BASEBALL: Serra Tops Burlingame in Pitchers' Duel

The Score: Serra 3, Burlingame 1.

The Star: Serra High pitcher Thomas Cox hurled a complete-game four-hitter to stake the visiting Padres to victory in the annual non-league battle of Peninsula powerhouses at Washington Park on Friday night. The junior left-hander struck out 10 and walked three in a 116-pitch gem as Serra topped Burlingame for the fourth straight year.

The Turning Point: Burlingame (5-2) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth as Vince Arobio led off with a walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch. But Serra (4-2) immediately answered with a three-run fifth. No. 9 batter Chris Moraros doubled to start the inning against reliever Nick Baylock and advanced to third on a passed ball. Then Paul Murray tied the game with an RBI triple to right. Baylock (0-1) seemed poised to limit the damage with a pair of strikeouts, but then Austin March and Ricky Rolfes followed with two-out RBI singles to give the Padres a 3-1 advantage.

The Quote: “We’re in the WCAL – great league, great opponents, great players. We’re trying to face the best opponents in the preseason so we can go into league performing our best.” – Serra pitcher Thomas Cox, on how his team’s early games against tough opponents like Burlingame, James Logan, Foothill, San Ramon Valley and Monte Vista will prepare the Padres for the West Catholic Athletic League grind.

What’s Next? Serra visits Monte Vista (Danville) today at 2 p.m., the Padres’ final game before beginning the WCAL season with a home game against Riordan on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Burlingame returns to action by hosting Sacred Heart Prep in a non-league game on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

The Bottom Line: Pitching ruled as both teams displayed signs that they will again be contenders this season. … Serra’s Cox (2-0) has made the most of an opportunity with returning southpaw Barry Timko sidelined with a broken collarbone in the early season. Cox has allowed three runs and just two extra-base hits (both doubles) in a team-high 14 1/3 innings. He has recorded 14 strikeouts and three walks thus far. … Burlingame starting pitcher Zac Grotz was even more dominant at the outset, hurling four shutout innings while striking out nine and walking two. Making his showing all the more remarkable is the fact that Grotz hadn’t even practiced with the team before Friday. Grotz was a starter for the Panther boys basketball team, which saw its season end on Thursday night with a 46-43 loss at El Cerrito in the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs. “Amazing,” Burlingame coach Shawn Scott said. “What that kid did tonight was amazing.” … March, who has hit safely in five of Serra’s first six games, was the only player to record multiple hits. … Friday’s was the lowest scoring game in the rivalry since 2007, when Burlingame’s Paul Fregosi hurled a three-hitter to beat the Padres 1-0. … Serra coach Craig Giannino was impressed with Cox’s poise after allowing the run on the wild pitch. “You would never know they got a run,” he said. … The Padres stranded a runner in scoring position against Grotz in each of the first four innings, but then the visitors promptly answered once Burlingame took the lead. … Before inducing a game-ending comebacker, Cox had gotten seven of the previous nine outs via strikeout. … Burlingame’s Scott was particularly pleased with his arms. “Holding a team like them to three runs should be a confidence boost to our pitching staff,” he said.

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Serra 3, Burlingame 1

S – 000 030 0 – 3 8 1

B – 000 100 0 – 1 4 0

WP: Cox (2-0). LP: Baylock (0-1).

3B: Murray (S). 2B: Moraros (S); Phan (B). 2 hits: March (S).

Records: Serra 4-2. Burlingame 5-2.