Sports Briefs: Archie Williams drops baseball opener

Rancho Cotate rang up six runs in the final two innings for a 8-2 non-league victory over host Archie Williams High in Saturday’s baseball season opener for both squads. Peregrine Falcons starter Wyatt Koenig held the Cougars to two runs on two hits through five innings, as he registered four strikeouts and a pair of putouts, including a double play. Falcons junior Solomon Ojalvo had a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to score junior Jasper Adams and sophomore Roman Sanchez.

• Senior Matthew Baldino hit a solo home run in San Marin’s season debut, but Petaluma unleashed a five-run seventh inning to surge past the Mustangs, 7-5, on Saturday. Junior Dylan Procopio was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while sophomore Nico Garbarino doubled and drove in a run for the Mustangs. San Marin ace Jace Brown struck out four batters and walked four in five innings of two-run ball.
• Marin Catholic’s rally fell short in Saturday’s 5-3 home loss to Acalanes to open the season. The Wildcats (0-1) are scheduled to play University in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Men’s basketball

Dominican University (16-10, 11-9) closed in on a PacWest Conference playoff berth with Saturday’s 67-61 road victory over Westmont College in Santa Barbara. With two games left in the regular season, the Penguins sit one game out of the six-team field for the conference tournament that will start March 5 in Point Loma. Senior Darius Best led Dominican with 12 points, while senior Nick Medeiros added 11 points as the Penguins got off to a fast start and never looked back.

Women’s basketball

Dominican University could not overcome a third quarter surge by Westmont in an 84-78 loss Saturday afternoon in Santa Barbara. Alyssa Alvarado led the Penguins (19-7, 13-7 PacWest) with 19 points and four assists, while Keyonee Neal finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.

Mountain biking

Simon Hewett of Archie Williams High and Redwood’s Dylan Nofziger finished 1-2 in the varsity boys race at the Redwood/Repack Regions Fun at the Fort race near Fort Ord. Hewett (1:11:45.64) pulled ahead of Nofziger (1:12:11.10) on the final lap to finish nearly 26 seconds in front. San Rafael’s Austin Geyer (1:13:23.22) placed fourth in the season opener. Tam’s Tallinn Phillipps placed ninth, followed  in 10th through 13th by Redwood’s Asa Turner, Daniel Lewin and Dylan Corteville, and North Marin Composite’s Carter Wielt.

Sarah Haskell of Archie Williams took fourth (1:27:54.58), with teammate Vesper Klausner sixth (1:28:38.69) in the varsity girls race. Tam’s Greta Jackson took eighth, with Marin Academy’s Agnes Robinson 10th and Redwood’s Paloma Nacamuli 11th.