SAN JOSE, CA - St. Francis CCC traces its roots to the 1800s when it was an orphanage for boys. Now a co-ed high school begun in 2001, St. Francis is not very big (204 students).
Tuesday night size didn't matter as the sixth-seeded Sharks took down No. 2 Monterey 3-1 in the CCS Division II semifinals. Next up for the upstart Watsonville school is Branham in Saturday's title game -- the first time the Sharks will play for a section baseball title.
Game time has not been determined yet.
"It's the first CCS championship (game) in St. Francis history -- it feels good," said diminutive reliever Jacob Cardona. "We've been working hard this year and I think we deserve it."
Cardona, like his school, is not very big. He stands 5-foot-7, but don't let that fool you.
"I've been playing baseball for years -- don't underestimate me, that's all I can say," Cardona said after earning Tuesday night's save. "I'm a small kid, but I get by."
Down two runs in the bottom of the seventh, Monterey got a foot in the door when Justin Villarreal drew a leadoff walk. The Toreadores, with 22 players on their roster, were whooping it up in their dugout, trying their best to distract Cardona.
St. Francis CCC coach Ken Nakagawa decided it was time for a chat.
"I just told him to relax," Nakagawa said. "He was a little stressed and you could see it in his face. He was looking over in their dugout and I just told him not to worry about them."
Cardona struck out Logan Hunter on a 2-2 inside fastball. Then he fanned Dillon Landon on another inside heater. Finally, after walking Roman Miramontes, he got Carter Aldrete swinging on an outside fastball to end it.
The Sharks celebrated as one might expect, hugging and pounding each other on the back before exchanging handshakes with a disappointed Monterey team.
The Sharks jumped on Monterey immediately, with Sahid Valenuela doubling down the left-field line to start the game. He scored on freshman Ruben Ibarra's sacrifice fly. Ibarra also shined on the mound, shutting out Monterey over the first four innings.
St. Francis increased its lead to 2-0 after Josh Rodriguez hit a long double to center field. He eventually scored on Jack Peoples' single.
The Shark lead grew to 3-0 with another run in the fifth before Monterey closed to within two runs in the fifth on Romey Miramontes' RBI single to right field off Cardona, who relieved Ibarra.
Valenzuela was the only player on either side to manage more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with one run scored. Monterey hit the ball hard at times, but St. Francis was able to turn a couple of lasers into momentum-killing double plays.
One came in the fifth when Monterey had one run in, two on and one out with Aldrete hitting. The son of the former Cal star hit a shot to the right side, but Shark first baseman Rodriguez snared it and doubled off the runner to end the inning.
"The ball was hit to his right and luckily he's (6-foot-8) because if he was 6-6 it would have been a double," Nakagawa said with a laugh. "He made a big-time play. They had their opportunities."
Monterey coach Michael Groves agreed, and was disappointed at the sudden end to his team's season.
"I just thought all of their balls found holes and all of ours did not," Groves said. "We got a guy running and we hit the ball hard, right at the shortstop for a double play. We hit the ball hard to the first baseman and we get doubled off. We bunt the ball and we try to go first to third and they make the play. We just didn't have a lot of things happen our way."
Former St. Francis-CCC player David "Digger" Gugale took the loss on the mound for Monterey, giving up one run in two innings. He also went 1-for-2 at the plate, stroking a hard double to left.
The Toreadores (19-11) finished with five hits and left nine on base.
Now it's onto the title game for St. Francis CCC (19-9), the tiny school from pastoral East Lake Avenue that's opening some eyes.
Said Cardona: "In the first CCS game I didn't think we'd do this, but we've done it - we've pulled it off. I think we're a solid team and can win this."
