. He topped out at 99 miles an hour and recorded his first MLB save in his 50th big league game.
“It felt good to get the first one out of the way,” Erceg said. “Hopefully it’s not my last opportunity for that. I pride myself in being ready whenever the phone call comes. (Sunday) it just happened to be the ninth inning. Real cool experience. I have the baseball and am getting it nice and boxed up for our home.”
The A’s came home and entered this week with a 12-17 record, responding from a three-game sweep against red-hot Cleveland by winning four of seven from the Yankees and Orioles, the pace-setters in the American League East.
Twelve wins in 29 games isn’t going to get boycotting fans through the Coliseum turnstiles, but consider at the same point a year ago the A’s were 6-23.
By the time the A’s got to 12 wins in 2023, it was May 30, and they’d lost 45 times en route to a 50-112 record.
The biggest reason the A’s aren’t on a similar path a year later is a bullpen that has been the backbone of a team that has gone 11-10 after a 1-7 start to open the season.
The Athletics went into Monday’s game with the bullpen not allowing a run in its last four games, covering 4 1/3 innings, and a 1.85 earned run average in six of the last seven. The bullpen’s 2.73 ERA is tied for sixth lowest in the majors and has three wins, five saves and no losses over the last 11 games.
The headliner is Miller, who has become nationally known for routinely breaking 100 miles per hour with a wipeout slider, making it almost unfair for opposing hitters. His 86 pitches of 100 mph or greater are the most in the majors, and he has nine of the 10 fastest pitches, including 103.7 (rounded up to 104).
But given the UCL strain that limited his use as a starter a year ago, Miller operates with an invisible “handle with care” label.
“I think the biggest thing for us is we continue to make strides going forward with the health and continue to manage him in a way that we’re going to have him for the rest of the season,” Kotsay said.
Miller’s shadow has eclipsed Erceg in a national sense, although he’s known locally after playing at Campbell’s Westmont High, Cal, and Menlo College before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers as a third baseman.
The career as an infielder never materialized, as Erceg, who has spoken openly of previous issues with alcohol abuse and depression, switched to pitching in 2020 with the Brewers and hasn’t looked back.
“That seems like a long time ago,” Erceg said.
He was acquired by the A’s in May of 2023 in a cash deal, and at the moment, it looks like a steal. Erceg is 1-1 with a 1.54 earned run average and 14 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.
Catcher Kyle McCann, who was sorting through text messages after his game-winning two-run home run against Baltimore, thinks the back end of the A’s bullpen can be elite.
“I don’t think Erceg gets as much credit as he should because of how good Mason Miller is,” McCann said. “I’d say they’re neck and neck, and to have them as the No. 8 and 9 punch is something. If they keep doing what they’ve been doing we’re going to be in good shape because pitching wins ballgames.”
Relief pitcher T.J. McFarland flips the ball to first base to record an out against the New York Yankees. A.P. PhotoKotsay said Erceg may be anonymous to the national media but not to those who have to face him.
“He may go unnoticed, but he’s not unnoticed to hitters,” Kotsay said. “The maturation from last season to this season is real nice. He’s controlling the zone a lot more and out of the zone when he needs to be. He’s doing a really great job, and the save is a big confidence boost for him and our bullpen.”
Starter Paul Blackburn can see the difference in Erceg from last season to this season.
“I feel he’s had a different mentality,” Blackburn said. “He feels like he belongs. And when he’s out there and has the ball, it’s go-time from pitch one and can feel his intensity and what he does every day to be ready.”
It doesn’t stop with Miller and Erceg. As a left-handed reliever, McFarland’s 16 appearances are tied for the most in the majors. He stranded all inherited runners until giving up one in Cleveland and retired the first batter he’s faced in the last 16 innings.
Right-hander Austin Adams hasn’t allowed an earned run in 12 of 13 appearances. Kyle Muller, a left-hander and last year’s Opening Day starter, has thrived in middle relief — he threw 2 1/3 innings of relief Sunday in Baltimore and has a 2.25 earned run average.
Mitch Spence has struggled of late, giving up a run in five of his last seven appearances, but Michael Kelly and Dany Jimenez have both had their moments.
