Christopher had its chances against Monte Vista Christian, but ultimately fell 2-1 in a well-pitched game on Thursday.
Both starters went six strong, both gave up four hits and both allowed one run.
Christopher had a chance to bust the game open in the sixth inning after MVC struck for a run in the top half of the inning.
Brandon Cook led off with a walk and eventually scored on a two-out RBI single from Christopher Spohr.
That hit moved Anthony Rodriguez to third, who had reached on a hit by pitch.
Darren Santos then loaded the bases when he was hit in the leg by a pitch, but that was as close as Christopher came.
Despite a sharp grounder up the middle, MVC got out of the inning with a force play at second.
Justin Nelson got out of a couple of jams, including MVC getting a pair of runners on in the first two innings.
“He’s done a good job all year long just throwing strikes and keeping us in ball games. Really just doing a nice job of filling up the zone,” said coach Adam Perez. “He’s had these kinds of results where he’s kept us in ball games late, we just have to get him some Ws.”
In the second, the Mustangs Evan dean on third with one out and charged home when a pitch got by Christopher’s catcher.
But the Cougars recovered quickly, as the ball got to Nelson before Dean reached the plate and was tagged out.
That luck, however, didn’t last.
Finally in the sixth inning, Dylan McPhillips reached on a double. And after Nelson got Schyler Sicoli to fly out to center, Jackson Collins drove in the run with a double to deep center.
McPhillips went 2-3 with two doubles.
After Christopher tied the game, Dean ripped a single and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Ryan Spohn before scoring on a double from Sam Kent.
The Cougars did get a bit of luck in the inning when Kent was tagged out between second and third on a groundball from Lucas Schmidt thanks to a diving stop from the Cougars’ third baseman.
Christophe went down fighting in the seventh with Bryan Heck and Alec Cordova both getting robbed on balls to the outfield on diving catches.
“There was a little hope there, but there was no wind on our side today. No wind here. It’s usually pretty windy out here. Today it just wasn’t blowing for us,” Perez said. “But, hey, it was a tough ball game. You’re going to run into those. Competing is the thing.”
Nick Fhurong kept the inning alive with a two-out single, but Jacob Beardsley recorded the final out for the save.
Schmidt got the win, giving up one run through six innings allowing four hits, one walk and striking out three.
Nelson took a no decision, going six innings, surrendering one run on four hits and three walks while striking out two.
Christopher will get a second chance at MVC Friday when the Cougars travel to Watsonville for a 4 p.m. game.
