Los Gatos got on the board early in the top of the first, off of Vikings’ starter Alec Olmstead (‘16). The Vikings were retired quietly in the bottom half of the inning, and the Wildcats tacked on another run in the top half of the second.

Paly answered in the bottom half of the second and scored a run on a single hit by Ben Cleasby (‘17).

Los Gatos would continue to tack on runs in both the third and fourth to make the score 4-1.

The game seemed to be firmly under the Wildcats’ control until the Vikings rallied to score three runs, tying the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth. Vikings hitters finally seemed to figure out the Los Gatos starter, stringing together three hits in the inning by Laurence Han (‘16), Ethan Stern (‘17) and Cleasby.

A stunned Los Gatos team was put out quietly and the entire fifth inning went scoreless, preserving the 4-4 tie.

In the top of the sixth, the Wildcats scored two runs on a hit and a walk, off of Vikings pitcher Jake Varner (‘18).

Los Gatos would go on to win the game 7-4.

“We made a lot of mental mistakes, myself included,” outfielder Angus Stayte (‘17) said after the game. “If we play the way we can play we’re going to win, no matter who we’re playing.”

“They threw a lot of strikes, they pounded the zone,” Olmstead said. “They didn’t really mess around, they got their outs quick. They’re a great team, and we’re most definitely going to see them again. I’m excited for it, because I want to get them again. It wasn’t our best game, but it’s baseball, stuff happens.”

The Vikings will look to bounce back Monday when they play at Leland at 4 o’clock.