Pete Discher sacrificed the first run into scoring position and then drove in the second run to help host Menlo-Atherton edge visiting Half Moon Bay, 2-1, in a Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division game Tuesday.
Tommy Eisenstat also drove in a run and recorded the final three outs to record a save for the Bears (9-7, 6-1), who travel to Half Moon Bay for a PAL game Thursday at 4 p.m.
The King’s Academy scored three runs in the top of the seventh to break a tie and beat host Woodside, 7-4, in another Ocean Division game Tuesday.
This leaves TKA alone in first place in the division with a 5-0 league mark (10-3 overall), ahead of M-A by percentage points and a full game up on third-place Woodside (11-6, 5-2).
James Sullivan allowed an unearned run on two hits and two walks in his six innings. He also struck out a pair to win in his second straight start.
Baserunners were at a premium for both teams. Half Moon Bay left five men on base while the Bears left four on.
Sullivan retired 11 if the first 12 hitters he faced before giving up his first hit. After M-A went ahead, 2-0, it never had another baserunner.
Jake Albro singled to open the bottom of the second and Discher’s bunt allowed him to advance to second. Albro went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Eistenstat grounded out to the left side of the infield. Small ball at its finest.
In the fourth, Daniel Heimuli walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Discher’s single to center field.
The Bears matched their PAL win total of last year with eight to play.
At Woodside, Tash Jordan and Jonathan Stovall each had two hits and drove in a run. Cameron Vaughan also drove in a run for the Wildcats, who visit TKA in Sunnyvale for a game at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Gunn’s game at Saratoga, with first place in the SCVAL El Camino Division at stake, was called after three innings due to the illness of the home plate umpire.
Saratoga (7-5, 6-1) was leading 4-3 when the game was called. The game will be resumed Thursday at Gunn prior to the regularly-scheduled game.
Gunn (10-6, 5-1) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Shiva Bucklin reached first to lead off on an error by the Saratoga shortstop. He moved to second on a single by Mike Panitchpakdi, to third on a ground out hit by Eric Epstein and scored when Nathan Nakamitsu’s grounder to second was mishandled for an error.
After Saratoga took a 2-1 lead, Gunn scored two in the top of the third to go back on top. Samio Uze drew a one-out walk and Bucklin singled him to third. With the next batter at the plate Bucklin broke for second. The Saratoga pitcher wheeled and threw to second and was called for a balk, which scored Uze. Bucklin scored on Epstein’s RBI single.
In the Private Schools Athletic League, Jackson Haun collected a pair of doubles and drove in four runs in Pinewood’s 12-0 victory over host North Valley Baptist on Monday.