Prep baseball: San Marin soars past Encinal into NCS championship game

San Marin High’s big bats came through when the Mustangs needed them most Tuesday to turn the tide against visiting Encinal and secure a berth in finals.

A grand slam by Cole Chamberlain plus a two-run-triple and a two-run homer from Anthony Scheppler helped power the No. 2 Mustangs past No. 6 Encinal, 10-3, in the North Coast Section Division III semifinals.

No. 4 Campolindo (15-12) defeated No. 9 Sonoma Valley, 3-1, in Tuesday’s other semifinal, and will face San Marin. The game is set for Saturday at College of Marin but start time was not known at press time.

The Mustangs (21-8) are returning to the NCS D-III championship for the first time since 2022, when they lost 3-1 to Cardinal Newman.

San Marin starter Tyler Keehn redeemed himself after a troublesome first inning. He hit the first batter with the game’s opening pitch, then walked the bases loaded. Another hit batsman forced in a run and an RBI single from Hudson Taylor gave the Jets (20-8) a 2-0 advantage.

Keehn recovered, however, as he scattered just three more hits across the next five innings for the win. Tanner O’Keefe pitched the seventh inning, giving up one run on two hits to wrap up the game.

“It was a scary start, but Tyler found his way out of trouble,” San Marin coach Jaime Vattuone said. “Once Tyler figured out his slider, he was a different pitcher. I was nervous at the start. I had a panic button in the dugout just in case, but I didn’t need it. Tyler earned those next five innings and he was solid.”

San Marin evened the score in the bottom of the first after Encinal starter Kyle Cooke walked the first two batters. Sean McGrath’s sacrifice bunt put the runners in scoring position, setting the table for Scheppler’s triple to deep right field to score Joey Cipollina and Chamberlain. Scheppler slid into third base as the the team cheered him on from the dugout.

Chamberlain led off the third inning with a double and scored on Scheppler’s booming shot over the right-field fence as San Marin took a 4-2 lead.

It was Chamberlain’s turn in the fourth inning after the Mustangs loaded the bases. Daniel Rolovich drew a one-walk and Trevor Krejdovsky was hit by a pitch, then Cipollina singled. Chamberlain wasted no time at the plate as he swung on the first pitch from Cooke and drove it deep into the golden grasses covering the hills behind right field for an 8-2 Mustangs lead.

The Jets appeared to be out of synch in the fifth inning. San Marin’s Jake Simpson reached on an error to lead off, then stole second and advanced to third on a balk. Simpson scored easily on a single from Matthew Baldino, who later scored from third on a passed ball for a 10-2 San Marin lead.

Branson advances

Grayson Roberts tossed a two-hit, complete-game gem to guide the No. 5 Bulls to a 1-0 upset win over top-seeded Berean Christian in the NCS D-V semifinals at Diablo Valley College on Tuesday.

The Bulls (11-15) advance to the championship game at 5 p.m. Friday in Oakland against host and second-seed Head-Royce.

Roberts allowed just one hit over the first six innings but surrendered a one-out hit in the seventh. Berean Christian (20-7) hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out then Roberts notched his fifth strikeout of the game to end it.

Branson scored the only run it would need in the second inning. Treyvor Mathews was hit by a pitch with one out to start the rally. Spencer Weinberg singled then Berean Christian recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning.

Mo Jacoby followed with a single to drive in the game’s only run.