Lewis’ walk-off single lifts Carmel

CCS DIVISION III BASEBALL FINALS

Padres claim 10th section title in win over Willow Glen

Carmel High’s Sean Carr scores the winning run against Willow Glen during the teams’ CCS Division III Baseball Championships in Santa Clara on Friday. PHOTOS BY RAUL EBIO — HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Carmel High players mob Bo Lewis (20) after driving in the winning run against Willow Glen to win the CCS Division III Baseball Championships in Santa Clara on Friday.

Carmel High starting pitcher Mathew Maxon delivers against Willow Glen during the teams’ CCS Division III Baseball Championships in Santa Clara on Friday.

Carmel High’s Bo Lewis singles to right field to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning against Willow Glen during the teams’ CCS Division III Baseball Championships in Santa Clara on Friday.

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By John Devine

jdevine@montereyherald.com

SANTA CLARA >> As Bo Lewis rounded first base, sporting a smile the size of a baseball field, 21 teammates were on his heels in a celebration for the ages.

“When it’s your turn to help affect the team, you have to find a way,” the Carmel senior left fielder said. “This is the best feeling in my life.”

Lewis delivered the hit of the season for the Padres, singling home Ty Arnold with the game-winning run Friday, lifting them to a 3-2 eight-inning win over Willow Glen of San Jose in the Central Coast Section Division III finals at Santa Clara University.

The section title was the 10th in Carmel’s storied baseball program — ninth under head coach Mike Kelly — second only in the county to Palma’s 12 CCS football titles.

The Padres (21-10) will be seeded into the Northern California tournament for the third straight year on Sunday, matching the highest total of appearances in the CCS with Valley Christian of San Jose.

“I think our body of work over the course of the season deserves a home game,” Kelly said. “People like coming to the Peninsula. But I have no control over that.”

Where Carmel will be seeded is open for debate. Because the tournament narrows the divisions from six to five, one section champion among the eight teams in each bracket will likely not get a home game.

“I’m just excited to play another game with these guys,” said Lewis, one of three seniors on the roster. “This is probably it for me. I want to make it last as long as we can.”

Lewis, who came into the game fifth on the team in hits, had a plan coming to the plate with two outs in the eighth inning against the No. 3-seeded Rams, who came into the game riding a 13-game winning streak.

“When I was walking up there, I was thinking ‘just do your job, get something over the infielders,’” Lewis said. “Honestly, it’s kind of a blur right now. I kind of blacked out after I hit the ball.”

For the top-seeded Padres, it was their second CCS title in the past three years, capturing the Division III crown in 2023. Last spring, Carmel was bumped to Division I after winning the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division title.

“It was the most exciting ending we’ve ever had in a CCS title game,” Kelly said. “I don’t think we’ve ever gone extra innings in a title game. The heart and fire that everyone showed, the intensity to be on the edge of your seat with effort.”

Even with the plaque in hand, it still hadn’t hit Lewis, who hits in the cleanup spot for Carmel.

“It probably won’t sink in until the bus ride back,” Lewis said. “It’s so nice to help my team. We’ve put so much work into this season. I am just so excited, filled with emotion.”

Pitching, which has carried Carmel through the postseason with back-to-back shutouts, delivered again as Stanford-bound Matt Maxon struck out seven over seven innings.

Kelly then went with Lucas Rocha, who tossed a gem in last week’s 7-0 quarterfinal win over Santa Cruz, as the sophomore fired a scoreless eighth.

“(Pitching coach) Scott (Brown) has done a fantastic job with this staff,” Kelly said. “They are so young and still growing up. Our three starters spend a lot of time at their craft. It’s not them just showing up and pitching.”

Kelly was speaking about Maxon, Rocha and freshman Kenny Sanchez, all of whom will be back next year for Carmel, while Arnold has been magical as a closer.

“It was a no-doubter that we were going with Lucas in the eighth,” Kelly said. “That was our plan. Our pitchers are very efficient. It’s seldom that they throw 90-plus pitches in a start.”

Without the benefit of a hit in the third inning, the Padres produced a pair of runs on sacrifice flies from Maxon and Arnold to build a 2-0 lead.

Maxon, who set down the first six hitters he faced, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third before being touched for single runs in the fourth and fifth by the Rams (23-6) to tie the game at 2.

Carmel threatened in the seventh inning when Alex Hirschfield and Skyler Brown both singled, but weren’t able to push across a run to end it in regulation.

“You just have to think about the next move,” Kelly said. “I don’t let things get to me. What kind of moves can we make, how to keep kids in the right spot. I felt good going into the eighth. We had the top of our lineup coming up. What was cool to see was a senior knocking in a senior.”