Carlmont’s JV baseball team won 7-2 in a home game against Burlingame on Wednesday following key performances from pitchers and batters alike.
The Scots’ victory was assisted by impressive showings on the mound from pitchers Dylan Pon and Rintaro Sato. Pon, a freshman, started the game and pitched 5.1 innings, allowing just one run while striking out two. Sato, a sophomore, finished the final two innings while also allowing only one Burlingame runner to score.
“The team was outstanding and I couldn’t ask for better,” Pon said. “I just trusted my defense and we did pretty well offensively.”
Offensively, Carlmont first got on the scoreboard with an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Daivik Vennela. Vennela’s hit led to a series of hits that garnered seven total runs for the Scots.
“As a team, we did a great job; Dylan Pon came out and did great. I saw some good pitches and got some good swings off as well,” said Joseph Prieto, a sophomore catcher.
Significant contributions were made by the outfielders. Ryan Robson, a junior left fielder, and Ben Sunahara, a sophomore right fielder, each had two-RBI games. Meanwhile, Tyler Webster, a freshman center fielder, led the team in hits alongside Vennela; both had two hits. Webster closed the top of the 5th inning with an incredibly athletic catch in center field and drove in the final run for the Scots, with an RBI double in the bottom of the 6th.
“That catch in center field was routine for me,” Webster said. “I’m happy to do what I can to help this team win.”
The victory against Burlingame marks the Scots’ sixth win in the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL), with just one loss in their league campaign. Carlmont has been putting together an outstanding season with an overall record of 16-2.
One of the most crucial performances in Carlmont’s league play has been their win against Hillsdale on Friday, Apr. 15. That day, Jason Tofigh, a freshman second baseman, ended the game in the bottom of the 10th inning with a walk-off RBI single, wrapping up the last of a series of games against the Fighting Knights.
“That was the most exciting game of my life, and it showed the depth of our team from top to bottom. It was a team effort from our pitching to our clutch knocks,” Vennela said.
Approaching their final league games, the Scots have placed emphasis on their team chemistry, which is a particularly strong suit for the squad.
With the addition of their freshman pitching staff, including starters Henry Massey and Grant Goetz, the team’s ERA has been 2.74. It’s been a notable improvement from past years, and players are hopeful for a possible first-place finish this year.
“Our starters have been everything we could have asked for and more,” Sunahara said. “They’ve really stepped up in the brightest of lights and taken on a leadership role on our team.”
On the offensive side, the team has been just as impressive. They’re boasting a .341 batting average and getting on base in nearly half of their plate appearances.
The Scots dominated Burlingame to earn their sixth win in their league campaign. They’ll continue improving and they’re aiming to end their season as champions after finishing third last year.
“We’ve been having a good year so far, and I don’t see us slowing down any time soon,” Prieto said.
(Gallery photos compliments of Willie Pon Photography)
