Despite 16 strikeouts from ace Robbie Erlin, the top-seeded Scotts Valley High baseball team was upset 2-1 in eight innings by ninth-seeded Monte Vista Christian in the second round of the Central Coast Section tournament on Saturday, May 23.
Erlin, the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League MVP, was replaced by Brett Levy with the game tied 1-1 after seven innings. Erlin had thrown 106 pitches.
The Falcons were heavy favorites coming into the game, but the Mustangs scored first, tallying a run in the fourth inning.
Scotts Valley tied the game in the sixth when Jordan Scott walked and came around to score on a Monte Vista throwing error.
But in the top of the eighth, Monte Vista scored the winning run on a single and three wild pitches.
The Falcons loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but could not push a run across the plate.
Scotts Valley came into the game on a roll after defeating Thomas More, 14-0, in the first round of the playoffs behind a gem from starting pitcher Kyle Shipe.
Shipe pitched five innings and struck out 10 and homered in the win.
The Falcons won the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title and finished the season 24-5, but fell short of their first Central Coast Section title.
Scotts Valley upset in CCS semifinals
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