Bantilan, Martinez homer in 13-1 triumph Wednesday in Morgan
Hill Sectional
MORGAN HILL — Not that they were looking ahead to anything, but Morgan Hill’s Mustang Green All-Stars looked ready for the next level of postseason play Wednesday during their 13-1 triumph over Los Altos/Mountain View.
Morgan Hill got off to a brilliant start in its host section tournament at Britton Middle School, belting out 17 hits, including six for extra bases. Kekoa Bantilan and Ricky Martinez homered, and Anthony Picchi and Ryan Belluomini doubled and singled twice.
Starting pitcher Robbie Jeffrey struck out seven in four innings for Morgan Hill, which moved within a victory of playing for a section pennant and a trip to regionals.
“It was everything we could have asked for,” Morgan Hill manager Rick Martinez said. “The kids were a little nervous at first, but they settled down.
“It’s like I keep telling them, it doesn’t matter who you play. You have to just go out there and play to the best of your ability.”
The Green All-Stars will play Blossom Valley’s No. 2 team at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The winner will play the top team from the loser’s bracket Monday in Game 1 of the finals. A second game, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday.
“We’re excited to face Blossom Valley,” Rick Martinez said. “They’re always our rivals. They have a lot of talented players come out of their program each year. To be the best and win a sectional, you always have to go through them.”
Bantilan, who finished 2 for 2 with a pair of walks, got the scoring spree started in the second inning when he lofted a 1-0 offering into deep left field. Belluomini followed with a two-run double off the wall, scoring Justin Nelson and Michael Ibarra.
“Kekoa’s home run was just a bomb,” their manager said. “That calmed everyone down. It got those jitters out. After that, we were rolling.”
Los Altos/Mountain View got out of the second without further damage, but Morgan Hill scattered three runs in the next two innings and four more in the fifth. Martinez’s drive in the fourth made it 6-0.
After Nick Vallner doubled in Nathaniel Wipfler for Los Altos/Mountain View’s only run off Jeffrey, Bantilan worked a scoreless final two innings to clinch it.
