SANTA CLARA — One thing needed to give.
Two extremely sizzling groups met Saturday with the CIF Northern California Division IV title on the road.
Central Coast Part Division V champion Menlo College had gained 20 of its final 21. CCS Division IV champion Santa Clara had gained 20 in a row.
It got here all the way down to a one-run affair. The guests from Atherton broke up a scoreless battle with two runs within the fourth and made them rise up in a 2-1 victory.
Not with out some coronary heart palpitations.
Menlo College celebrates after profitable in opposition to Santa Clara throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
Santa Clara had pulled off a number of astonishing comebacks all through the season. And when the Bruins, down a run, put two runners on after two have been out within the backside of the seventh, the chance was proper there that they may do it once more.
Connor Houle, who had two hits in his first three at-bats, hit a grounder that Menlo shortstop Jack Freehill momentarily bobbled, however recovered in time to flip to second base for the game-ending drive out.
Whereas the Bruins have been the comeback youngsters, Menlo was used to profitable the shut ones.
“We’re 14-1 in one-run games,” Menlo coach David Trujillo mentioned. “We’re used to this situation and wanted it no other way.”
Santa Clara used workers ace Drew Diffenderfer Thursday in an 8-0 win over West Valley-Cottonwood within the NorCal semifinals. The Bruins began Jaxton Chao in opposition to Menlo. He pitched three shutout innings earlier than the Knights put collectively a rally within the fourth.
KC Chavinson hit a one-out single to get it began. Then freshman Zach Roeder completely executed the hit and run, grounding the ball by means of the vacated second base place to place runners on first and third.
“We work on that all practice, we always have a round with the hit and run and I just tried to do my best to execute it,” Roeder mentioned.
Ben Salama flew out to proper area with Chavinson scoring the primary run. Roeder stole second, his second stolen base of the sport, and scored on a single by one other freshman, Fletcher Cahill.
Menlo College's Jackson Flanagan (8) pitches in opposition to Santa Clara within the first inning throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
No. 1 starter Jackson Flanagan (12-3) went the primary 4 innings for Menlo, permitting two hits, no walks and placing out one. However that was so far as he was allowed to go after pitching six innings Tuesday in a 2-0 win over Las Lomas.
Freshman Liam Widner pitched a scoreless fifth earlier than Santa Clara broke by means of within the sixth, scoring a run on three singles from Houle, Andrew Traffas and Diffenderfer. Traffas hit one with home-run distance that curved foul earlier in his at-bat.
Shortstop Jack Freehill got here in and obtained the third out on a fly out to left.
John Kepner relieved Chao for Santa Clara within the sixth and retired all six batters he confronted in two innings. Santa Clara got here to bat within the backside of the seventh in opposition to Salama, Menlo’s nearer, hoping for another come-from-behind victory.
Salama set down the primary two batters he confronted earlier than Zach Gallegos reached when Menlo’s shortstop was unable to get a deal with on his sharply-hit grounder. Chao obtained on after a pitch ticked off his helmet earlier than the drive out at second ended the sport.
“He’s our leader,” Trujillo mentioned of Salama. “He’s one of the best arms we’ve got.”
Menlo (24-8) gained its first NorCal championship after dropping to Woodland Christian 3-2 within the Division V ultimate final yr.
“We made it to the NorCal championship last year but lost, so our mindset this year was not only to win CCS, but to come back to NorCals and win this time,” Freehill mentioned. “We moved up a division and won. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The Knights have been 3-7 at one level this season (enjoying Serra and Los Gatos the primary two video games of the season actually contributed to the gradual begin) earlier than profitable 21 of their ultimate 22 video games.
After the opening NorCal playoff win over Las Lomas, Menlo went to Woodland Christian, the identical crew it misplaced to final yr within the D-V ultimate, and led 15-11 within the eighth inning when the sport was known as because of darkness. The crew drove house after which again to the Sacramento space on Friday to document three outs to finish the sport. Then it was the quick journey all the way down to Santa Clara on Saturday with the title on the road.
Santa Clara’s Jaxton Chao (9) pitches in opposition to Menlo College within the first inning throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
An unforgettable season got here to an finish with a tricky loss for Santa Clara.
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“A game like this between two great teams comes down to fundamentals,” Santa Clara coach Pedro Martinez mentioned. “Today they were better than us, so tip your hat. Nothing to be sad about. We accomplished so much at Santa Clara.”
A number of Santa Clara gamers will proceed their careers at area people schools. Traffas and Chao are headed to Ohlone. Kepner and Diffenderfer will play at West Valley, catcher Charles Conley at Gavilan.
“We wanted to prove a lot of people wrong,” Kepner mentioned. “A lot of people didn’t believe we’d be good enough to win the league, let alone win a CCS title, let alone make it this far.”
He mirrored on how a lot it harm to come back up simply quick:
“It’s pretty painful,” Kepler mentioned. “You sit there and think about all the sacrifices people made for this team. Everyone stepped up when they had to, everyone stayed ready, and just the brotherhood we had. The memories we made and all the fun times we had. Now it’s over but even if we’d won it would’ve been over. I love all these guys so much.”
Menlo College's Jack Freehill (3) catches a floor ball in opposition to Santa Clara within the third inning throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
Menlo College's Fletcher Cahill (7) stands on base after hitting a single in opposition to Santa Clara throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
Menlo College's KC Chavinson (9) slides in secure in opposition to Santa Clara’s Charles Conley (4) within the second inning throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
Menlo College's KC Chavinson (9) and Menlo College's Jack Freehill (3) have a good time after getting the final out in opposition to Santa Clara’s Jaxton Chao (9) within the seventh inning throughout the CIF NorCal Division IV championship sport at Santa Clara Excessive College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
