SAN JOSE — The dirt marks from Derric Estrada-Haro’s cleats were still fresh on home plate.
It didn’t matter.
St. Francis High never found the game-changing break or hit it needed. Not even when it did everything right.
A controversial call on what looked like a force out at home plate with the bases loaded started a season-ending avalanche in the No. 7-seeded Sharks’ 7-2 loss to the No. 11-seeded Menlo Knights in the Central Coast Section Division II Semifinals at San Jose Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.
Down 3-2 in the seventh inning, St. Francis (14-14) head coach Kenny Nakagawa decided to load the bases with a pair of intentional walks after Menlo (18-10-1) sophomore Justin Nam tripled with one out. Sharks’ senior Ruben Ibarra, who relieved junior starting pitcher Chase Watkins in the seventh, got the ground ball St. Francis desperately needed and the throw to home was true but the umpire called Nam safe, saying Estrada-Haro had missed the plate.
Nakagawa protested the call but it was not overturned.
Things then spiraled out of control for the Sharks, who were looking to return to the CCS D-II Championship for the first time since 2014. The Knights tacked on three more runs on a wild pitch, a misplayed ball at home plate and a bases-loaded walk.
Menlo senior starting pitcher Chandler Yu quickly closed the door on his scrappy complete-game effort as well as the Sharks’ season in the bottom of the frame.
“He was out — there’s no doubt about it,” Nakagawa said of the controversial call, which had the dozens of St. Francis fans who made the hour-long drive from Watsonville up in arms. “In that situation — in a game like this — you can’t make that call unless it’s very, very obvious. You can’t make that call in that situation. It’s unacceptable. But, once again, we didn’t capitalize either.”
The Sharks stranded 10 base runners. They loaded the bases in the second inning with no outs and had runners on second and third in two other innings but came away empty handed each time.
Yu, who said he was set to pitch at the University of Chicago next season, worked his way out of several jams behind his airtight defense. Senior shortstop Griff McGarry, the Knights’ usual ace that will pitch for the University of Virginia next season, made several spectacular plays with the glove and senior right fielder Justin Kasser chased down a would-be RBI triple in the fifth inning to keep Menlo up 3-2.
Yu, who allowed seven hits and two walks, was quick to dish out the love to his outfield.
“If those balls fall that’s when the runs come in,” Yu said.
Menlo will try to win its second straight CCS crown and seventh overall on Saturday back at Municipal Stadium against No. 8 Burlingame High, which beat No. 5 Live Oak High to advance.
Yu said the Knights, which graduated 12 players from last year’s CCS D-II champion team, have something to prove on Saturday.
“Everyone was counting us out,” Yu said. “We’re built for the postseason. We can get wins when we need it.”
St. Francis took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Ibarra’s RBI double but Menlo tied it up the following inning on a Sharks’ infield error.
The Knights jumped in front on an RBI single from senior Ben Somorjai in the top of the third but back-to-back triples from Estrada-Haro and senior left fielder Andrew Ciandro tied it back up at 2-all.
Just one inning later Menlo grabbed the lead for good on McGarry’s RBI single.
Yu and his defense did the rest.
Watkins took the loss for the Sharks, pitching six complete innings and allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out six.
Estrada-Haro accidentally nailed Watkins in the back of the head while trying to throw out a runner attempting to steal second base during the fourth inning. Both team’s trainers and coaches hurried out to check if the 6-foot-4 lefty was OK. Watkins, who remained in a deep squat for a few moments after being hit, stayed in the game following the scary moment and said he felt fine.
“I had no headaches after so I’m grateful for that,” Watkins said.
Ibarra, who tossed two perfect innings of relief in Saturday’s CCS quarterfinal win over Soquel High, cut down the first batter he faced in the seventh but Nam clubbed the first pitch he saw over the head of St. Francis junior centerfielder Brandon Moakler and scurried around the bases for a triple.
Nakagawa intentionally walked Somorjai and Yu to load the bases. Menlo senior Nolan Peterson hit a chopper to third, which St. Francis junior Josh Kovacs secured and fired into Estrada-Haro’s glove at home plate. Umpire Larry Hanlock determined the Sharks’ junior catcher had stepped off the plate while reaching up to make the grab, making the call after about a five second delay.
Nakagawa stood by his decision to load the bases. Watkins, who moved to first base after pitching, said he was certain Estrada-Haro made the play at home.
“You could see his cleat mark on the plate. It was terrible,” Watkins said. “I actually really like that ump but I don’t know how you can make that call in that moment.”
St. Francis will graduate five players from its roster of 17. All five, however, were huge pieces that helped the Sharks overcome a slow 1-7 start and make the playoffs for the fifth straight year on the final day of the regular season. Joseph Kovacs, Richie Martinez III, Connor Bagchee, Ciandro and Ibarra all played their final game for the Sharks on Tuesday.
Nakagawa said it would be hard to replace the quintet, especially Ciandro and Ibarra, who were the leaders of this year’s team that will go on to play Division I baseball for Cal State Bakersfield and San Jose State, respectively.
“It’s going to hurt to lose some key components,” Nakagawa said. “Losing those two guys that have been here for four years is tough. Who’s going to step up for us next year? We’ll see. We’ve got some guys.”
