Will McCulloch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Washington players pile up to celebrate their win over Galileo in the San Francisco Section championship at AT&T Park. (Andy Kuno / Special to The Chronicle)
Thomas Mora found his groove on the big-league hill Wednesday.
Six days after struggling with his command in Washington's nine-inning semifinal win over Lincoln, the Eagles' senior pitcher shrugged off a tough first inning and retired the last 10 batters he faced to lead Washington to a 6-4 victory over Galileo in the San Francisco Section championship at AT&T Park.
Mora allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in seven innings.
"It seems like as the season went on my control vanished," said Mora, who improved to 8-3 this season. "I got too amped. ... But they gave me the ball today and I got the victory."
Washington coach Rob Fung pondered starting a different pitcher in the big game, but Sunday night he made the decision to start his senior right-hander.
"We thought about it for a few days," Fung said, "But you have to give the ball to the horse that got you here."
Washington's Tom Mora hugs head coach Rob Fung (2) at the conclusion of Washington's 6-4 victory over Galileo Wednesday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. (Andy Kuno / Special to The Chronicle)
With the memory of consecutive city title game losses to Lowell lingering in their minds, the Eagles (17-12) won their first section title since 2006. Washington will meet Oakland Athletic League champion Skyline in the first game of the best-of-three TransBay Series at the Oakland Coliseum on Monday. Mora attended Skyline as a freshman.
Washington senior Roland Maxie led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single and scored the eventual winning run after Galileo made a throwing error on Glenn Valledor's single. The Eagles added another run when Valledor scored on a Dane Vandaguchte's grounder. Then Mora kept Galileo off the base paths with his mid-80s fastball.
Washington's Roland Maxie (right) celebrates the go-ahead run with teammate Dave Vandugutche against Galileo in the fourth inning. (Andy Kuno / Special to The Chronicle)
"We put it in play," Galileo coach Don Papa said. "But we didn't hit it solid enough."
Making its first section final since 1978, Galileo (14-8) had a 3-0 lead after one inning. Ken Chan scored on a groundball, and Cody Klein drove in Dylan Nelson (1-for-3) with a single and scored on a throwing error.
Washington, which scored one in the second, took a 4-3 in the third when Paul Duchene singled in two runs off Galileo starter Cody Klein and then scored on a base hit from Jumaane Bowdry (2-for-3).
Galileo tied it 4-4 in the fourth inning when Kevin Kung scored on Jordan Lee's RBI single.
Washington third baseman Jumaane Bowdry (left) and first baseman Avery Velasco (right) rush the infield celebration with pitcher Tom Mora and catcher Alex Kozakiewicz (center) after clinching the championship game against Galileo. (Andy Kuno / Special to The Chronicle)
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