Josiah Granados-Diaz, David Talavera and Chase Watkins all scored twice to lead top-seeded St. Francis High into the semifinal round of the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs with a 9-4 win over No. 8 Pinewood on Saturday at West Valley College in Saratoga.
St. Francis (19-7) will play No. 4 Palma High on Wednesday at Washington Park in Santa Clara for a spot in the D-III section final. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Palma (16-11), the third-place finisher in the Monterey Bay League Gabilan division, eliminated No. 5 Terra Nova High with a 6-0 win on Saturday to advance.
The Sharks, second-place finishers in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, scored eight runs over the first two innings and pitchers C.J. Gomez and Andrew Seymour held off Pinewood (12-4) the rest of the way.
Gomez started and went 5 innings to record the win. He allowed four hits, three earned runs and three walks, while striking out three.
Seymour tossed two innings of relief and allowed two hits.
Talavera doubled and walked twice. Granados-Diaz and Watkins each had a pair of hits and stolen bases.
