Palo Alto Baseball (24-9) put up strong play against the Monta Vista Matadores (15-11) in its first round of the CCS tournament on May 18, 2011, 10-2, earning a spot in the next round against Homestead. The Vikings sent pitcher Graham Marchant (’11) to the mound at the beginning of the game where he held the Vikings defense for the first five innings.
The entire batting lineup contributed to the boys’ win with big hits from Ozzy Braff (’12) and Bijon Boyd (’12). Justin Gray (’12) added two points in the sixth inning to the board after pounding a homer out of the park, sending Jeffery Cohen (’11) home.
Stepping up to the plate, Bijon Boyd (’12), Christoph Bono (’11) and T.J. Braff (’11) each delivered powerful strokes, allowing the Vikings to rack three runs by the end of the first inning. Boyd led the Vikings off with a single. Bono skirted the ball down the third base line where it rolled deep into the left field grass, bringing Boyd home. T.J. hit to the Matadore shortstop, forcing a play at first, sending Bono home setting the Vikings up with 2-0 lead into the second inning.
“Getting a 3-0 lead in the beginning put us up and gave us room to play,” catcher William Glazier (’11) said. “We kept the ball out of the air most of the time but may want to switch out approach in the next game.”
On the defensive end of the ball, the Vikings quickly closed out the second inning, turning a 1-6-3 double play and leaving the Matadores scoreless.
The Vikings came out swinging in the bottom of the second inning. John Dickerson (’12) blasted one deep into right field, earning a single. Cory Tenanes (’11) followed up in the batting order and got on first base, from which he speedily stole second. Boyd returned to home plate wielding a CF-4 composite bat and clubbed a double above the center fielders head, allowing Tenanes to go home. Ozzy Braff continued the Vikings streak, slugging one into the outfield for Bono to come home and give the Vikings 6-0 lead at the end of the third inning.
The Vikings held off the Matadore offensive through the fourth inning and put up two more runs with the help of Ozzy Braff, who drilled a triple into center field. Marchant’s reign came to an end after giving up two runs to Grant Manley (’11) in a bases loaded situation, leaving the mound for Sam Maliska (’11).
“Sam’s throwing hard today,” Coach Raich said to his coaching staff by the dugout.
The Vikings increased the score far out of the Matadore’s reach in the bottom of the sixth inning with a homerun from Justin Gray (’12), who brought Cohen home to take the Vikings into the seventh inning 10-2.
To close the game, Kevin Kannapan (’12) came up to the mound, sending two Matadores back to the dugout in consecutive strikeouts and allowing a hit to get cleaned up by his first baseman.
“Our pitching was strong today, we came out with velocity and didn’t let down the entire game.”
The Vikings will play Homestead (18-13-1) on Saturday, May 21 for the second round of the CCS tournament.
