The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High baseball team appears to have fallen short of reaching the North Coast Section Division IV championship game after a brutal 3-2 loss to host Justin-Siena in Tuesday’s semifinal.

Justin-Siena’s William Baker snapped a 2-2 tie with a bases-loaded, walk-off single to right in the bottom of the seventh, scoring Clayton Dunkle and apparently sending the No. 2 seeded Braves (16-10) to Saturday’s championship against No. 1 seed St. Mary’s (20-7) at Diablo Valley College.

But the No. 6 seeded Bruins (11-11) didn’t accept Tuesday’s defeat quietly. SPSV manager James Terrell Sr. filed a formal protest with the NCS claiming Justin-Siena had an illegal batting practice session just prior to the game. A final decision by the NCS wasn’t available at press time.

The Bruins had an early lead against the Braves. Tavian Henderson was hit by a pitch in the first inning, stole second and later scored on a RBI double to center by James Terrell Jr. to make it 1-0. Singles by Henderson and Fred Seto led to another run in the top of the second inning.

That was all for Justin-Siena sophomore pitcher Sean McElroy, who turned the ball over to Brendan Natuzzi. The Bruins couldn’t figure out the senior reliever, who threw four innings of three-hit scoreless ball to help the Braves make a comeback.

The Braves answered in the bottom of the third off starting pitcher Triston Foley. After singles by Colton Peterson and Natuzzi, Dunkle hit a hard-hit ball to SPSV’s third baseman, whose errant throw allowed Peterson to score to make it 2-1. Foley pitched into the sixth inning but was pulled after a leadoff walk to Eric Herwatt, and SPSV’s bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Fred Seto walked the only two batters he faced to load the bases, and Herwatt ended up scoring off reliever Jack Gamba on a Peterson ground out to tie the game.

The Bruins had their chances to increase their lead. SPSV had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth, but the Bruins couldn’t get a bunt down on a squeeze play and Foley was tagged out at the plate. Gamba doubled with one out in the sixth but was left stranded, and the Bruins left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh.

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