Prep roundup: Benicia opens league play with key baseball win over Acalanes

Benicia couldn’t have asked for a better start to league play. 

The Panthers played their Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division opener against Acalanes on Tuesday and did not disappoint. Benicia, ranked ninth in the latest Bay Area News Group rankings, won at home over the 11th-ranked Dons 8-3.

Benicia junior Colton Richardson had two hits and knocked in two runs. Senior Peyton Rowles was 3 for 4 with two RBIs. 

The Panthers took an early 2-0 lead after Richardson’s single to center field scored Rowles and senior Nash Rubins. They broke the game open with four runs in the second, capped by an RBI single from AJ Cabral. 

Benicia senior Dominic Louro struck out 10 and allowed just two earned runs. 

The Panthers (9-1) will travel to Acalanes on Thursday to finish the two-game series. Acalanes dropped 9-3-1. 

No. 1 Serra 1, No. 7 St. Ignatius 0

Ian Josephson’s solo home run in the first inning was the game’s only run scored as Serra won on the road over St. Ignatius in West Catholic Athletic League play.

Seniors Richie Calderon (four innings) and Davis Minton (three innings) combined to give up just three hits and one walk.

St. Ignatius junior Finn Demuth struck out five and allowed one run and four hits in four innings.

Serra (14-2, 6-2) will travel to Archbishop Mitty and St. Ignatius (8-4-2, 5-2) will visit Bellarmine on Friday. 

No. 16 Dublin 5, No. 10 Clayton Valley 1

Dublin advanced to the Alhambra Spring Break Tournament championship game with a statement win over Clayton Valley.

Senior Brendan Moddelmog led Dublin with three hits, including a triple, and scored two runs. Senior pitcher Andrew Zorinich gave up just three hits and one earned run over six innings. 

The Gaels will play tournament host Alhambra at 7 p.m. on Wednesday for the title.

No. 15 Alhambra 3, California 1 

Alhambra advanced to the final of its tournament behind a solid pitching performance from sophomore Cooper Nixdorff. 

Nixdorff pitched six innings, allowing one earned run and one hit. 

The Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie in the fourth when senior Darrian Thornton singled to score Ismael Rivera Parra. Alhambra added two runs in the sixth to expand its lead.

College Park 10, No. 20 Campolindo 9

In a barnburner, College Park staved off a furious Campolindo comeback to notch a key DAL win on the road. 

The Falcons held an 8-5 lead until Campolindo scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 9-8 lead. Luke McLeod’s single that scored Cameron Mayo put Campo on top.

The advantage was short-lived.

James Voorhies’ RBI double brought home Desmond Cobb to tie the score in the top of the seventh. Two batters later, Riley Meadows’ single to center field drove in Voorhies with the decisive run.

College Park sophomore Sai Akin retired three consecutive batters to seal the win for the Falcons. 

After starting the season 1-3, College Park has four of its last five. 

Christopher 18, Gilroy 2

Trailing by a run after two innings, Christopher scored 17 unanswered to rout crosstown rival Gilroy on the road. 

Nicholas Valentine was 3 for 4 and knocked in two runs. He also pitched three innings, striking out four and allowing no hits and runs.

Softball 

No. 4 Notre Dame-Belmont 10, Half Moon Bay 0

Notre Dame won its fourth straight Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division game by blanking visiting Half Moon Bay.

Allison Lui struck out nine and didn’t allow a hit in four innings. Skylar Loo was 2 for 3 with four RBIs. 

Notre Dame improved to 11-3-1, 4-0. Half Moon Bay is now 6-9, 0-3

No. 7 Live Oak 11, Milpitas 1 

The Acorns won their seventh straight game with a rout of Milpitas. 

Live Oak’s Maya Medina struck out nine and allowed five hits and a run in a compete-game performance. 

No. 9 Valley Christian 14, Presentation 0 

The Warriors scored eight runs in the first inning and didn’t look back as they won their third straight WCAL game by defeating Presentation in five innings. 

Freshman Makena Blauman went 3 for 3, hit a home run and drove in two runs to lead the way. Soledad Healy, Gabrielle Ho, Madelyn Hu and Charlotte Coney each knocked in two runs. 

No. 10 Castro Valley 8, No. 13 James Logan 1

Castro Valley junior Giselle De Casas had a monster game, going 4 for 4 with four RBIs and three triples to lead Castro Valley to a non-league win over James Logan. 

Sophomore pitcher Alanys Robertson pitched a complete game, striking out 10 and giving up just five hits and a run. 

Castro Valley improved to 9-3. James Logan dropped to 9-2-1.