BASEBALL: Improved Woodside Takes Tough Loss

The Score: Half Moon Bay 4, Woodside 3.

The Star: Despite ending up as the losing pitcher, Woodside High’s Derek Azzopardi stood out for visitors in a Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division game on Tuesday. He hit a towering, two-run home run to the opposite field off Half Moon Bay ace Julian Garcia and pitched a complete-game four-hitter. Azzopardi surrendered just two earned runs, but his team’s late rally was not enough for the Wildcats (7-9, 5-2 PAL Ocean) to top first-place Half Moon Bay (11-5, 5-0).

The Turning Point: With Garcia (4-1) and Azzopardi (2-2) locked in a pitchers’ duel that saw the score knotted at 2-2 after five innings, Half Moon Bay broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth on a catching error on a play at the plate that appeared to have runner Peter Bacich nailed. Juan Ayon added an RBI single to give the hosts a two-run edge heading in to the last frame. But Woodside battled in hopes of keeping its four-game win streak alive. Back-to-back doubles to open the seventh by Ricki Hoffer and Brian Clifford (who advanced to third after the scoring Hoffer drew the throw to the plate) put the Wildcats within 4-3, with the tying run at third with no outs. Left fielder Eric Tam followed with a walk but then Garcia produced a Jordan Benavides pop-up and struck out Gino Cockrum and Bradley Degnan to end the game – stranding Clifford at third.

The Quote: “It was the first home run of the year for me, and probably my only one. It felt really good though. On my first swing, I was way behind. I was lucky to time him and take him deep.” – Woodside pitcher Derek Azzopardi, on his first-inning blast off Julian Garcia that gave his team a 2-0 lead.

What’s Next? The two teams meet again Thursday in another PAL Ocean contest. First pitch at Woodside is at 4 p.m.

The Bottom Line: Despite absorbing the tough road loss, Woodside is well on its way to bouncing back from a 0-14 season in the PAL Bay Division last year that dropped the Wildcats to the PAL Ocean. Behind a .351 team batting average entering Tuesday, highlighted by freshman Bradley Degnan’s .550 mark, Woodside should find itself competing with Half Moon Bay and Capuchino for the PAL Ocean crown.

Notes: Half Moon Bay’s Garcia matched Azzopardi in hurling a complete game on Tuesday. Garcia threw a five-hitter. … Half Moon Bay’s win was its fourth straight and it snapped Woodside’s four-game streak. … Both Woodside and HMB, No. 7 in , have already exceeded their win totals from last season. In 2010, Woodside had five victories and HMB seven. … The Cougars swept the season series last year, with Garica pitching six innings with seven whiffs to earn a no-decision in a 7-6 walk-off win on Apr. 21, 2010. Half Moon Bay also won 5-2 two days later. … Both teams were demoted to the PAL Ocean after finishing at the bottom of the PAL Bay standings last year.

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Half Moon Bay 4, Woodside 3

W 200 000 1 – 3 5 2

H 200 002 x – 4 4 0

WP: Garcia (4-1). LP: Azzopardi (2-2).

HR: Azzopardi (W). 3B: Fama (HMB). 2B: Hoffer, Clifford (W); Berghammer (HMB). 2 RBI: Azzopardi (W).

Records: Woodside 7-9, 5-2 PAL Ocean. Half Moon Bay 11-5, 5-0 PAL Ocean.