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If the A’s hitting doesn’t come around, they’ll need all the good pitching they can get. The A’s have scored just 84 runs through 29 games — as opposed to 108 last season in their 6-23 start. However, they’ve given up 127 runs as opposed to 226 at the same point a year ago.
Davis getting closer
— Third baseman J.D. Davis (right adductor strain) went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored for Triple-A Las Vegas in a rehab assignment. He took a live batting practice against left-hander Ken Waldichuk (UCL sprain left elbow) and will return to Las Vegas for more work.
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On the move: Former Saint Mary’s guard Aidan Mahaney commits to UConn
MORAGA — Aidan Mahaney, one of the Bay Area’s most celebrated high school players who went on to stand out at Saint Mary’s for two years, is leaving for the East Coast.
He told ESPN on Monday that he has committed to powerhouse UConn.
The 6-foot-3 guard joins a team that this month became the first to win back-to-back national championships since Florida did so in 2007.
“I chose UConn to be pushed, to be a part of something bigger than myself, to compete for a national championship and to become a pro,” Mahaney told ESPN.
Aidan Mahaney shoots against Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference championship game in March. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)Mahaney’s exit is one of many that has gutted Saint Mary’s roster this offseason. Last week, big man Joshua Jefferson transferred to Iowa State and highly-touted high school guard Zion Sensley of Archbishop Riordan de-committed from the program.
Mahaney was arguably the most productive player on the floor for Saint Mary’s since he graduated from nearby Campolindo High in 2022.
As a freshman, he averaged 13.2 points per game and shot 40% from behind the arc en route to an all-West Coast Conference first-team selection.
In his sophomore season, Mahaney averaged 13.9 points while leading the Gaels to the to their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Saint Mary’s, a No. 5 seed, fell to No. 12 Grand Canyon in the first round last month.
Mahaney got to see exactly how his new team operated last season when the Gaels played UConn in the second round of the NCAAs. Saint Mary’s lost to the Huskies 70-55 — a game in which Mahaney scored a team-high nine points.
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“The coaching staff doesn’t rebuild at UConn, they reload,” Mahaney told ESPN. “There is no tiptoeing around the fact that the program is going for it all again, and I am ready to be a part of that journey towards continued greatness. One game at a time, obviously, but the goals at UConn are set the moment you walk into the facilities. National champs.”
In a high school career affected by COVID, Mahaney ended every season with a victory until his senior year.
He won a state championship as a freshman and a NorCal title as a sophomore just before the pandemic shutdown. In a truncated spring season his junior year, Campo went undefeated.
In his senior season, Campo fell just short of another NorCal title, losing to Modesto Christian in the Open Division final.
Vote now: Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week
Editor’s note: We prohibit the use of bots and any other artificial methods of voting. Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll. No voting by email: Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Welcome to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) girls Athlete of the Week poll.
For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner.
This week, we consider performances from April 22-27.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting.
Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Scroll to the bottom for the poll.
Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections.
Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.
We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Niarah Aimonetti, Del Mar softball: Aimonetti, a sophomore, was 3 for 3 with a home run and a double. She had five RBIs and also scored four runs. The sophomore is batting .683 and has 30 RBIs so far this season.
Essence Anderson-Brown, James Logan track and field: Anderson Brown, a sophomore, won the 100-meter race by the smallest possible margin over older sister Nyarah Anderson-Brown at the Clash of Titans meet. Essence ran the race in 12.43, and Nyarah ran it in 12.44.
Lilia Brack, Alameda track and field: Brack, a senior, won the 100-meter hurdles at Skyline HS’s Clash of the Titans meet, running it in 17.68. That was the third time she had won the 100-meter hurdles this season.
Lovanita Cabanas, Hayward softball: Cabanas, a senior, hit two home runs and had seven RBIs in a dominant victory over Tennyson. She ended the week with a .645 batting average and five home runs on the season.
Sage Huddleston, Menlo School swimming: Huddleston, a senior, took silver medals in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle race at the West Bay Athletic League championships, and helped Menlo take bronze in the 400 freestyle relay.
