SAN JOSE- Three weeks ago the Valley Christian baseball team was riding high as the top ranked team in the state of California before suffering a humbling road loss to the Serra Padres. This past Friday, the team atoned for that defeat with a thrilling come from behind 4-1 victory over the Padres to earn a share of their second consecutive WCAL crown. The victory was the 400th of head coach John Diatte's long and distinguished career at the helm of the Warriors.

Things started off a bit rough for Santa Clara University bound senior Jonathan Hughes as the Padres pounded out two hits in the first inning including a double off the wall in left field by Ryan Palmero. However, Hughes rebounded to strike out the side and held the Padres to only one run in the top of the first. Valley Christian answered with a run of their own to tie the score at one in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Adam Hill led off with a single and advanced to third when Clayton Eslick blasted a 1-1 pitch to right for a clean single. Christian Lam lifted a fly ball to right and Hill raced home to narrowly beat the throw from the Padre right fielder to knot the score at one.

Hughes shut the Padres down on only ten pitches in the third helped by an incredible diving catch from Eslick and the Warriors broke through for two in the bottom of the inning for a lead they would never give back. Senior lead off hitter Michael Reiling got things started with single that gave him the all-time record for hits in a 14 game WCAL season and the league batting title. He advanced to second on a wild pitch before catcher Jeremy Howard laid a perfect push bunt down the third base line for another hit. Hughes singled to right to score Reiling and after Nick Backlund flew out to short center field Howard came home on a sharp hit and run ground ball to short from Adam Hill.

Hughes had another near perfect inning throwing only 13 pitches to retire the side in the fourth inning. Valley Christian scratched across a run in classic Warrior baseball in the bottom half of the inning. Casey Shears led of with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Christian Lam laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move him to third were he scored on a sacrifice fly to left from David Garcia.

The fifth inning was over seemingly before it started as Hughes again retired the side on 13 pitches but the Padres star hurler worked even quicker retiring the side on only seven pitches in the bottom half of the inning. Both teams got runners on in the sixth but could not push a run across. The Warriors were helped by another brilliant defensive play, this time by left fielder Nick Backlund. The Warriors were three outs away from a share of the title. However...the Padres would not go down easily.

Allgrove led off and fouled the first pitch off his ankle. He appeared to be in tremendous pain but was able to walk it off and stay in the game. He was hit by a pitch on the next pitch and the Padres had their leadoff batter on. The next hitter worked to count to 3-2 before striking out on a beautiful breaking ball from Hughes. The Warriors catcher Jeremy Howard tossed a strike to Reiling to nail Allgrove at second and suddenly the Warriors were one out away. The next batter was also hit with a pitch and after Palmero drew a five pitch walk, the Padres sent the tying run up to the plate. Hughes delivered again as he induced a ground ball to short and clinch a share of the championship for the Warriors.

Congratulations to coach Diatte on his 400th win and good luck to the entire team in the upcoming play-offs.