The Redwood Giants vs. the San Marin Mustangs Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) championship rematch was just about as unpredictable as it gets in a baseball game. The Mustangs scored three runs in the first four innings, putting runners in scoring position each inning and gaining an early lead. Senior starting pitcher Tanner O’Keefe stifled the Redwood offense, allowing just one baserunner in the first three innings. But the Giants responded with four runs in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth, surging themselves into a 5-3 lead by the final inning. As the Redwood fans piled up against the fence, waiting to storm the field for victory, San Marin tied the game with a two-run double, sending shockwaves through the crowd as the game was forced to extras.
In the first inning, San Marin scored one run off a double into right-center, and almost tallied another run with a single up the middle. But senior Sam Gersch threw out the runner at home, keeping the score at 1-0. Junior Jake Post relieved sophomore Maxim Wells with one out in the second inning, stranding the Mustang runner and getting Redwood out of a jam. However, he hit two batters in the third inning, one of which scored on a double, before allowing an unearned run in the fourth. Redwood’s offense finally sparked in the fifth when junior Ethan Ferry led off the inning with a walk. Senior TJ Beck was then hit by a pitch, before senior Lucas Ghio advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt. With runners in scoring position, senior Kaelin Christman capitalized, sending a line drive into left-center, bringing the deficit to just one run. After a sacrifice fly by junior Theo Trono tied the game, Gersch reached on an error, and a wild pitch advanced Gersch and Christman into scoring position. Junior Jack Moseley got the crucial knock, lacing a single into center field to bring home both runs, finalizing a four-run inning
Strong defensive efforts, including standout play from junior Theo Trono at second base in the sixth, helped Redwood maintain their edge. After Redwood’s junior Ethan Ferry out ran a bobbled ground ball to shortstop, the Giants added a gritty insurance run, scoring after an infield single from senior TJ Beck and another sacrifice bunt from Ghio, extending the lead to 5-3.
San Marin threatened in the bottom of the sixth by loading the bases, but senior Jack Gurley entered and delivered a clutch performance, recording the last out to preserve the lead. After a scoreless seventh inning for Redwood, San Marin responded by putting runners on second and third. Down to their last out, senior Joey Cippolina roped a double down the left field line, tying the game 5-5 and forcing extra innings.
As the pressure mounted, the Mustangs began to crack. They had survived despite a mishandled ground ball that allowed Ferry to reach first base, and a dropped pop fly with two runners on that was called for an infield fly rule. But in extras, the defensive miscues only worsened. Junior Theo Trono popped a ball straight up to the catcher, who couldn’t secure the ball as he lost it in the lights. A few pitches later, Trono hit a fly ball to right field that was dropped by the outfielder, allowing sophomore Noah Gersch — who led off the inning with a double — to score the go-ahead run. Two mistakes in less than five pitches. Tasked with sealing the victory, Gurley hit the first batter in the bottom of the ninth. But he quickly got two outs, before coaxing a fly ball to Moseley in right field to secure the win.
The Mustangs’ fielding errors contributed to their third straight MCAL championship loss — and their second in a row to Redwood in heart-breaking fashion. The Giants’ victory capped off a gritty, back-and-forth battle that reflected the team’s resilience and depth across the roster. The Giants will move on to the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs, where they will play in Division One. Schedules will be released in the coming days for placements within NCS.
