Aptos High senior pitcher David Reckers continued his strong final season with the Mariners with another solid outing on Tuesday afternoon.
Reckers, who is headed to NCAA Division I Cal State Bakersfield next season on scholarship, tossed a no-hitter through five innings in the Mariners’ 3-1 Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League victory over Soquel High on the road.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder had eight strikeouts and walked only three to lower his earned run average for the season to 2.69 over 26 innings pitched.
His good day on the bump came just three days after arguably his best showing with the bat all season. Reckers went 3-for-3 with six RBIs, two scored runs, a home run and a double in Aptos’ 14-4 win over Mendota High in non-league action on Saturday.
Tuesday’s win helped the Mariners (9-4, 3-1) stay in the thick of the SCCAL title race. Aptos, which has not won a league title since 2012, still sits in a tie for second place with St. Francis High (3-1) behind undefeated Santa Cruz High (5-0).
Josh Barry had two of the Mariners’ four hits on Tuesday and also scored a run. Jack Bollengier and Luke Keaschall also scored.
Aptos returns to SCCAL play today at Scotts Valley at 4 p.m.
SHARKS UP AND DOWN
St. Francis won its third straight SCCAL game on Tuesday, beating Harbor High 10-0 behind junior pitcher C.J. Gomez’s complete-game no-hitter.
Brandon Moakler tripled, while Derric Estrada-Haro and Josiah Granados-Diaz doubled. Julian Mendoza and Granados-Diaz each had two RBIs.
St. Francis, however, saw its eight-game win streak crumble in a 3-0 non-league loss to Monterey Bay League Gabilan division-leading San Benito High on Wednesday.
Moakler recorded the Sharks’ lone hit in the loss.
St. Francis (11-4) plays at San Lorenzo Valley High today at 4 p.m.
RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY
Watsonville High’s MBL-Pacific division hot streak was put on hold by Mother Nature on Monday. The Wildcatz’s home league game against Alvarez High was moved to May 1 because of rain.
Watsonville has won six straight MBL-P contests, including Friday’s 4-3 victory over Alvarez in Salinas. James Flota’s three RBIs allowed the Wildcatz to notch their longest league win streak since 2015 — they won eight straight en route to the program’s first league crown since 1991.
Near the halfway mark of the league season, Watsonville (8-3) and defending league champ Alisal High (8-2) are neck and neck. The two meet on April 27 in Salinas at 4 p.m.
The Black and Gold did see some action on Wednesday, albeit of the non-league variety, in a 12-3 loss to Santa Cruz. Gio Gonzalez was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a scored run. Jason Garza was 2-for-3 with a double.
Watsonville welcomes in Sobrato High on Saturday at 4 p.m. before returning to league play on Monday at North Salinas.
LAINE KEEPS HITTING
Monte Vista Christian senior outfielder Garret Laine recorded a hit for the seventh straight game, and the Mustangs snapped a five-game losing streak on Tuesday with an 8-2 MBL-Gabilan division win over Gilroy High.
Laine had a double, a single, an RBI and a scored run in the Mustangs’ win.
The 6-foot-tall, 185-pound slugger started the year off with an 11-game hit streak, and has had only one game in which he has been held without a hit.
He is hitting .388 for the season with three doubles, a triple and three home runs.
M.V.C. (9-12, 5-8) hosts Saratoga High for a non-league game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
LINE OF THE WEEK (Apri 12-18)
St. Francis junior pitcher C.J. Gomez tossed a complete-game no-hitter with 15 strikeouts in the Sharks’ SCCAL win over Harbor. Gomez also earned a walk and scored twice on offense.
GAME OF THE WEEK (April 20-26)
St. Francis vs Santa Cruz, April 24, 4 p.m. — Santa Cruz won the first meeting at home, and St. Francis will be looking to even the score when the two meet in Watsonville in an SCCAL game that could either widen the Cardinals’ lead or bring the Sharks closer in the hunt for the league title.
St. Francis was held to one hit by Santa Cruz in a 4-0 loss on March 23.
