Valley Christian pitcher fires perfect game as team clinches league title

John Diatte calls Kole Laubach his first grand player, given that the pitcher’s dad, Ryan, played for the longtime Valley Christian baseball coach three decades ago.

So it was only natural that the grand coach was emotional on Friday as the younger Laubach carried a perfect game into the final inning.

“I was getting a little teary-eyed,” said Diatte, who had never had a pitcher retire all 21 batters in his 35 years as the school’s coach. “When the second out happened, I was like, ‘Oh my Gosh.’”

Laubach’s heart sunk moments later when the final St. Ignatius batter hit a line drive. But second baseman Antonio Chavez, a freshman, was there to make the catch.

Twenty-one up, 21 down.

And not only that, the 3-0 victory on the road over St. Ignatius clinched a share of the West Catholic Athletic League championship for Valley Christian, which finished tied atop the standings with Serra.

“It was a great day,” Laubach said. “Absolutely crazy.”

For Laubach, the game continued his domination of WCAL competition. In four league games this season, he has a 0.00 ERA.

Friday, though, the junior was even better than the zeroes on the scoreboard.

“I knew today right when I stepped on the rubber in the bullpen I was feeling it,” he said. “Everything was working and I got out on the mound, I was just flowing. That was it.”

Laubach had to be on his game because Chase Gordon pitched five scoreless innings for SI before Valley Christian, ranked second by the Bay Area News Group, broke through in the sixth.

Tatum Marsh’s two-run homer gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. Jordan Ortiz’s single in the seventh stretched the margin to 3-0.

From there, all eyes were on Laubach, who got the treatment pitchers typically receive while working a no-hitter or perfect game.

Nobody talked to him.

Laubach figured the final three outs would be a challenge as the top of SI’s batting order was coming up.

The first batter flied out to left. Laubach struck out the second batter. The third one hit the line drive to Chavez to end the game, sealing a victory that avenged Valley Christian’s 4-0 loss at home to 10th-ranked SI on Tuesday.

“I got the first two and I started to tense up a little bit,” Laubach said. “I was able to get that last out, and it was surreal. This will be a memory to look back upon, for sure.”

Junior Kole Laubach tosses a perfect game to lead varsity baseball team to a 3-0 win over Saint Ignatius and a share of the WCAL regular season title pic.twitter.com/gbnltbIp6c

— VCHS Athletics (@VCHSAthletics) May 4, 2024

All four of Laubach’s pitches were working — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup — as he dropped SI’s record to 16-8, 7-7.

“He’s been really good of late,” said Diatte, whose team improved to 23-4, 11-3. “Nothing bothers him. He just goes out there and does what he needs to do. Highly competitive. Wants to be successful. I love his work ethic. Some guys get into the season and they stop working to get better. He just has continued to get better.”

He proved that again Friday.

No. 3 Serra 13, No. 11 Archbishop Mitty 2

Serra, playing at home in San Mateo, all but clinched its share of the WCAL crown in the first inning when it erupted for seven runs.

The Padres added three more runs in the third and three in the fifth to soar past Mitty to close out the league regular-season schedule.

Ian Armstrong and Jake Downing each hit home runs to help lead the way. Armstrong had three hits and three RBIs.