In the first round of the CCS playoffs this evening, the Palo Alto High School varsity baseball team handily defeated Evergreen Valley 9-0.

With Kevin Kannappan (‘12) on the mound, Paly started the game off strong, not allowing any baserunners in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, with B.J. Boyd (‘12) on base, John Dickerson (‘12) knocked Boyd in, giving the Vikings a one run lead. With a hit by Clay Carey (‘12) and another by Jack Witte (‘12) in the second, Paly led the game by two runs after the second inning.

Kannappan, still pitching, kept the Cougars scoreless until he was replaced by Danny Erlich (’14) after the third inning.

In the bottom of the third, Alec Wong (‘12) drew a walk, and with Ozzy Braff (‘12) up at bat, Wong stole second. Braff was then also walked, and a double by Dickerson, put the Vikes up by four runs. After Dickerson stole third, Carey hit a single, Witte hit a double and the inning ended with Paly up 6-0.

A single by Boyd and another by Witte put Paly on base in the fourth. Braff then hit a three run homer, giving the Vikes a nine run lead.

Erlich kept up the scoreless streak for the Vikings for two innings until Arun Varma (‘12) came in to pitch the sixth inning. Dickerson then came in for the seventh to close the game, securing the Vikings’ 9-0 win.

“We’ve always said, just take it pitch by pitch, inning by inning, game by game, don’t need to look ahead, just take care of what’s in front of you,” head coach Erick Raich said. “[The game] was collectively good teamwork.”

The Vikes will play the second round of CCS on Saturday, May 19.