A Playoff Game That Went the Distance
The 2026 spring campaign for Aptos High School baseball concluded with a nail‑biting contest against Menlo School in the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs. The two squads traded blows over nine innings, but it was Menlo that ultimately seized a 7‑6 victory in dramatic fashion.
Freshman James Riley led the Aptos offense with a triple‑hit performance, logging three hits that included a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. His contributions kept the team ahead early, but the lead slipped away as the game progressed.
Junior Cole McGillicuddy added his own spark, delivering two hits — including a double — while driving in a run and crossing the plate twice. Sophomore Damien Espinoza contributed a double and two RBIs, underscoring a collective offensive effort.
On the mound, junior pitcher Alec Mendoza weathered an early two‑run burst from Menlo, allowing just those runs in the first two innings before settling into a rhythm that kept his team in contention.
Aptos built a 5‑3 advantage heading into the seventh frame, only to watch Menlo claw back and tie the game at 5‑5. The deadlock forced extra innings, where the tension mounted with each at‑bat.
In the ninth inning, Aptos reclaimed the lead, but Menlo answered with two runs of its own, sealing a walk‑off win that left the Aptos dugout empty‑handed.
The loss dropped Aptos’s final record to 14‑9, ending a season that had begun with high hopes. Despite the defeat, the team’s performance highlighted promising talent, including the standout efforts of Riley, McGillicuddy, Espinoza and Mendoza.