Monte Vista Seizes EBAL's Top Spot
By Chris Jackson Friday May 15, 2015
ALAMO, CA-The Mustangs have surprised some and their victory on Friday afternoon placed them
as a legitimate NCS title contender.
A massive 3-2 victory at home over the then first place De La Salle Spartans (14-8, 8-4 EBAL) gave Monte Vista
(15-7, 9-3 EBAL) sole possession of first place in the perennial East Bay Athletic League.
Connor Bruce's RBI single to left in the bottom of the third made it 3-2 Mustangs and that would be all they needed
in the end. The EBAL chaos still continued, however.
De La Salle stranded the bases loaded in the fourth inning after Blake Ogburn flies out to center. That squandered
opportunity offensively became a pivotal point in the contest and it wasn't the only one they failed to convert, leaving
nine men on base.
Monte Vista's Noah Cort forced a 6-4-3 double play to escape a bases-loaded jam with one out in the second inning.
CJ Perkins replaced him in the third but managed to surrender just one run after the bases were loaded and the game
became tied 2-2.
Although Cort's outing was finished in the third inning, his ability get out of space the bases-loaded jam in the second
set a huge statement. He walked five Spartans batter in two innings and gave up two hits.
The Mustangs rattled ace and potential first round pick Justin Hooper early. In just three innings, Hooper threw
90 pitches and was replaced by Connor Redmond to start the fourth inning.
Two of the three runs didn't come on hits, tying it at one on a failed pickoff attempt and extending the lead to
2-1 on a groundout to second from Charles Zaloumis.
In his three innings of work, Hooper surrendered five walks and three earned runs. Although he wasn't able to match
his shutout from Saturday against nationally ranked College Park, his MLB talents have been on display much of the
season.
One more win would give Monte Vista at least a share of the league crown, with matchups against Amador Valley and
San Ramon Valley remaining.
as a legitimate NCS title contender.
A massive 3-2 victory at home over the then first place De La Salle Spartans (14-8, 8-4 EBAL) gave Monte Vista
(15-7, 9-3 EBAL) sole possession of first place in the perennial East Bay Athletic League.
Connor Bruce's RBI single to left in the bottom of the third made it 3-2 Mustangs and that would be all they needed
in the end. The EBAL chaos still continued, however.
De La Salle stranded the bases loaded in the fourth inning after Blake Ogburn flies out to center. That squandered
opportunity offensively became a pivotal point in the contest and it wasn't the only one they failed to convert, leaving
nine men on base.
Monte Vista's Noah Cort forced a 6-4-3 double play to escape a bases-loaded jam with one out in the second inning.
CJ Perkins replaced him in the third but managed to surrender just one run after the bases were loaded and the game
became tied 2-2.
Although Cort's outing was finished in the third inning, his ability get out of space the bases-loaded jam in the second
set a huge statement. He walked five Spartans batter in two innings and gave up two hits.
The Mustangs rattled ace and potential first round pick Justin Hooper early. In just three innings, Hooper threw
90 pitches and was replaced by Connor Redmond to start the fourth inning.
Two of the three runs didn't come on hits, tying it at one on a failed pickoff attempt and extending the lead to
2-1 on a groundout to second from Charles Zaloumis.
In his three innings of work, Hooper surrendered five walks and three earned runs. Although he wasn't able to match
his shutout from Saturday against nationally ranked College Park, his MLB talents have been on display much of the
season.
One more win would give Monte Vista at least a share of the league crown, with matchups against Amador Valley and
San Ramon Valley remaining.