Hayley Maravillas, Hillsdale lacrosse: Maravillas, a sophomore, scored four goals in a 16-6 victory over Priory. Maravillas has scored 38 goals in 16 matches for Hillsdale, which improved to 9-7 with the victory.
Mary Rangel, Notre Dame-San Jose lacrosse: Rangel, a sophomore, scored four goals and had two ground balls in NDSJ’s 15-0 victory over Harker. Rangel has 83 goals and 11 assists in 13 matches.
Peyton Tsao, St. Francis softball: Tsao, a freshman, hit four home runs in four at-bats this week. Two of her home runs came in the first inning, helping her reach 10 home runs on the season for the No. 2 team in the country according to MaxPreps.
Danielle Victorian, Skyline track and field: Victorian, a junior, set a personal record and won the shot put event at the Clash of Titans meet when she threw the 4kg item a meet-best 34-11.50.
Laila Wang, Archbishop Mitty badminton: Wang, a sophomore, She swept each opponent in two sets and averaged to keep her opponents at eight points or less. Wang was awarded the No. 1 seed in women’s singles for league finals.
Kalia Woo, Mills softball: Woo, a sophomore, threw three perfect innings and struck out six in a victory over Jefferson. In that same game, she also had an RBI and scored a run. Woo has 31 strikeouts in 44 innings this season.
Take Our Poll (function(d,c,j){if(!d.getElementById(j)){var pd=d.createElement(c),s;pd.id=j;pd.src='https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/plugins/polldaddy/js/polldaddy-shortcode.js';s=d.getElementsByTagName(c)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(pd,s);} else if(typeof jQuery !=='undefined')jQuery(d.body).trigger('pd-script-load');}(document,'script','pd-polldaddy-loader'));Vote now: Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week
Editor’s note: We prohibit the use of bots and any other artificial methods of voting. Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll. No voting by email: Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Welcome to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) boys Athlete of the Week poll.
For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner.
This week, we consider performances from April 22-27.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting.
Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Scroll to the bottom for the poll.
Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections.
Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.
We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Cristian Alvarenga, Mt. Eden baseball: The junior was 4 for 4 with two RBIs and a double in a 13-4 win against San Lorenzo. Alvarenga leads the Monarchs in batting average (.483), slugging percentage (.637), RBIs (14) and stolen bases (6).
Giovanni Bernal, South San Francisco baseball: Bernal was 3 for 4 and had five RBIs and two doubles in South San Francisco’s 10-7 win over El Camino. The Warriors are 17-5, 9-2.
Cameron Chatman, Independence track and field: The senior won the 100-meter race at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division finals with a time of 11.05 seconds.
Shareef Elaydi, Archbishop Mitty swimming: The freshman won the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke at the West Catholic Athletic League championships. Elaydi also anchored Mitty’s 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay to first-place finishes.
Ezra Goldfarb, Head-Royce baseball: Goldfarb struck out 17 in seven innings pitched in a 5-0 win over College Prep. The sophomore has a 0.37 ERA for a team that is 12-4, 6-2.
Tanner Gray, Granada track and field: The senior won the 3,200-meter race at the Granada-Livermore dual meet with a time of 9:50.01.
Darrin Lau, Foothill lacrosse: Lau scored four goals and dished out two assists in Foothill’s 10-8 win over Amador Valley. Foothill is the No. 9 seed in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs and will play No. 8 Casa Grande on the road Tuesday.
Carter Johnstone, Los Gatos baseball: Johnstone went 3 for 3 and had three RBIs and a home run in the Wildcats’ 11-1 win over Cupertino. Los Gatos (19-3, 8-2) is a game behind first-place Los Altos in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division standings.
Daniel Saavedra, Lincoln-San Jose baseball: The junior had two hits, two RBIs and a double in Lincoln’s 11-8 win over Piedmont Hills. Saavedra is batting .409 for the Lions, who are 18-3, 12-2.
Elijah Thomas, Hercules baseball: Thomas struck out seven and allowed just two hits in Hercules’ 10-0 (five innings) win over Salesian. Hercules (11-8, 10-1) is first in the Tri-County Athletic League Stone Division.
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